Sassafras K-9 Training & Boarding Facility, LLC

I sent my dog to Rick for corrective training as my 3.5 year old has human aggression but not toward everybody, just "randomly." We spent $1,750 and received 2 photos during the 3 weeks my dog was there. Supposedly the dogs are kept indoors at night, which wasn't true, my dog was sent with a 30 pound bag of dog food which he typically goes through in a month, it wasn't even half empty when we picked it up. My dog had matting all over his body: behind and surrounding his ears, on the backs of 3 legs, in his tail, his rump, the entire stomach, and in his "arm pits" so to speak. The matting was covered and probably caused by his own feces which led me to believe he was forced to live in his own filth during the 3 week stay. When I sent him to Rick he knew the basic commands and would do them when told verbally and/or with hand signals (things like sit, wait, lay down, roll over, settle, etc.). After picking up my dog he wouldn't even sit unless you yanked his collar upwards, so obedience-wise after the $1,750 my dog has gone backwards. He had absolutely no shelter in his 10x5 kennel whatsoever, not even a dog house as the last dog that was in it was an escape artist (as Rick said) but I can guarantee my dog wouldn't get out of the crate yet he never had any escape from the elements. His aggression toward people has not improved whatsoever and every time I contacted Rick after picking my dog up he told me things like, "You're holding the leash too tight" or one time when I called to tell him that my dog barked at a stranger walking by his response was, "so what's wrong with your dog barking?" Well, Rick, what's wrong with my dog barking is that I paid you almost $2,000 to make him stop. The only thing Rick was ever able to show me was that he could walk my dog around petsmart, which we typically do while keeping distanc eanyway, and when my dog snarled at another dog Rick didn't decide to keep him and correct that, he just yanked so hard on the leash attached to the prong collar that all of my 90 pound dog's legs came off the ground and he yelped. I have put other dogs through trainers at chain stores and through rescue organizations and never have I seen any abuse like I just explained. I am not even comfortable enough to send my dog back to have him "corrected" by Rick based on the physical condition and abuse I witnessed firsthand. A family in my neighborhood also sent their puppy to Rick and when the puppy came back she was in fine physical condition but hadn't learned anything at all, and they paid $1,500. Don't waste your money on this guy, don't send your dog to him to be abused and neglected.