We purchased an 11-session training package and clearly communicated our dog's training goals, but the trainer repeatedly focused on basic behaviors our dog already knew instead of addressing the issues we needed help with.
Our trainer later had a medical emergency and couldn't complete our final session. I completely understand that was unexpected and don't blame them. We were offered a replacement trainer, which we accepted, but the replacement was never arranged and there was no follow up. We were instead encouraged to use virtual training, which wasn't what we paid for. For $1,595 we expected much more from Dog Academy. Would not recommend this service to anyone without doing their research first (at least in my area)
Response from DogAcademyOct 23, 2026
Hi Surya,
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry your experience didn’t meet your expectations.
From the start, our team worked to accommodate your schedule, including waiving the reschedule fee on your first session and finding evening availability that worked for your family. Over the course of your package, you completed both Specialized Training sessions and all eight in-person sessions, and an unused training credit was converted into an additional in-person session for you. Your trainer’s session notes show steady progress, working through distractions and building duration on obedience skills. We weren’t made aware of any concerns about the focus of your sessions until after your trainer went on leave. Had we known sooner, we would have gladly matched you with a new trainer right away.
When your trainer became unavailable, we contacted you the same day and offered virtual training in the meantime. Once you let us know you preferred a new in-person trainer, we began reaching out to trainers in your area, including at an increased rate. Because this was a single remaining session, finding a trainer took longer than expected, and we fell short in keeping you updated during that time. We sincerely apologize for that.
Your account is currently paused at your request, and your remaining session is still available whenever you’re ready. Our team is happy to help arrange it.
Sincerely,
The Dog Academy Team
RE
Renee
An elementary course for new dog owners
This course did not address the actual issue needed for my dog. It was more for new owners.
Response from DogAcademySep 13, 2026
Hi,
Thank you for your feedback, and we’re sorry the training didn’t address the issues you were hoping to work on with your dog.
Our goal is to tailor each program to your dog’s specific needs, and we’d like the chance to make that right. We’ve also reached out by email to learn more about the behaviors you’d like to focus on and to help accommodate those goals. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
The Dog Academy Team
RA
Rachael A.
I had a disappointing experience
I had a disappointing experience with this dog training company. The trainer recommended a miniature e-collar for my one-year-old pup, Chloe, and several sessions were left unfinished but marked as complete. Unfortunately, by the time I raised my concerns, I was outside the refund window, so no refund was offered.
They did offer to match me with another trainer to finish Chloe’s training, which I appreciate, but I ultimately didn’t feel comfortable continuing with the company.
I’m hopeful that others have better experiences, and I hope the company takes this feedback as an opportunity to improve communication, follow-through, and training recommendations.
Response from DogAcademyAug 26, 2026
Hi Rachael,
We’re very sorry that Chloe’s training experience did not meet your expectations. We understand how concerning it must have been to see unfinished sessions marked as complete and to feel uncomfortable with the training recommendation provided.
Although we’re glad an alternative trainer was offered, we respect your decision not to continue. Your feedback regarding communication, follow-through, and training recommendations is valuable and will be shared with our team as we work to improve.
Warmly,
Dog Academy Support Team
EG
Eric G.
Offered services do not match actual services
Filled out the online request form and only requested group training. The solicitation call we received was for 1 on 1 in home training. Not sure why an service offering is made if is not something that is offered. Then it begins to feel like a bait and switch, trust is lost.
Response from DogAcademyJul 27, 2026
Hi Eric, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding our services. Based on our records, it appears that no purchase was made, but we understand how frustrating it can be if the information provided did not align with your expectations. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention, as we're always looking for ways to improve our communication and ensure prospective clients receive accurate information. We wish you the very best in finding the training solution that's right for you and your dog.
JB
joseph b. M.
customer service needs work
customer service needs work. Quickly wants to give me something to do. However, they seemed to want to rush me off phone, and really not to do their job
Response from DogAcademyJan 30, 2026
Joseph — thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your interaction felt rushed or unhelpful, as that is not the experience we aim to provide.
We also want to apologize for the need to rematch you with a new trainer. We were just as surprised as you to learn that the original trainer was relocating the following day, which unfortunately required a last-minute adjustment to your training plan.
We take concerns about customer service seriously, and feedback like yours is reviewed internally to ensure our team is delivering clear, thorough, and respectful support without making clients feel dismissed or hurried. Coaching and reinforcement are ongoing to make sure expectations are met consistently.
We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention, as it helps us continue improving our processes and client experience.
— The Dog Academy Team 🐶
DD
Danielle D.
buyer beware
I’m sure they’re great for some but I wish I’d listened to the reviews online before buying.
We had only 1 trainer in our area who was not to our liking. They refused to refund us and said we should just do virtual training with them instead. I was trying for over a month to get a refund and they kept saying it was impossible. I finally made a complaint on BBB and my refund was resolved within 12hrs. They’re not a trustworthy company.
Response from DogAcademyJan 20, 2026
Danielle — thank you for taking the time to share this feedback. We’re truly sorry for the frustration and experience you described, and we understand why this left you feeling disappointed.
While we never want a client to feel “stuck” or unheard, we take full accountability that your situation should have been handled more efficiently and with clearer communication from the start. Since your experience, the appropriate teams have been coached on how this could have been managed better to improve the overall client experience and prevent situations like this from happening again.
