FirstBark
I enrolled my dog in the Day School Boot Camp after an initial consultation with Rachael. I originally wanted e-collar training for recall and off-leash reliability, but after discussing my goals, I was encouraged to enroll in the boot camp to also work on leash manners, calmness…Read full reviewClose full review
I enrolled my dog in the Day School Boot Camp after an initial consultation with Rachael. I originally wanted e-collar training for recall and off-leash reliability, but after discussing my goals, I was encouraged to enroll in the boot camp to also work on leash manners, calmness around people and other dogs, and overall obedience. During the consultation, I was told I would receive regular updates, homework to practice at home, and that the smaller training groups would allow for more individualized attention. Their welcome packet also encourages owners to follow their social media to "see your pup in action." Unfortunately, my experience didn't match those expectations. The first day, I reached out for an update and received a great one. After that, communication became inconsistent. I was initially told updates would come daily, then told by staff they were sent at the end of each day, and later told by the owner that updates were only sent weekly. Throughout the program, I frequently asked how training was progressing and what I should be practicing at home. Instead of receiving meaningful feedback on my dog's progress, I often got general comments like, "She played ball well today." When I asked about homework, I was told to wait until the private lessons, despite homework being something discussed before I enrolled. Another concern was the amount of actual training time. Before signing up, I specifically asked how long my dog should stay each day and was told a minimum of six hours. On her final day, I called around 1PM to ask if I could pick her up at 3 instead of 5. I was told she had already finished training for the day, which left me wondering what she would normally have been doing for the remaining several hours. The final issue occurred at the end of the program. I had arranged to move my dog's final two training days earlier because I was going away for the Fourth of July. They accommodated the change, which I appreciated, but the original dates remained on the schedule. During the following open week (when my dog was not attending at all) I received a weekly update describing the training "my" dog had completed that week. When I questioned it, I was told the update was accidentally intended for another dog with the same name. While mistakes happen, it was difficult to overlook as the update described my dogs exact training goals and the error occurred during the only week their schedule still incorrectly showed my dog attending, it made me question how individualized the updates really were. I want to be fair and say I do believe the staff genuinely care about the dogs. My dog was always excited to go, and I never had concerns about how she was treated. My disappointment is with the training program and the communication surrounding it. I felt the experience did not reflect what was described during the consultation or what I believed I was paying for. Instead of a structured training program with ongoing guidance, it felt much closer to daycare with some training mixed in. Based on my experience, I don't feel I received the level of service or communication that was promised.