Tear Jerker - Page 1

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/classifieds/60397.html

No wonder I have a waiting list for dogs to train. This is why anyone who sends a dog off for training should insist on regular time-stamped, dated photos and videos, preferably with witnesses who they can contact about the condition of the dog(s).

Very sad indeed.

SS

 Shelley,

I just sent you a PM to clarify that this was NOT a dog who was sent to Europe for training. As you know, there are many caring and competent trainers in the U.S. who will train and/or title dogs. I do and so do you. I know I also send video and photos regularly and many people see the dogs in my care on a weekly basis. No dog would ever be in this kind of shape if it were in my care. 

There are excellent trainers in the U.S. and in Europe. But one should always do some due diligence in deciding where to send a dog for training, or for that matter, where to board it. In my facility, not going on 5 years in business, I have never sent home an ill dog! I doubt that there are many kennels in the country that can say that. The reasons are many, not the least of which include stringent health requirements for any dog on the property, a well-designed facility, proper ventilation, excellent nutrition and adequate time outside with exercise.

This particular incident occurred some months ago and a lot of people saw and posted on this subject then. But those were the days of censorship and the posts were removed. As far as I know, the young woman who began it all with a disclosure that her dog was "lost" by Ray Jeffers, and who obtained a court judgment, never received payment. Nor did Mr. Jeffers ever return one cent of the money he charged for neglecting (supposedly training) dogs and even killing one.

Many of us have spoken out multiple times on this situation but to date, the organizations that should and could help put this man out of business have said they have no reason to be involved.......even one that alleges it is "for the German Shepherd Dog".

 Stinky, you are new here? I will assume so. This was actually verified and if you want details, ask. This was discussed at great length in the past. I had nothing personally to do with the situation except was asked to help as a third party. All facts were verified. You can choose to jump on the bandwagon or not as you please, but the photo ought to speak for itself. It is one of two dogs returned to an owner in such condition. There is and will NEVER be any excuse for it and the man responsible did not even have the balls to fess up or return money paid for services NOT rendered.

hodie... yes I'm new.   And thank you for the information.   I've perused the data base and have read so much bashing - and a lot of it without all the facts.   No offense to SS, but it seemed to be a blind post substantiated by no facts.  I'm glad you posted and clarified/confirmed the story.

The photo is heartbreaking.  No animal should be subject to such abuse under the trust and care of a third party.

Thank you again for the facts.

Just a suggestion:  If possible, links to prior discussions should be added if possible.  For someone "new" like me (and I'm sure many others), we don't know the history.  If the links have been deleted, then a short synopsis would be welcome as to the history of the current situation(s)  Thanks.

StinkyK9,

I did not know that SS was going to bring this to the attention of the forum. It was, as I mentioned, discussed at great length before and the actual owner of the dog whose photo is posted verified the situation. Another person came forward to tell of not being paid for a dog whom they sold to this man, and who subsequently flew from CA to NC to get the dog back and also found her dog to be emaciated and ill. Several others came forward to tell of this person not honoring contracts etc., and a poor soul surfaced whose dog had died while in this mans' "care". It all started as I stated above.

To clarify, my involvement began as I was about to hire this man, sight unseen, to do some helper work. Then the post appeared about the "lost" dog. I wrote the person who posted that and she verified, by posting a copy of the judgment here, that she indeed had a judgment against him for the dog. I was skeptical at first, but then it cascaded and I spoke personally with several people who were involved directly, owned abused/neglected dogs or had other dealings with this man. He came on the forum himself to try to bully the original poster, lied repeatedly, stated he left her dog in her yard (unattended), and it got more and more ugly from there.

Had all those posts still been here, believe me, I would love for you and others to read every last word. This man does not deserve the trust people put in people like Shelley, others or me, for example, when we take a dog for one reason or another. I know I consider it a sacred trust to accept someone's dog, whether for boarding or Schutzhund training. I also do GSD rescue and have done so for more than 13 years now, and I have seen many emaciated dogs. So I also know what neglect it requires to leave a dog as it is in the photo posted under "this could be your dog" in the TRAINER section on the left side of the page. I re-posted it when a cronie of the man in question was advertising for a web site he was developing. Many of us are committed to seeing that this man who did this to the dogs does not prosper in the dog world. Sadly, some of his cronies will defend him and excuse his behavior saying they know nothing about it.

So that is how this all came about. The people actually owning the dogs may or may not post, but if it becomes an issue of who is credible here or not, I am certain they will verify what I have stated here.

