ComplaintsforCJ's Canine Country Club, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  04/24/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We sent my 6month old pup to CJs for 15 days of stay and train training. They had said she would get 1 on 1 time but also group interaction and play with other dogs. We got updates about her daily saying she was doing so well and great with everything. One of the things we asked them to work on with her was recall because she had been getting outside and running around the neighborhood. They said she was doing great with it! 15 days goes by and we pick her up. From the moment we picked her up she was jumping on counters (which she never did before) she wasn’t listening to us or the trainer, she wasn’t staying like they said she would. The trainer had practiced sit and stay by the door with her atleast 4 times and she still wouldn’t do it. We tried it with her and she wouldn’t do it. Even though they said she was doing great with it. We went outside and practiced the recall with her and she wouldn’t come to us or the trainer. I complained almost everyday to the trainer that nothing seemed different about her other than her being calmer. She already knew how to sit and lay down going there. They taught her to touch our hands but she doesn’t even do it half the time. We had 2 follow up sessions with her but my husband had to work for the one so we had to cancel and I had Easter the other day so I had to cancel that one. They knew we had limited availability. We’ve done everything they’ve told us to do and practiced with her daily and she doesn’t listen or come to us when we say her name. I asked how much time was spent with her one on one and they only spent 1 hour a day with her. They never told us that when booking either. They said she was practiced with in group but I later found out the group trainers aren’t real trainers, she didn’t take in anything that was done. I tried to attach pictures with my full story, other complaints, pictures from their site saying there should be guaranteed success but it wouldn’t let me. I have more to say, can I email them to you?

  

  Business response

  05/15/2023

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  Hello,  This is a delicate subject because we are talking about our very loved fur-babies.  Cj's training clients as well as our grooming, daycare, and overnight lodging guests are treated with the utmost respect, along with their humans.  This situation is particularly difficult because the parents of this pup are not speaking the truth.  
  
       When parents come to pick up their pet from a 2 or 3 week's Stay and Train, both the parents and their pet are very excited to see one another.   We show the parents what their pup has learned and how we accomplished it.  We will ask the parents to do the obedience cues,  knowing that it doesn't always happen correctly because of the excitement level.  (That's ok.)
         In *****"s case it was obvious that mom and dad were struggling with the instructions because ***** was so happy to see them.   This is ok because, during *****'s 1st follow up lesson we would have addressed this by going through everything she learned  and how to apply it.  We also would have answered any questions and concerns that mom and dad had.   Per the contract, *****'s 1st follow up training lesson was one week after pick up.  The 2nd follow up lesson was two weeks after pick up.  Then ******* & **** had 1 year of training support after that.  This protocol is how we guarantee the success of our training course.
  
  *******, the contract that you signed states the following: (in part)
  
  "I understand that myself and members of my household must follow the trainer's instructions without modification.  They must work with the dog daily, as recommended.  We must attend all follow up lessons, and constantly reinforce training being given to the dog to ensure success.    The 15 day package includes two follow up lessons.  The first must be completed within 7 days of taking the dog home from Stay and Train.  The second must be completed within 14 days of taking the dog home from Stay and Train."   You canceled both follow up lessons.
  
       To *******,  The day after you picked up *****, you and ***** (our Certified Trainer) were communicating through many text messages.  You had questions and she had answers.  We did not view them as complaints, as you stated,  but as conversations, because you were asking for help and information.  You mentioned that ***** was not doing her  "sit/stay" at the door, and then you texted,  "I'm not sure why ***** is doing bad with us... BUT DID SO WELL WITH YOU."   ******* you are contradicting yourself.  
       Towards the end of the 3 days of texting, ***** said to you,  "Definitely keep me posted on everything so we can work on it"  referring to the first upcoming follow up lesson.  Then one hour before that lesson, you texted ***** saying  "Sorry, I forgot to text you sooner, but **** ended up getting called into work today, so we won't be able to make our training!  Are we able to reschedule for next weekend"?   ***** said yes, and then you canceled that lesson also, ( two hours prior). You said you forgot it was Easter.....?
         These follow up lessons are imperative to *****'s success going forward. (As you know from the other trainer you spoke to who required 6 follow up lessons, per your email).   I even offered you a 3rd lesson that you chose not to take.    *******, why didn't you come by yourself if you were "so concerned and supposedly complaining all the time?"  We would have come to you if you couldn't come to us.  That is how important *****'s success is to us.  
  
       Approximately 2-3 weeks after canceling both of *****'s  follow ups, (that you yourself, picked the dates for)  you started sending a barrage of emails.  14  in 10 days to be exact.  EVERY email you sent you were rude and demanding and threatened to do things to me if I didn't  pay you $1000.00.  I told you I needed to do my due diligence so I could investigate all the things you were accusing us of doing, and not doing.   
       You kept sending email after email, still demanding money and threatening to ruin me on social media if I didn't pay up.  
        The "proof" you spoke of, and keep sharing on social media, are from people that commented to your  post on Neighbors helping Neighbors.....half of those people used to work for me that I had to let go for reasons I will not disclose.   Some of the others are pet parents of dogs that I dismissed from daycare because not every pup enjoys doggie daycare safely. 
  
       Having grown up in 3 successful family businesses in the last 5 decades, I know the importance of at least trying to work things out.   That being said, I offered you 20 free days of daycare with the value of $600.00.  I decided on this because of the reply you sent us from the training survey.....  Your reply was as follows: (in part)
  
       "I do appreciate the extra help from *****, and I definitely will be taking ***** back for daycare."  ---- "I also want to add I still have given you guys good reviews and spoke highly of your place and *****.  My husband and I still think you guys are great". 
   
