I will be posting the entire contract on my website. http://k9-trainer.com/hera/hera.html in the event I can’t post supporting documents here.
I wasn’t hired to make movies, nor take photos, I was hired to train your dog. Which I did, as proof here is the dog return form YOU filled out, stating Hera was trained to your satisfaction.
Please note page return form.jpg
On 8/3/2018 you were satisfied with her training.
So you stated in your review that you never had a problem with Hera bitting, and Edith must be at fault. I show you page 8 of your contract.
Your hand writing nipping. So you know you had a problem with the dog putting teeth on skin. So why lie.
Everytime you called and I could answer I did. There are times that you called and left a message. It always had the same ending, I’ll be out to drop off some more money tomorrow. So no I didn’t return those calls, no reason to I was going to see you later that day. So when you didn’t show up, when you said you were, I didn’t think about returning the call. I felt if it was important you would have showed up.
What is odd is that you left your puppy with someone outside a run down business. As I remember it, you came out during class time, because Edith took over my class so I could do the paperwork with you. Further Chris you seem to forget that when you brought out your second payment on a Wednesday night, you sat and watched the class. You were told we are there every Wednesday night with the intermediate group class from 7PM to a minimum of 8PM, sometimes later when we have a basic obedience class, and every Saturday with intermediate group class from 9AM until 11AM sometimes later when we have a basic obedience class. 
Yes Hera presented with Demodicosis from stress. As you were told we have a three step process. Placement, inducement, and finally compulsion. The closer the return date, we try to reduce inductive training, and move towards compulsion training. So yes she was under limited stress, that doesn’t effect a well-bred dog. Apparently Hera has hereditary breeding issues, since I didn’t breed her, I’m not responsible for her poor breeding.
Page 6 of your contract states “I further understand that boarding a dog can cause stress related skin conditions. Such as Hot Spots, moist and dry demodex, as well as other skin abnormalities. __________________________” which YOU initialed. You knew this could happen. You can’t tell if a dog suffers from Demodicosis, until the dog breaks out.
As soon as Hera presented with Demodicosis, we attempted to reduce her stress, moving her back to treats only. We gave her oatmeal baths, while we were able to abate the hair loss, we took her to our vets, for a hard diagnosis.
The above document about the GSD, I included not only my veterinarian’s advice for spaying Hera, but my personal observation that Hera had a potentially serious subluxation of both front feet. While I knew your intentions were to breed Hera with your daughter’s male GSD, I understand your hostility and anger.
Yes it is true we were given a bad check on a return, now all final bills are cash only. It is true that a few clients come back for their private lesson and were upset, really upset. However after they completed their private lesson (s) they left with smiles on their faces. Many come back and take our intermediate group class, to get the off leash training they want.
The primary rule is never give a command you can’t reinforce, each time you give her a command she doesn’t have to do, you make it more difficult. Such as how you taught her to run away from you. Had you followed the rules, you may have control of her not only on leash, but off leash by now. You decided not to follow through with your private lessons.
Two points you didn’t make in you review Hera was here not only for obedience training but for crate training as well. I’m not going to post all 4 pages of the crate training procedures we employ, but the first page that you were given reads.
Crate Training the Scheurman's K9 Academy Way
Hera has been crate trained using the following method.
What is needed:
1. 1 Crate.
2. 1 Gallon White Vinegar
3. Paper towels
4. Purina One puppy food.
5. Constant supervision..
For the first couple of days you have the puppy, do not be too harsh on her, and do not expect too much in her training. She is getting settled in her new home. Put her in a crate or in a place which a mess will not be a problem. Use newspapers on the bottom, along with clean rags, carpet scraps, a blanket or other disposable bedding.
You can drape a blanket over the top and sides so that it becomes even more cozy, secure as den like. This crate should only be a couple of inches longer than the puppy when he lies out and only a couple of inches wider than his outstretched legs. It should be high enough that the puppy can stand up comfortably.
THE CRATE SHOULD NOT BE TOO LARGE. This is extremely important. If the crate is very large, the puppy can use one end as his "bedroom" and the other end as his "bathroom." The crate should be small enough that all of it is "bedroom," because the puppy will not, if at all possible, make a mess in his bed. If you buy a crate for the mature size of the dog, block off an area appropriate to her current size.
The crate is to be a place of security and comfort. The dog should consider it to be her home or den. Her viewpoint is not that she cannot get out but that humans cannot get in. When she is older, you can leave it open so that she can use it as a refuge. Do not let children bother the puppy when she is in the crate, or pull him out of it when she does not want to come out.
For the first several weeks that you have the puppy, she should spend ALL of her time in the crate when she is not directly supervised. Put the puppy there when things are busy around the house (such as a part imagey or guests). She should also spend her nights there. Take her outdoors to play, or let her out to run around the house, but ONLY when someone is with him. In this way, you start image developing proper elimination habits from the beginning. You do not have to let the puppy get into bad habits and then figure out how to break or change them.
So yes I wanted you to keep her in her crate when she wasn’t under your direct control or on leash one reason is due to crate training, and the other was to allow you to make sure you were in a position to correct any disobedience of her training.
When you first called me talking about our board and trains programs, you stated you wanted an off leash trained dog, I told you we don’t do off leash in any of our board and train programs. The only program we offer off leash training in is our intermediate group class. The contract explicitly states ON LEASH.
The contract you read and signed clearly stated ON LEASH. It doesn’t state anywhere OFF LEASH.
Maybe you forgot or just wanted to be dramatic I don’t know. Jeanie was there teaching another one hour basic obedience class at the time of your private lesson. You arrived just as she start imageed, she finished her class, and watched you work Hera. So if her class was an hour, and she came over to watch Hera work, seems odd to me that you were only there for 15 minutes. I guess the saying time fly’s when you’re having fun is true.
I like that you say “IF YOU WANT A REAL ADVANCED OBEDIENCE DOG WITH A FOUNDATION FOR OTHER WORK DOWN THE ROAD, STAY AWAY”. I guess these people in these pictures, sure are glade they didn’t stay away. By the way I have hundreds more like this. These were taken by a real camera, unlike my wife’s cell phone, which she tried to use with Hera.
So the competition doesn’t like me, WOW I’m hurt. There is an old joke in dog training: Put 10 dog trainers in a room, and the only thing 9 of them will agree upon is the guy doing the demonstration is doing it wrong.
Here is my take away from this:
You are upset about photo and videos. While I can understand your point, taking videos and photos is was not part of my contractual duty, please reread your contract.
Poor communication. That Chris is a two way street. At least 4 times you called and said you were stopping by, and never showed, and never called to cancel. At least twice Edith and I remained after intermediate class ended waiting for you. You didn’t have the common curtesy, to call and let us know you wouldn’t be there. Even when you told me you would be making weekly payments in person, and did a no show several times, I never called you and hounded you for payments.
On page 5 of the contract you failed to state that Hera suffered from Demodicosis, under medical information, special conditions. Had you alerted us to her condition, we could have told you that she was not a candidate for protection training.
Each and every issue you have with me is clearly defined in a contract that you read and singed. That is why I posted it on the web site, so people who actually read google reviews can see for themselves.
You became abusive on the phone, as soon as I stated Hera is not off leash trained. I was willing to explain and help you, but you were having none of that.
Since you have found another trainer the point is moot. I wish you much success in your future dog training.
Wallace Scheurman
For Scheurman’s K9 Academy
Complete contract: click image to enlarge:
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