Monday, June 29, 2009

Training Rant - Guarantees

You know, it never ceases to amaze me that people would get sucked in to a trainer because the trainer gives them a "guarantee". I laughed when I read this ad ... it has a lot of words but says nothing.

100% satisfaction guarantee ... every time I see this I laugh.

Why do trainers feel the need to advertise that they have a guarantee?? Shouldn't the results of your training speak volumes for you? Why aren't previous clients coming forward to proclaim their satisfaction with your training?

I have met many people who have received training from a dog trainer with 'lifetime guarantee' on their training and you know what?? The training doesn't work. Unfortunately, they have to sign a big contract before training can begin and they find out later that they aren't able to get their money back because some small stipulation in the contract breaks the guarantee.

Have you ever been to a trainer with a guarantee? How long ago was it? Are you still satisfied with the training?

4 comments:

GoLightly said...

Yeah, that small stipulation would be "Owner needs to train his own darn dog".
Ridiculous.
I saw that a lot at the "famous" trainer school I used. The owners would complain that the dog was FINE in class, but not fine at home.
(head desk)
And they really don't know why, either.
Sad, really.
For the poor confused dog.

OldMorgans said...

People forget or never know that dogs are living beings with their own minds and thoughts and instincts. So therefore, guaranteed training makes perfect sense.
Yeah...

oldmorgans.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

It's even worse with kitties...

My husband's family's dog (they live in Costa Rica) was the sweetest guy to anyone he knew, but an absolute horror to strangers (and life-threatening to cows, unfortunately). It really makes perfect sense.

Only a moron would love indiscriminately.

DogsDeserveFreedom said...

GoLightly ...

Yep - I like that. "Owner needs to train his own darn dog". People are so darned lazy nowadays though ...

What was the "famous" trainer school? (If you don't mind me asking?)

OldMorgans ...

I agree. I also think many people think they are little people (or perhaps children?) and set their expectations in a region the dog could never achieve. Sad.

birdyparadise ...

I wouldn't expect my dogs to love strangers. I do expect them not to bite them :)

I think it really depends on the needs - does the family need the dog to be a horror to strangers? If so than the expectation is not unreasonable.

I laughed at your comment "Only a moron would love indiscriminately" because that is what people expect their dogs to do!