        After I offered you the 20 free days of daycare you called the office, telling me how to make your passes, and refused to let me use your account on our computer.  You demanded that I write out 20 pieces of paper, 1 day for each pass.   I explained I have to put them in our computer to keep track of when you bring in *****.  Then you started yelling and cursing at me so I had no option but to hang up.   Then you proceed to call us back 13 times, hanging up on us every time. 
        I then sent you an email stating I was revoking my offer because of you being so nasty. 
  
        *******, bullying and threatening people is not acceptable.  
  
  
         All of the cooraspondases are available, and the phone call was recorded by my cameras in the office.  
         Thank you, ******* * *****, Owner of Cj's Canine Country Club
  

  
  

  Customer response

  05/15/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  Our main issue with ***** since picking her up was the fact that even with ***** trying to do tricks with her she was not listening. She didn’t show any signs of being trained when we picked her up. I “demanded” a refund because you have not listened to our complaints at all. You’ve ignored us, belittled us and tried blaming this on us from the beginning.
  How is it possible that she was even trained when she showed no signs with the trainer when being picked up? We did everything she said after the fact with still no signs of improvement? 
  You say the complaints are mainly from people who worked there or were dismissed but why is it that ***** came home with more than half of the food we provided? But she apparently only skipped one meal? I’ve seen and heard from other people who say your workers refused to feed their dogs and I honestly think that happened to ***** also. Since coming back from there shed scarf down every meal as if she was almost starved there. So on top of not being trained and not being fed you’re still trying to blame your negligence on my husband and I. It’s unacceptable and unprofessional. You were paid to train my dog, instead you did not train her, YOU broke the contract, held meals from her, removed and blocked real honest reviews, flooded your Google with fake reviews. 
  Id like my refund now. Thanks
  

  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

  

  Business response

  05/31/2023

  [BBB Transcription via Email]

  I am very grateful for the Better Business Bureau.   This respected platform gives me the opportunity to share my side of these unfortunate events.
  
  This is important because ******* ****** ********* threatened to ruin me on social media if I didn't "pay up".  Her tactics are commenting on anyone's post inquiring about Doggie Daycare , Training, Grooming and Boarding facilities in our area.  She does this by telling people to PM her or she will PM them with the "horrible information" she wants to share.  She has been removed not only by me on my Facebook page, but another page as well.  
  
  The upside to her behavior is several people she PM-ed have come to us to check things out for themselves.  We have booked everyone that has come in that ******* talked to.  The PM’s that have been shared with me are so far from the truth, it’s humorous.  It is awesome to see that most of humanity can think for themselves and can recognize such exaggerated nonsense.    
  
  ******* broke the contract.  It's plain and simple.  She read it, agreed to it, signed it, and scheduled her follow up lessons.  She canceled both mandatory lessons which therefore also canceled her year of support.  Every possible problem with ***** that might have come up would have been taken care of in those follow up lessons, that is exactly what they are designed for.
  
   Just a few replies to *******'s last accusations:
  
  Excitement Level of pups at pickup….Paragraph 2 & 3 in my previous letter.
  
   This is the first time I am hearing of any food issue....I can't comment on *****, although I can say, while pups are away from Mom & Dad their appetite can change, it is not uncommon.  
  
   Flooding Google with fake reviews....  There were 279 - 5-star Google reviews before the *********'s put theirs up.  You cannot edit Google reviews.
  
   As for a refund....I gave ******* one, and then she once again became nasty and vulgar...so I rescinded it.
  
    I, nor my staff, will be harassed, threatened, or bullied.  It literally pays to be nice, lesson learned, I hope.   
  

  
  

  Customer response

  06/01/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I tell people to PM me on Facebook posts because I made a Facebook post in that same group telling my story and it was deleted since you know the group owners. I know for a fact that not everyone who has messaged me has booked with you. The messages were not filled with lies, in fact one of them was by a family member of a current worker of yours who has since told me you had a meeting with them and their family to tell them how upset you were by the message. I’m sorry that the truth seems to upset you. The “horrible information” was all information by current and past employees and my personal experience with your business. I also wasn’t removed from any group, I had to block your personal page after you were continuously harassing me and everyone who commented that they didn’t like your business on my posts/comments. 
  Neither me or my husband broke the contract, YOU and YOUR trainer broke the contract by not properly training my dog. We booked with you based off of misleading information from you and your place of business.

  We have since dealt with nothing but lies and made up accusations by CJs and her business. I’ve been harassed by her workers and friends on social media for simply telling my side of the story. 
  We picked ***** up from training and since then and every day after she has displayed bad behaviors she never had before going to CJs. Their daily text updates appear to have just been lies because from day 1 she didn’t even do any of the tricks they said she did. She only had 1 hour of one on one training which was never told to us, if it was we would’ve never booked with them. CJ had told us they were also trained in group by a trainer, we later found out by a current employee this “trainer” for group isn’t actually a certified trainer. She displayed bad behaviors when we picked her up, she didn’t do her tricks or anything in front of the trainer herself, we did EVERYTHING they said afterwards and she still shows no signs of being trained at all. 
  The reasoning we cancelled our follow up appointments were because we had limited availability and they knew that. She mentioned before they would’ve came to my house to train but that’s news to us because they never told us anything about that. 
  I demanded a refund and I still think were entitled to one because we paid for a service by this company and it wasn’t fulfilled. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