ComplaintsforHand 2 Paw Dog Training

• Initial Complaint

  07/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My boyfriend and I met ***************************** *********************, of Hand 2 Paw training, on 7/18/24. We met at ************ for over an hour for a meet greet to watch my dog. The meet and greet went well and she came off friendly and communicative. Following the meet and greet, which seemingly went very well, I was excited to have a trainer of 36 years to watch my dog while I am away. I ended up paying her a deposit that she requested at the time of the meet and greet, she followed up calling me the next day. She was friendly and said she enjoyed meeting me and asked me not to hesitate with any questions. The following day I updated her on how my sick dog was doing (talked about at meet and greet) and that I brought her to the vet, and got many tests to make sure I send her at her healthiest to her. I never received a text back. I sent another text asking for a picture of her property to see where my dog will be playing/staying, which led her to become agitated, saying she minded me texting her about that and continually told me to check her thumbtack website. I did not find the pictures on her thumbtack that she was referring, which is why I was asking her to share pictures with me at her earliest convenience. She did not like my text, as she responded with I do mind *******. I told her that I was very sorry and to have a good day. After this, her texts proceeded with things like this is why no one will work with you, you need to learn to settle yourself down and I do not have any time to soothe your anxiety more than I have and calling me over the top with my dog. Im asking for my money back, and she refers to the contract she had me sign as a formality during the meet and greet, and says now that she refuses to work with me or hear from me. She went from acting, what she described herself as, an "open book", communicative, and kind to a hostile and unprofessional person to work with.

  Customer response

  07/31/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Please see attached documents.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

  Business response

  08/01/2024

  I spoke with ******* for an hour on the phone when she contacted me about boarding. She was atyending her brother wedding in ******* in 10 short days. She was highly agitated and anxious. More than the average client is when leaving their dog for boarding. That isn't always an issue, but it does give me pause, and I take note that this could be a difficult client to please. She had told me she had a dog trainer who she asked to waych the dog but then backed out. She also had another dog professional agreed to watch the dog who also backed out. That also speaks volumes. 

  At the meet and greet, we chatted for over an hour. I asked her if she was comfortable leaving her dog in my care. She was. My contract is a contract, not a "formality", as she claims it was called. As in the case of EVERY client, I fill out 2 contracts and have the client read through before signing. She read, had no questions, had her boyfriend read it, he had no questions, and she signed the contracts. One original for both the client and myself My contract is very clear. No refunds. Why do I say this? A few reasons. 

  1) I am a small business with limited space. I am not a huge commercial kennel that can take in 200 dogs. When a space is filled by a signed contract and a deposit paid, that space is filled. I had 3 other clients ask for that spot and I turned them down as a had a her signed contract and deposit paid. 

  2) i have the contract so if folks decide not to send their dog, for whatever reason, I am protected. I am always fair with my clients. Life happens and I completely understand that. I have always allowed the deposit to roll over onto another stay in the future. 

  3) if I'm able to fill their canceled spot, I will send a refund. In this case, she waited 10 days before she was leaving for ******* before booking her dogs stay. I had already turned others down and was unable to fill her spot. 

  I have no issues answering questions for clients. I have a thumbtack business page and all photos of my home , yard, personal family dogs, my family, my house, the yard where the dogs plan and much more, are there. ******* had told me she loved all the photos and over 100 reviews of my work. That led to her wanting the meet and greet and then move forward with booking her dogs stay. Before her dogs stay, I was in another state filming. She texted me wanting photos of where her dog would be staying and playing. Not an unreasonable request except she had already seen those photos. She was nervous and that is understandable. But when a clients anxiety begins to try to run my business, that is a problem. I told her she had already seen them as we had discussed this. She said she couldn't find them again. She asked if I minded sending her some. I said I did mind. I was away filming. I was not able to soothe her anxiety any more than I had already. ******* is over the top about her dog to the point the dog is also highly anxious. She texted me the following day saying she would find another dog sitter wanted a refund.  I told her to refer to the contract and based on her communication thus far, I did ask her to please not contact me again. Now, had I booked the spot, I would have sent her a refund. I was unable to book the spot. 

  ******* took to the internet and decided that calling me a "scam , unreliable and rude",was the appropriate way to handle her conflict. Those words do not describe how I work with folks. I contacted my attorney, turned everything over to him and we were ready to file online character defaming charges on her. I decided to send her a text telling her my attorneys decisions. It was not what I wanted to do but I don't tolerate lies being spread about me. 

  A contract is in place to protect the client and the business. Quite frankly, businesses have contracts to protect them from a client like *******. 99.9% of my clients are fabulous. They understand a contract. They are kind and sensible and i have zero issues with my policy. I should have backed out of this deal as the other trainers and dog professionals had previouslydone with *******. ****** learned. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 9/18/2022, I paid ********************************* ****** of Hand 2 Paw Dog Training a $500 deposit for a Maltese-toy poodle hybrid which she claimed was a trained ESA $8,000 was due (cash only) the day the dog was delivered, in one week's time. A contract was promised to us by 9/19/2022 but we never received it. When I asked for references of clients who received trained service dogs, breeder info, and health records, ******** refused and said she did not consider us fit to have her dog anymore. On 9/30/2022, she promised to refund us the $500 deposit, reposted the dog for sale on Instagram, now as a "service dog", and still we have yet to receive the refund as of 10/07/2022.

  Business response

  11/03/2022

  The dog in question was a trained service dog. ************* continually called it an ESA It is not. It's a service dog. I give all vet records, breeder info at the time of placement, and not before, and the dog was never placed with her. She had references available to call off my website. I made the decision not to place the dog with them as I am fully responsible for the dogs safety and well being. ************* became highly problematic and unkind. The dog's best interest would have never been served well being placed with her. Please see the attached screen shot. ************* was refunded via PayPal on 10/18/2022. It was a non refundable deposit that was refunded. 

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