Stinky,

New or not, I can understand your position and response, given the manner in which this thread was begun.  ANYONE who did not know already would NOT have known that this was a matter that had already been discussed and verified. 

Excellent suggestion.

My name is Kristyn and I am here to verify that it is my dog Tasha in the photo.  I had asked someone to post that photo for me because I couldn't figure out how to do it myself.  That photo was taken the night I got my dog back from Ray Jeffers.  He had her for 6 months and was supposed to get her BH and Sch1 title.  Well he got neither title and you can see from the photo what kind of condition she was in.  She has never in her life smelt as horrible as she did that night.  The photo really doesn't do justice to the condition she was in.  Her fur was falling out like crazy.  We bathed her twice that night and she still smelt horrible after 2 baths.  The bath water was yellow and brown because she had been allowed to lay in her urine and feces in a very small pen/crate.  For several months after we got her home, every meal we fed her she would eat like she didn't know when her next meal would be.  Before Ray had her, she was a very finiky eater and would just pick at her food...so for her to eat that fast was a complete 180 from what she was originally.

She was with another trainer for 3 months before Ray had her.  She was within driving distance so we got to visit her several times with that trainer.  We were extremely happy with the care and training she received with the first trainer.  When we received her back from Ray, her training had gone way down.  I doubt Ray did much training with her.  Once a week might be all she got if even that much.  I'm sure Ray would probably say otherwise but if so he is lying.  When a dog is being trained to be titled they need to be trained nearly every day.

Ray was very difficult to get in touch with and did not keep in touch with me very well.  In the beginning he kept in touch pretty well but after that it would be weeks before I would hear from him despite numerous emails and voice mails....I  even left messages with his family and co-workers at the park he worked at.

I was upset that the original post was deleted.  Ray of course found the post and had his own comments...most of which were lies.  So if he posts anything here (or anywhere else for that matter)...don't believe him. 

He had another dog with him (whom he said was his dog) and that dog was in the same condition as Tasha.  Luckily that dog's breeder got the dog back from what I was told.  I can't believe he would even let someone see his own dog in that condition.  I was too embarassed to let anyone see Tasha for fear that someone would think that I did that to her.  My husband and I were so heartbroken and we rarely talk about the incident because we felt horrible for sending her off for training.

If he was not able to train or care for my dog then he should have let me know and I would have met him or even driven the 12 hours to his house to pick up my dog.  There is no excuse for the poor care she received.

I know there are good trainers out there but after this incident I don't think I will ever send a dog off for training again after what happened to Tasha. 

So yes, StinkyK9, this story is VERY true.  It happened to my dog!

Well said, Hodie. It IS a sacred trust when one accepts somebody else's dog, for whatever reason.

SS

GSgirl...how horrible for you and your dog.  He should have been prosecuted.

On a parallel line... I worked with horses most of my life, and managed a horse ranch in the 80's.  The owners would send a select few horses out to training and the show circuit with a "top" trainer.   This particular trainer was fairly well known within that particular breed world, and had many championships both in hand and under saddle to his credit.  We sent a yearling filly to him to get show halter training and to take on the circuit.  This was an amazing filly with amazing breeding. Probably one of the best horses we bred.  Anyway, we usually took other horses to the show that my assistant and I rode, and he was to be at the same show with the filly.   We should have been suspect when he didn't show up with her.  He said she was a little under the weather and felt she should stay home.  This happened a second time.  The owners decided to send us to just go pick her up.  (he wasn't cheap!  thousands $$ in training) When we arrived and took her out of her stall I was horrified.  She was skin and bones literally, and had foundered.  She could barely walk to the trailer, and then we had a 3 hour drive back to the ranch.  The next day we loaded her up and took her to Davis, but she died day after she arrived at the hospital.  It was truly a tragedy.  We later found out that this same trainer had been barred from showing because he got caught beating a horse in a stall at a show.  He was an alcoholic.  He went from being a top trainer to a scum bag.

Yes, we want to trust those who take responsibility of our animals, but both you and I seem to have learned the heartbreaking way that all is not as it appears.  It seems that the only way is to find a trainer that is a reasonable distance so one can check the progress and health of one's animal.  I know there are exceptions to the rule, but they are few and far between.  I would have gone CRAZY if my dog looked like your poor girl when I picked him up.  Unbelievable. 

Thanks for sharing your story.   I would resurface this thread regularly to warn others...