While Ivan is a very talented dog trainer, he struggles immensely to run a competent business. Our first lesson on 7/20 went well, the training was spot on and we received a copy of the homework we were to work on before our next lesson. On 8/4 Ivan texted an hour before our scheduled lesson that he would not be able to make the appointment because his landlord drove a forklift into his car. This lesson was not rescheduled, because one was already scheduled for 8/11. Our second lesson went great, but we never received a homework sheet. We texted Ivan to let him know we had not received the homework sheet. There was no response, and no homework sheet was sent.
Our next lesson was scheduled for 8/17, that day Ivan was also going to transport our dog Luna to his boarding facility for a three-day stay. The morning of 8/17 we received a text and call from Ivan stating that he was not feeling well and that he was going to cancel the lesson. He informed us his employee Jenn would come and get Luna, that he would sign Luna up for day training while boarding, and he would send us a report and video of what to work on when she returned home. To this day there has never been a report card or training video shared with us.
Luna was picked up from boarding on 8/21. After she was picked up we had many concerns, including Luna was reportedly still sleeping at 11am, that she had soaked her blanket in urine, and we later found out Ivan took Luna to his house without getting our permission to do so. We texted Ivan we had concerns and he was very responsive and he called right away. He stated he would talk to his employees and that we could discuss our thoughts further during our lesson on the weekend of 8/25. However, we texted Ivan on 8/23 that he was mistaken and there was no lesson scheduled for the weekend of 8/25. We never received a response or attempt to schedule a lesson.
On 8/25 we texted Ivan we were not okay with the current state of not receiving the paid-for lessons, as our last one was 8/11 and we did not have any future lessons scheduled. Ivan reached out to discuss our text but we were unable to talk on the phone at that time. We said we could speak the following evening after 6 pm. Ivan texted back stating he was not free until after 8 pm on 8/26. On 8/26 we texted Ivan at 9 pm asking to speak the following evening (8/27) as we had just started the school year( we are educators) and were got home late. We never received a response to that text.
After not having heard from Ivan for 5 days on 8/30 at 2pm we received a call from Alex (an employee) asking to schedule our next lesson, despite not having discussed our concerns or heard from Ivan. We texted Ivan and Alex's numbers to say we had received the voicemail from Alex and we were not happy with the lack of communication and thought it best to discontinue lessons and requested a refund. We did not receive a response, other than Alex texting to ask if we had received his voicemail, but nothing from Ivan.
Due to 8/30 being a holiday weekend, we gave Ivan the benefit of the doubt and texted again on 9/3. We reiterated that we had requested a refund on 8/30 and had not heard a response from him. Ivan responded that evening stating that he had a death in the family and that is why we had not heard from him since 8/25 (9 days) and offering to find a time now to talk. We let him know that we did not want to talk and instead, based on the experience we had with him, we wanted to find someone who was less busy and more local. We also stated that best business practices should be, if you were going to be out of touch for 9 days your employees should inform your clients on your behalf.
Ivan stated we could not just end the lessons but instead, we needed to talk because his impression was that we wanted to discontinue lessons due to being upset about simple things like, never receiving the shirts that we sent to boarding for Luna's comfort, and not having received Luna's video in a timely fashion (we never received a video). We stated we would not have time to talk on the phone and since he offered email would be preferred. Ivan stated he would write something and send it over. To date, our last communication from Ivan was a text on 9/4 that he would send us an email. Today is 9/11, one week later, and we have not received anything. We even sent an email to him on 9/8 with a detailed timeline of our concerns and have had no response.
Regardless of whatever personal attack Ivan will more than likely launch our way, as we heard him speak poorly of other clients who have given negative reviews. The bottom line is that services were not rendered as agreed upon. We are not interested in tarnishing anyone's reputation, but without having received a refund which we have requested three times, and without any communication from the business, we are left with few other options. We have also filed a complaint with the BBB. read more
