The Help Center

How long is every class?

Every class is one hour long. It is broken down into 3 parts:
1) Teaching section- 45-50 minutes. Clearly, I won't stop if we are in the middle of something.
2) Question and answer- 5 minutes
3) Homework- 10 minutes

How often should we meet to train my dog?

The more often we meet the faster your dog will progress. Some packages require us to meet more then just once a week. This is intentionally done, so that there is rapid progress, and problems do not take months in getting solved. This way the owners can have a well behaved dog in a faster amount of time.

Should I purchase a package? or should I purchase one class at a time?

I love this question. I will give you the benefits of both of these.

Here are the benefits of purchasing a package:

Your dog will be progressing at a much higher rate.
Dogs that experience long breaks or pauses between training sessions will have less reinforcement of their commands.
Owner’s who purchase packages are much more committed to doing their homework, and take the training seriously.
You will have a permanent time slot. Nobody else will take that time slot. That time slot is yours.
Most People who buy packages, for the most part, will see a higher return on their investment as dogs that do not experience breaks in their training have better results, leaving dogs well trained and customers happy.
You are getting classes at a much lower rate than individuals who take single sessions by themselves.

Benefits of doing one class at a time:

1) You are not contractually obligated to take more than that one class at a time.

2)I still give homework assignments to individuals who just take one class with me, so that they have something that they can work on during their free time.

Do you have any paperwork for me to fill out?

Yes, After we agree to meet. I will be sending you 1 short form, which can be filled out online. Please have it filled out before we meet.

1) Private Day Training Service Contract.

If my dog doesn't learn the material, can I get my money back?

We understand that dogs do have bad days, and on some days are unable to focus for a variety of factors (medical, psychological, environmental, etc). We will still instruct you on how to teach your dog the skills that you requested as if the dog were able to pay attention. This way once your dog is able to pay attention you will know what to do. So to answer your question, The short answer is no. We do not offer refunds. For the simple fact that we have no control over how quickly your dog can pick up the material. Some dogs pick up the material incredibly quickly, while others take longer.

When do you expect payment?

All classes and packages must be paid in full before we arrive at your place to train your dog. The only exception is if you choose to pay cash. In that case, then we will meet with you before our class time to collect payment, so that we can start class on time. If for some reason you are having difficulties making the payment go through, please call us.

Late Payment Policy:

If you do not make the payment before, at the beginning, during or at the end of class. You will be sent an invoice that same day along with a late fee of $50.00.

The client will be billed at a flat rate of $10.00 a day until the bill is fully paid.

If at the end of 90 days the bill is still not paid. The bill will be sent to a collection agency.

Methods of payment do you accept?

I have tried making payment as easy and as convenient as possible. Here are the different methods of payment:

Credit Card via the website: https://www.tomsdogtraining.com/plans-pricing
Hit the yellow "Donate" button at the bottom of our website homepage

3) Zelle: phone number: 720-385-8674

4) Venmo: @tomaskoreilly

5) Check: Please make checks out to: Tom’s Dog Training

6) Cash: If you plan on paying with cash please let me know ahead of time.

If for some reason you are having difficulties making the payment go through, please call us. It's important to start and finish class on time.

How do we contact you?

You can call us or text me at 720-385-8674.

You can also email me us tom@tomsdogtraining.com.

Emails and voicemails are answered in 24 to 48 hours.

I would like to leave you a review. Where can I go?

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Please leave your review here:

http://www.tomsdogtraining.org/

You can also leave me a review or a like on my Facebook page over at: www.facebook.com/Tomsdogtraining It would mean a lot to me, as I am trying to expand my business.

What does Tom's Dog Training do differently than others in your field?

There are a few things that we do differently:

1) You are able to just buy one class at a time. Most other companies will make you purchase a package of classes. With us you can try us out and see if you like our service.

2) If you request it, then trainer should be able to talk to you about your dog's body language and what it is signaling.

3) You will know up front what you should be expecting in each and every class before the class begins.

4) The program that we teach is science based. We do explain to you the process and how skills build on one another.

5) At your request we are happy to film your session for you, so that you can go back and review it.

I have more then one dog, will I be charged extra per dog?

No, you are charged according to the amount of sessions you decide to take.

Do you offer group classes?

Due to the pandemic,we are not offering group classes.

What is your service area?

We have a 20-minute driving restriction. If you are further away then 20 minutes and still want our help. We would gladly meet you outdoors at a local park. We normally meet clients at Maplewood- Alta Vista Park. The address is: 5209 Alta Vista Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20814.

Do you board dogs?

We do not board dogs, but we have sister companies that do both boarding and walking. If these are services that you need, please feel free to reach out and we will pick up the phone and make some phone calls for you.

What happens if I purchase a package, and we finish ahead of time?

Although, this has never happened. Sooner or later I imagine that it will. If this were to happen you will simply be out of that money. I do not give refunds. If you feel that we have reached your goals and no longer want to work with us, that is fine. That is your choice. In our mind dogs should never stop training. It keeps the dog's mind sharp, and there is always something new to learn or practice and refine what is already known.

What is your Refund Policy?

We have a 100% no refund policy. We really do try our best for you and your dog. We always advise people to first take one class and see if they like it or not. Then if they do, go ahead and purchase a package. We understand training can be expensive and is not something that should be taken lightly.

What is the difference between Day Training and Coaching?

Day Training is where we train the dog for you. You will most likely be busy doing other things or have gone on vacation and when you get back, we will have a transfer session where we teach you what I have taught the dog.
Coaching is where you are an active participant in the class. Regardless of which one you choose, we can film the training, so that you see what we did.

What is a Transfer session? Why is it important?

Transfer sessions are done for clients who choose to do Day Training. It is a critical part of Day Training. It allows for the owners to continue the training on their own after we have passed the dog over to them.

Can I combine Coaching and Day Training?

Yes, please just let us know what you would like to do.

What is Your Cancelation Policy

For those who have purchased a package we have a 48 hour cancelation policy. In order to maintain small class sizes, personalized attention and the best training results possible, we do not provide make-ups or refunds for missed classes.

For individuals who are booking one class at a time and need to reschedule, but don’t let us know 48 hours ahead of time. They will be simply assessed a $35.00 fee. Which can then be paid off in the next lesson.
Because our aim is to provide an effective, personalized small group experience that sets our students up for the best chance of success, we actively enforce this policy. We appreciate your understanding, cooperation and respect for fellow students. If you know you have to cancel please let us know as soon as possible.
You have 90 days to complete any package. Please note that if you do not complete your package in that time period then those classes will be lost.

Accountability

Although, we do not offer refunds for our classes. We are accountable for our actions. So, if at any point during the training you feel uncomfortable with absolutely anything that is done either by me or my staff. Then I would like to hear about it. Either during class, or afterwards, so that we can adjust and move forward to achieve your goals. I really do appreciate your feedback as it helps us improve and correct any blind spots that we might have.

-Thank you.