The Tom Rose School is a complete fraud. My partner and I moved across several states specifically…read morebecause the school advertised itself as a place to train directly with Tom Rose. However, when my partner, toured the school last spring, it had already been sold and placed under new ownership and instructors. This crucial detail was never disclosed--then or now. Tom Rose is rarely involved with the school, yet they continue to exploit his name and reputation to mislead prospective students. Meanwhile, tuition has been increased, courses shortened, and important parts of the curriculum removed.
The misrepresentation doesn't end there. They advertised Tom as a head instructor however, Tom met the students for lunch the first week and came to the school once to do a demo, and the methods he demonstrated were vastly different from what is currently being taught. Students no longer have access to the Tom Rose Ranch--this class toured it once, and that was it. In the past, students were taught pet first aid and CPR, but this class didn't receive that training.
I feel this school has grossly misrepresented itself to both students and the VA. The new owners lack the knowledge, experience, and competence to run a program like this. They advertise job placement and claim to teach business and marketing for dog trainers, but none of this is true. Graduates leave with no assistance finding work, and the business and marketing training is practically nonexistent.
The training methods taught here are outdated, excessively harsh, and unethical. The school relies heavily on compulsion training, emphasizing "yank and crank" corrections with prong collars and e-collars. To prevent exposure of their aggressive practices, students are prohibited from recording during class. I've personally seen dogs broken down, with tails between their legs, and many of them are just puppies. Some dogs are malnourished and treated poorly, I've witnessed puppies being subjected to e-collar corrections set dangerously high and other aggressive means of corrections. Whether the dog is a pet, a future service animal for a veteran, or a potential working dog for law enforcement, they are all treated with the same harsh methods.
This school is nothing more than a cash grab, riding on the coattails of Tom Rose's name and legacy. It has misrepresented itself to students, veterans, and the VA. If you're considering this school--especially as a veteran using VA benefits--don't waste your time, money, or effort. There are far better programs out there that are ethical, transparent, and genuinely dedicated to dog training.
