FirstBark
We enrolled our dog in a four-week board-and-train program, but the overall experience was deeply disappointing. Communication was almost nonexistent — I only received updates when I reached out first, and there were no regular photos or videos showing training progress. The sin…Read full reviewClose full review
We enrolled our dog in a four-week board-and-train program, but the overall experience was deeply disappointing. Communication was almost nonexistent — I only received updates when I reached out first, and there were no regular photos or videos showing training progress. The single time the trainer initiated contact was to request additional payment, citing that our dog was “aggressive toward males,” something I had clearly disclosed during the initial intake. She claimed she was unaware of this, but the timing made it feel like the priority was money, not training. I checked her social media daily hoping to see progress updates, but posts about my dog didn’t appear until the very end of the program. Even then, the videos were brief and showed minimal progress in the areas we discussed. I gave her feedback that posting on social media is not the same as sending direct updates to an owner. At one point, she mentioned my dog had scars on his head. We do have a puppy at home who plays with him, so I initially assumed they could be bite marks. However, no pictures were provided during his stay, and when she eventually posted an Instagram update, it became clear the scars didn’t match those from our puppy. She insisted the injuries happened before drop-off and even claimed to have intake photos — which she never produced. In addition, our dog returned with a gouge in his neck consistent with a prong collar injury. He is now fearful of prong collars, and I believe his defensive reaction (including biting her during training) was more likely from mishandling and discomfort than genuine aggression. This incident was also used as justification for the extra charges she requested. The final breaking point came at pickup. We were 45 minutes late, and she charged an $80 late fee, claiming it caused her to cancel another appointment and lose business. The pickup session was supposed to include over an hour of follow-up and training instruction, and even with our delay, we were still within the 1.5-hour window. She later refunded the $80 after I raised concerns, promised to return an additional $520 — but never followed through. I cannot recommend this trainer. In my experience, the focus was on maximizing payment rather than genuinely helping the dog. She may claim otherwise, but actions speak louder than words, and the results and treatment we received speak for themselves. Photo of the dog sitting was a screen shot from a Instagram story In response, the refund request came from you—this is not a threat, but a follow-up regarding the poor service provided. It is unacceptable to blame the customer when the evidence points to mishandling. The Frenchie did not cause these marks, as there has been zero scabbing since his return from your care. For anyone considering boarding their dog here, I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere. This company appears more concerned with collecting payment than providing proper care, and they deflect responsibility onto the customer. While your contract and intake form mention providing personal updates, the only communication I received was in direct response to my inquiries. Also the photo at the training clearly shows a prong collar on the dog… yes you gave me a slip lead but you yourself did not use one during the training. The photo was taken on the day I picked up my dog. It’s upsetting that a pet should be treated this way, only for the blame to be shifted onto the owner. In my follow-up text, she deflected responsibility by claiming that I don’t care for my dog and adding—unprompted—that no other dogs attacked him while in her care. I never asked about this, which makes me wonder if something did happen, given how quickly she brought it up.