So to load a layer is straight forward as taken from the "JavaScript API Concepts" page. Sniplet below...
function init() {
var layer = new esri.layers.ArcGISDynamicMapServiceLayer(...);
dojo.connect(layer, "onLoad", printInitialExtent);
}
How do you catch an event if the layer never gets loaded? Maybe the service is down. If the layer does not get loaded I want to inform the user (rather than a blank map).