Zoom Room Dog Training

Over the past 2 1/2 years that we have had our Aussie that we trained at the Zoom Room (N when it was open,) we have gradually become aware of how the training and some classes afterwards have paid off in so many ways. For months we thought, oh, we will never achieve our goals becasue she could be a 'good girl' at class but just be so reactive asnd jumping up on people when outside. She was not reliable at following commands so often BUT! We have just kept up what they taught us and she has bloomed into a girl that we can take anywhere and truly enjoy. Mind you, it has taken vigilance and time for her to mature into the 3 yr old taht she is now but now she is amazing. A well behaved trained dog and owner makes for a happy couple. Thank you Zoom Room. What they taught us with our dog so long ago has enriched our lives in that she can be off leash at an unfenced dog park, be social at a Vintage Fair and get petted all day, She is still a hyper girl and very much has the characteristics of her breed (Aussie) but she listens and tries and usually, we succeed. .

I had a very disappointing experience with Zoom Room Austin and feel it’s important to share. Last September, I enrolled my dog, Teddy, in training classes. When I arrived for our very first class, I was shocked to see a sign on the door stating that the North Austin location was closing. This was the first I had heard of it—there had been no email, phone call, or any other communication beforehand. The only alternative location was over 45 minutes away, which was a significant inconvenience and not what I had signed up for. Despite this, I stayed for the first class to give it a fair chance. Unfortunately, the training style wasn’t the right fit for either Teddy or me. According to Zoom Room’s own refund policy, if you decide after the first class that it’s not a good fit, you’re entitled to a refund for the remaining classes, with only the first class being non-refundable. I reached out to Mark, the owner, explained my concerns about both the unexpected location closure and the class not being the right fit, and politely requested the refund outlined in their policy. Mark agreed that I would receive a refund. However, despite numerous follow-up emails over the past several months, I have still NOT received the refund I was promised. I have documentation of all of our email conversations confirming that the refund was approved, yet nothing has been processed. The lack of communication, failure to honor both the company’s published refund policy and the owner’s own commitment, and the amount of time I’ve spent trying to resolve this have been incredibly frustrating. I cannot recommend doing business with a company that operates this way.

Started classes in the north location and then moved over to south when that one closed. They transferred the remaining classes in my training package, and I did one more. Ultimately decided to stop after that because of a few things: -Mark (owner or co-owner) was very friendly at first but then appeared distracted/stressed/unapproachable and basically stopped saying hi after the move to the new location -Classes often started 5 min late -Uneven skill in trainers (all were warm and professional, but one reacted very slowly, another repeated herself more than necessary and gave suggestions for treats despite my reminders of his sensitive GI, etc.) -My handler skills and my dog's skills sorta plateaued, so I began looking for more specialized classes closer to where I live * Note: Posting under a nickname to protect my online privacy. Therefore, I do not engage with responses from businesses.

We’ve been coming to Zoom Room for the last 8 months and they’ve been great for setting the foundation for my rather challenging standard poodle puppy with main character syndrome. While I offer my sincere apologies to anyone who has endured an obedience class with my bark-happy dog, the trainers have been nothing but calm, encouraging, and knowledgeable. Chloe offers a calm presence and is able to highlight positive progress that I miss because I’m hung up on the negatives. She always makes sure I have a chance to ask questions and has given me clear answers. Her suggestions on what to work on throughout the week have had positive impacts on his overall behavior. Carl “gets” my dog and has been integral in helping me set clear boundaries both with my dog and with the rest of my household. I have gained insight into what is going on inside my dog’s head when he’s being a grade A booger. November is no nonsense and I love that. Expectations are set and that’s exactly what I need to show my dog that’s what he needs. My dog loves them all. Granted, he loves everyone and every dog, and that’s part of his problem, but Zoom Room is definitely one of his favorite things to do. Pup cups help.