‎Doggy Dojo

My experience with Mike Scott was deeply upsetting and unprofessional. My partner and I brought our dog for a training session, hoping for guidance and understanding. Instead, I left in tears and emotionally shaken. When I explained that my dog hadn’t been socialized earlier because she wasn’t fully vaccinated, Mike dismissed me immediately and said he wasn’t going to “baby me” or tell me what I wanted to hear. He criticized me for not socializing my unvaccinated puppy — advice that directly contradicts what any responsible vet would recommend. When I tried to explain that my situation was complicated, that I had been in a domestic abuse situation and was doing my best, he became visibly angry. He yelled in my face that I was ungrateful for his “valuable time” and brought up how he had waived the first exam fee, as if that excused his behavior. Then, in the middle of his outburst, he disclosed his own childhood trauma, (he mentions something extremely triggering that I will not put in this review) and that I “wasn’t the only one on that boat.” I was shocked, uncomfortable, and retraumatized. That is not a professional or appropriate thing to say to a client, especially during a heated confrontation. I went to him because I needed help managing my dog’s behavior, not to be humiliated, yelled at, or forced into hearing personal disclosures that had nothing to do with my session. We were asked to leave after only 30 minutes. This entire experience left me shaking and distraught for days. I would not recommend Mike Scott to anyone — particularly to trauma survivors or people seeking compassionate, professional help.

Mike is absolutely fantastic. I cannot recommend the Dojo highly enough. We adopted a rescue that my wife and I were concerned was potentially dangerous given his size. After working with Mike, Leroy is now a fine gentleman. Mike’s approach to training focuses around the psychology of dogs. This not only helped Leroy learn commands, but more importantly, taught ME the right way to communicate with our boy. Mike truly cares about his clients and it is self evident. He goes above and beyond. I would absolutely recommend his services to ANYONE looking to form a deeper connection with their furry friend.