I initially had a great experience working with Tim. We completed a six-session training package, and I also used his dog walking services. At the time, I found him knowledgeable and appreciated the help he provided.
Some time later, I reached out to inquire about booking a few refresher training sessions. During our conversation, he asked if I was still feeding my dog from a bowl. I answered honestly that I was. His response was, "Sorry, I just don't want to waste anymore time."
Throughout our original training, Tim mentioned several times that he hand-feeds every meal to his own dogs and recommended that I do the same. However, this was never presented as a requirement of my training program or as a condition for receiving future training. At no point during the original six-session package was I told that continuing to feed my dog from a bowl would mean he would refuse to work with us in the future.
Since his website states that "all training programs are custom tailored to the dog and handler," I was surprised to have my request for additional training dismissed solely because I feed my dog from a bowl. A professional dog trainer should be able to work with a dog and its owner using methods that fit the individual handler's lifestyle, rather than requiring every meal to be hand-fed as a prerequisite for training. While hand-feeding may be a technique that works well for some, it was never communicated to me as a mandatory part of my training program or as a condition for receiving future services. Every owner has different routines, and while hand-feeding may work well for some, it isn't necessarily practical, sustainable or appropriate for everyone.
I was disappointed that after investing in a training package and additional services, my request for further training was refused in this manner. read more
