I cannot recommend this training service to anyone after what happened with my dog. Ellie (corgi/beagle/bulldog mix) has had a history of not being welcoming to other dogs and people right away, but has always warmed up eventually. I do blame myself for not socializing properly, but she gets better in time. We've always believed it to be out of fear, and actually wanted to take her to obedience training to help learn better skills and to meet other people. Before though, we wanted a house visit to know that she would be okay in the class.
Terry came by and while things were going well, she generally warmed up. It seemed like it was going okay. Same as she always has. Bark a lot at first, she starts to get treats for good behavior and she eventually just relaxes. However, things started to take a turn for the worst, and never recovered from there.
My dog already knows basic commands. Sit, down, off, bed, potty, etc... and has since learned a few more. She's intelligent most of the time, but like me, it takes her a minute to register sometimes because she gets distracted easily. Terry was trying to get her to sit and when she did not do it within a split second, I was told to yank on her leash, hard. Then I get yelled at for doing it wrong apparently. I was not doing it soon enough and not hard enough. She had been coughing lately and I even told him, but didn't seem to care.
The next problem was when he grabbed her leash. He became very demanding and aggressive with Ellie, saying that it is how it should be taught. She began barking and even lunged at him attempting to bite, and he deemed her aggressive and a little vicious. Ellie is territorial, but has never attempted to hurt anyone on purpose. She's all bark but has never attempted to bite anyway, and he was told this. A stranger came into her house, grabbed her leash, yanked on it hurting her and yelled at her. She was terrified and I could see it on her. She peed on the carpet and has only ever done that out of fear, excitement, or are our fault for not letting her out in time, since being house broken.
The worst part of the entire visit was when we were talking about dogs and where I got Ellie. I adopted her from the Lucas County Pit Crew as a puppy. She wasn't a pit bull, but was still given to them along with her siblings, and she was the last of the litter to go. Soon as I said she was from the Pit Crew, he went on a rant of how terrible they are and how they mean well, but have no idea what they are doing and are in way over their heads (she was hurt in a puppy class, but I should have known not to do that). He honestly said all pit bulls are dangerous and should be put down. It should be an extinct breed, never to go into a persons home. My girlfriend and I were so furious, but stayed quiet until he had left. It is unbelievable that someone in the industry so long could honestly believe that. We even told our vet (not naming) and they couldn't believe it. They always hear good things but never that, and they have pit bulls in all the time and they are so sweet.
Now when I take Ellie to go get her nails trimmed, she freaks out when they grab her leash and refuses to leave our side, thinking she will get hurt again. She never use to do that. She would just sit and deal with it and then run to me when it was over. They had to tie her this time because she freaked so much. I felt terrible for them having to do that. It takes a longer time to warm up to people now, but she still does, and when she does she will curl up and sleep on their lap.
She is a lot like me, a reason me, my girlfriend, and families love her. Our friends think she is sweet too, once she trusts them. This is why I cannot recommend anyone go to this trainer. Years of experience means nothing to me after what happened, and I feel terrible for that, because I know how many they have helped. After what happened with Ellie, I can't trust them. read more