Academy Dog Training

I'll do my review in two parts: 1) Daycare Training with Tiara & 2) Pre-Daycare Training & the "Sales" pitch from Kranti. First things first: TIARA IS AMAZING!! My 7-month old Pitty-mix just finished the 3-week Daycare program w/ her and I can 100% see his growth, maturity, and improved obedience. As a first-time dog mom, it was just as important for me to learn proper handling skills as it was for my pup to learn (prior to Tiara, we completed the Petco Puppy 101 course so we weren't necessarily coming in from scratch but consistency was not all the way there yet). Since working with Tiara (daycare & private lessons), our walks have improved tremendously! Little pulling, and way more self-control, especially when other dogs are walking nearby. Tiara always LISTENED, and remained patient at all times (with both myself and the pup). The 1-on-1 sessions have helped me into my own rhythm of handling, using her techniques and recommendations. Without Tiara, I know we wouldn't be where we are today and I'm super grateful for her. GIVE HER A PROMOTION AND A RAISE ASAP!!! :) Full disclosure: Tiara really changed my overall impression of The Academy, especially after my initial consultation and two Pre-Daycare sessions with the Business Manager, Kranti. After my first pre-session with Kranti, I left unimpressed and seriously considered taking my pup elsewhere (e.g., 4 on the Floor). Firstly, Kranti sales pitch does not match what actually occurs in daycare. During our initial consultation, she described the daycare as, “6-hour training sessions with multiple trainers, in an attempt to get them used to different personalities, while receiving 100s of commands each day." And while I think it's actually BETTER to have the same trainer throughout the entire 3 weeks, Kranti's pitch is misleading and makes it seem like the dogs will be ACTIVELY engaged all day. Secondly, Kranti is too aggressive & disorganized for me, and seems to lacks true listening skills (e.g., sharing a walking scenario). Halfway through our 1st session, she said, "You sound too boring and lifeless. Your dog is not going to respond to that." Nice way to motivate a first-time dog owner! I told her that, at 37 y/o, my demeanor & personality is unlikely to change, so me pretending to match HER energy would not be sustainable long-term - my pup would see through the fakeness. I completely understand that everyone's personality type is different - some are loud, boisterous, & abrasive; others are more reserved. If she, as the "expert", cannot adapt to different personality types, then she should remain behind the scenes for the Academy. Owners are going to come from all walks of life, ages, and backgrounds, and expecting everyone to be loud and high-strung is unrealistic (e.g., an elderly couple was in our daycare class - are they to be expected to yell and scream at such a high pitch too?). Like the saying goes, "the loudest person in the room is often the most insecure and knows the least." Speaking of admin., as the Business Manager, there are definite areas of improvement that she could adopt as well. I.e., cleaning up the Daycare instruction email so that it doesn’t contain typos or incorrect dates (we were in a June class but her email referenced May). Better note-keeping or puppy reporting. When we arrived for our 2nd pre-session, she was late, and I could tell that she did not really remember A) who we were, or B) what we had completed during the previous session. Again, I know the supposed backend tools businesses use nowadays are super automated so it really left a bad taste in my mouth when she used, "all the scheduling, planning, etc. she was in charge of" as excuses for the somewhat chaotic 2nd session. All in all, Tiara turned things around for the better for our experience and I'm truly grateful. Is it worth the $2250? Meh, maybe factoring in inflation - otherwise, I think an even $1600 is more reasonable. Would I recommend Haywood to other first-time owners, or just anyone looking for dog training? Yes - but only if Tiara is their trainer!