We had a very disappointing experience with Nate and, in my opinion, potential clients should…read moreproceed carefully and trust their instincts if something feels off.
We hired Nate to train both of our dogs and paid over $1,000 for the program, which was a significant investment for our family. After the first private session, we were told that one of our dogs was essentially "untrainable," yet no refund or adjustment was offered for that portion of the service. That was our first concern.
During the first session, I personally observed handling of my Chihuahua that, in my opinion, was unnecessarily rough and alarming. At one point, the dog was grabbed by the top of the neck and forced to the ground. I understand trainers may use different methods, but this felt excessive and inappropriate to me.
Initially, we were hopeful because the first session seemed productive. Unfortunately, things declined quickly afterward. Multiple scheduled sessions were canceled or rescheduled by Nate. After the third change, I called to explain that repeated rescheduling was difficult for our family because both of us had to coordinate time away from work. I also noted that the client cancellation policy appeared much stricter than the flexibility being shown on the business side.
During that phone call, Nate became hostile and used disrespectful language. We recorded the conversation after the call escalated. In my opinion, the tone and behavior were unprofessional and concerning. He also accused me of not following through with the training and claimed only my husband had been participating. That was inaccurate. I work from home and was the primary person consistently implementing the training exercises every day.
We also attended a group training session where Nate brought his girlfriend along with a German Shepherd. She was never introduced, no explanation was given as to why she was there, and the situation felt awkward and unprofessional. It created an uncomfortable atmosphere for what was supposed to be a structured training environment.
Most importantly, the training did not produce the results we were promised despite our consistent effort and compliance with the program instructions. I have since spoken with others who shared similar dissatisfaction, though I can only fully speak to my own experience.
My advice to anyone considering group sessions is to stay afterward and speak directly with other clients about their experiences and whether the training has been effective for them. In my opinion, it is valuable to hear honest feedback from others before making further commitments.
This review reflects my honest personal experience and opinions. Others may have different results, but based on our experience, I would not recommend this service. If you would like to hear the audio recording of our phone interaction, feel free to reach out to me at Rayrayforthewin66@gmail.com. I strongly encourage anyone considering hiring a trainer to research thoroughly, ask detailed questions about methods, policies, and scheduling expectations, and choose someone whose professionalism and approach make you feel confident.