Dogz R. Barkn

[kitcoon.livejournal.com]

Alright. This is my first post here, and it's not intended as a flame. If it's construed as such, I'll take it down; it is simply meant as a factual acocunt of what happened. I'm honestly beyond being upset by this, and mostly am just trying to prevent anyone else from being caught and cheated as I was.

I've been wanting to get a fursuit. After considering if for a long time and discussing it with a few friends, Dogz R. Barkn, who had been teaching me to draw and chatting during the long nights that came from working at camp. I knew he had done fursuits in the past, and the exaples I'd seen were all (to my untrained eye) very good looking.

He offered me a discount and said he'd have the suit heady for the next con I was going to, CFNW '04, it was 6 months away, and I figured that was plenty of time, and so I started paying him. I made a really dumb mistake here, in assuming I could trust him, and so I paid for the suit, in full, by August. I was very naive and saw no reason the suit wouldn't be done, so it couldn't hurt to pay in full, right? And it lowered my stress level, because I'm almost phobic of outstanding debts.

And so the stage was set. This was, as a quick reminder, the summer of 2004.

The suit wasn't ready for Conifur. This ended up not ebing a big deal, because, due to a mix up with school that resulted in MUCH increased tuition, I didn't go to Conifur. So then, I wanted it done for the next con I was going to: FC ' 04.

So we got closer to FC '04, at which point Dogz suddenly came to be VERY busy with school, and told me he'd try to have it at that con, but he wasn't expecting much...needless to say, it didn't happen.

From there things went downhill. Askign about the suit brought a few excuses about not wanting to compromise quality, but more often just simply ended the conversation. The last conversation on IM happened in March 2005, then he simply stopped responding. Emails and pm's on dA worked through August or so. Phone calls, after that. My head arrived in late November, and it looked wonderful and cute and goofy, just as promised, aside being two years late. I stayed in touch, mostly by phone after that; Dogz told me the suit was done, and he'd bring it to FC since shipping it would likely cut it to close.

And then, mysteriously...the night before he left for the con, a radiator exploded, and my suit got soaked and possibly ruined. I say possibly because I still haven't seen it. After FC (and the beginnings of a refund - $60) I got a text message to my phone with tracking numbers for two boxes, from Dogz. The numbers never appears online to be tracked, nor could the post office verify that a package with that number even existed. And he hasn't been in touch since. Never answers his phone, email, pm's, or even the few mutual friends who are willing to pass along messages. I don't expect I ever will hearback from him at this point.

Like I said...I'm not doing this to elicit pity, simply to warn. Dogz is as unprofessional as they come, and getting any sort of commsion from him is risking a repeat of what happened to me..and numerous other people.

And if any of you do know, and have contact, with Dogz...mention that I still expect my refund when I see him again.

Comments

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

Ack. I'm sorry Kit. I had hopped this would get more attention on this comm, being as this is the sort of thing you would post on here, but seems everyone's attention has been distracted by the Fireyes commisoner from hell issue. I really do hope more people see your post and take your advice to be wary of comissions from Dogz

[theassassinnox.livejournal.com]

I for one, have.
I really wish that there was something I could say or do to make it better. *sighs* People like that make me wary of selling items. I hope that my stuff is good enough and happens in a timely enough manner.
Selling makes you vulnerable. Your seller obviously doesn't have their head in the right place. Yuck.

I will avoid all future business transactions with this person. Thanks for the ehads up.

~S

[murasadramon.livejournal.com]

It's rather sad, but... I guess one of things to consider is if you're paying that much money perhaps a contract between you and the artist could be a good mandatory.

[kitcoon.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right. I learned the lesson the hard way, but at least I learned it.

[murasadramon.livejournal.com]

Well, Dogz has a bad reputation for offering different prices to different people based on how he likes them. I had a lot of bad dealings with Dogz on a personal level. He used to run a private, hidden IRC channel on Anthrochat called #homeslice, the sole purpose of which was to mock users and people in #fursuit. The channel's only purpose was to laugh at others behind their backs (I was a member).

I used to be a member there, and got a bad taste for what was going on at the time.

Note: I'm a terrible artist to commission as well, so... I'm not saying that on any high ground. LOL. One of the reasons I offered full refunds a while back, no questions asked. I'm trying to improve.

[synchra.livejournal.com]

is that a suit in your icon?!!?

[synchra.livejournal.com]

Like I said before, that absolutely sucks, and I wish I knew a way to help you out... If I see him at FC next year, I'll definately say something.