An employee at Paws Pet Resort in Sioux Falls raised concerns about a trainer’s handling of dogs, saying the methods were harsh and the dogs appeared distressed; Dakota News Now did not name the trainer in its broadcast.

The allegation, lodged by an unnamed employee who works at the facility, centers on training methods the worker described as punitive and harmful to the dogs in the resort’s care. The employee said the dogs displayed distress in the yard and described physical handling they found troubling.

The employee told Dakota News Now, “I’m currently employed at the company, and I’ve witnessed behavior that deeply disturbs me,” and said they had “witnessed misuse of the training tools they offer to clients” and were concerned that a “power and control” method of training could be damaging, but the Dakota News Now segment does not name any specific trainer. The employee said dogs would be in distress and high pitch whimpering around the yard and described what they called “harsh techniques of pulling on the dog’s ears, scruffing or pinching their skin folds by their thigh to correct them.” Animal behavior research and position statements from major veterinary and animal behavior organizations often caution that aversive training methods are associated with increased stress and potential welfare risks for dogs; specific claims about long-term mental health effects should be attributed to those sources rather than stated as a general fact. Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of …

Paws Pet Resort responded through a spokesperson who said they “subscribe to positive reinforcement techniques, which is a proven training method. This method has the dog’s good behavior awarded with praise as well as treats.” The facility stated through a spokesperson that it subscribes to positive reinforcement techniques, a training method in which a dog’s good behavior is rewarded with praise and treats, according to Dakota News Now. To explain what positive reinforcement looks like in practice, readers can consult external resources from veterinary and animal behavior organizations that describe reward-based approaches and why many trainers favor them.

The story includes a contrast in training philosophies from local trainer Missy John of Nerdy K9, who said, “If I’m training with a dog, it is excitement and happiness and tail wagging because they’re going to get something great,” and discussed questions owners should ask when choosing a trainer.

The anonymous employee told the outlet they had witnessed what they characterized as misuse of training tools offered to clients and a “power-and-control” style that could be damaging to dogs. The resort’s public statement reiterates its commitment to rewarding good behavior with praise and treats, presenting a sharply different view of day-to-day practice at the facility.

The Dakota News Now segment included video recorded by the employee while on the job, showing interactions between a trainer and dogs at the facility. The station published excerpts of written statements from both the employee and Paws Pet Resort alongside its broadcast segment.

The dispute frames a wider conversation in the community about how dogs should be handled during training and what owners should look for when evaluating trainers. Choosing the Right Dog Boarding and Training Facility 101 include visiting locations in person to assess their cleanliness, security, and the dogs’ interactions with staff. Trainers and animal welfare groups often point to reward-based methods as a way to reduce stress and encourage learning; local trainers like Missy John contrasted that approach directly with the methods described by the employee.

Paws Pet Resort and the unnamed employee presented conflicting accounts of the same practices; the resort maintains that its training follows positive reinforcement principles, while the employee described handling and techniques that left multiple dogs distressed in the yard. The facility and the employee’s statements are part of the material published with the station’s coverage.

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