We are glad your refund was ultimately completed, but we recognize it should not have taken the amount of time and effort that it did to reach that resolution.
— The Dog Academy Team 🐶
MC
Mrs.Carrielee L.
Rectification of Dog Academy Records by US SERVICE ANIMALS
First of all, thank you US SERVICE ANIMALS and DA for all who were involved in rectifying my ESA and PSD order for TeddyBearLove Long in combination with RuthyLove Long. All the kind souls with outstanding professionalism of exigency, know-how, and patience who were involved were Mrs. Shenell Neiner from US with phone calls and emails, Ms. Erica Belk from US with phone calls and emails, Ms. Shelby from DA with phone calls and emails, and last but not least the kind soul, Ms. MaryAnna from US with phone calls and emails. The first kind soul, Mrs. Shenell Neiner began and completed the order. Please note that she went out of her way to allow me to pay the following day on my pay day as not to lose the discount (temp. 16 hour hold). The second kind soul involved was Ms. Erica Belk when Dog Academy made gross errors about which canine was to receive PSD training courses. Ms. Erica Belk was able to bring more visibility and immediate attention to the matter as to be rectified from the gross errors about RuthyLove Long's data added to TeddyBearLove Long's account/profile. The third kind soul, Ms. Shelby, from Dog Academy tried her best to make the request for immediate rectification more visible and urgent as she did diligence to contact and communicate directly to DA's higher level customer agents for complete rectification but to my understanding nobody took ownership of Ms. Shelby's request on mine and TeddyBearLove's and RuthyLove's behalf. Therefore, I reached out one more time to US SERVICE ANIMALS instead of Dog Academy. And by God's grace the kind soul and consummate professional who answered was Ms. MaryAnna. She had more capability on the spot to clean up the data error on her side of the database, but to no avail as it blocked her editing entries. But, she persisted on our behalf and stated she definitely knew somebody she could contact that would engage immediately. This young woman must not be overlooked for her problem solving skill set and her promises of immediate and accurate rectification and determinat. She persisted to find a way in collaboration with her co-worker who was working on the other side of the database. It was such an intense undertaking that it took near ninety minutes. We had to create a new gmail account in order to overcome the two files of different canines from intersecting each other's profiles. I was so nervous about the whole situation to the point that I thought maybe US SERVICE ANIMALS AND DOG ACADEMY is actually a system of fraud for there was so much unnecessary errors with my canines accounts. But God prevailed when Ms. MaryAnna kept me calm and confident that all this was going to work out that RuthyLove Long's registration and certification back in 2023 was legal and legitimate and currently today despite what happened to her data in her account as it still shows that RuthyLove Long is still pending certification for her PSD, but her documents of certificate and completed course work disprove the errors that still exist in her account. In conclusion, It was confusing to start all over with a second gmail account and new passwords for the two different profiles for both my canines as I was losing time before I had to report for my evening shift work. So the emotions were high, but my third friend and God-Send, Ms. MaryAnna, never left my side and didn't treat me as if I were inadequate. She understood me and coached me through the entire embarrassing process of creating a new gmail account which was the final aid to rectify and clean up the last details. For me It was the lack of time that stole my concentration creating too much pressure while I was trusting the fact and process for acquiring a new gmail account for the separate DA profile linked to the second and new gmail account for TeddyBearLove Long, which was the only and ultimate necessity for finalizing all rectification for both canine profiles. The biggest stress was securing the newest passwords for the DA profiles for my account and for the new gmail account with little time before heading to work. Ms. MaryAnna's people skills and interpersonal skills along with her determination is what kept me from cancelling my order all together. She never judged me or pressured me, she just kindly walked me through everything with a patience and know how that blessed the end results with the help of God. I am grateful to all involved who fought for us on our behalf. I cannot live without my two service animals as I now live a life where there is no shame in that or for my illness/disability. US SERVICE ANIMALS and DOG ACADEMY together as ONE, please continue strive to work together to be ethical, caring, and patient with scrutiny and diplomacy as you have that we may live a daily normal life with our canines that God has blessed to us for His greater glory. Amen.
Response from DogAcademySep 11, 2025
Dear Mrs. Long,
Thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed review of your experience. While we sincerely regret the confusion and stress caused by the initial errors in your account, we are truly grateful for your patience and understanding as our teams worked to resolve the situation.
We are especially proud to hear about the efforts of Shenell, Erica, Shelby, and MaryAnna. Your kind words highlight the professionalism, persistence, and care we strive for in every interaction. We will be sure to recognize each of them for the role they played in supporting you and your service animals.
Your feedback also reminds us of the importance of improving our processes to reduce errors and ensure faster resolutions moving forward. Please know we are actively working on these improvements.
We are honored to support you, TeddyBearLove, and RuthyLove, and we remain committed to providing ethical, caring, and patient service. Thank you again for trusting us—it is our privilege to serve you.
— Dog Academy Team
BL
Bonnie L.
I am interested in receiving the exam…
I am interested in receiving the exam test results, so I can use my scoring for the Mandela's training of what I've learned.
Thank you for your attention, in this matter.
Bonnie Ludd, 415.574.5452
Response from DogAcademyAug 13, 2025
Hi Bonnie,
Thank you for reaching out! We can provide your exam results so you can use your scores for Mandela’s training. Once we have that, we’ll get them to you promptly.
Best,
The Dog Academy Team 🐾
