My Goals as Your Personal Dog Trainer
Learning to train your dog will be one of your most rewarding experiences as a pet owner. My name is Jake and my mission as a personal dog trainer is to deliver an exceptional level of quality services that can’t be matched by any corporate or group training environment.
Teaching you to speak the Language of Dogs is the core principle behind my unique dog training program. My top goals include:
- Understanding and meeting the needs of each customer; 2-legged and 4-legged alike!
- Making sure each owner has a better understanding of how to teach new behaviors and reduce unwanted behaviors.
- Ensuring that I’m the right trainer for you. I’ll refer you to a specialist for any behaviors that I’m not properly equipped to handle.
Sally May and Me
Gracie b. and Me
My Story — The ruff life of a rock-hound
I was born and raised in the MN River Valley, where my dogs were always by my side. That inseparable companionship led me to a job at a local pet food shop where my passion for dogs began to take shape.
There was a regular customer who would come into the shop every week, and his dog was always perfect. After getting to know the guy over the next 2 years, I found out he was a professional dog trainer. I asked him how a guy goes about getting a job like that.
“It just sort of happens if you try, I guess.”
After years of working in a variety of different professional fields, I never forgot those words. I got a job as a Dog Care Specialist and that allowed me to start developing my skills as a trainer.
I’ve been employed in award-winning pet care facilities and have worked with hundreds of dogs and their owners over the years. Teaching others has always been a passion of mine and dogs are what I know best. I received my CCTBS (Certified Canine Trainer and Behavior Specialist) from The Animal Behavior Institute in 2021.
My background in the pet care industry has taught me that every dog owner is different, and every dog has different needs. Being able to tailor my program to fit those needs is the advantage I offer over the corporate training model, and I am committed to the pursuit of further education. Never Stop Learning!
I’m also what’s known as a “rock-hound” (an amateur rock and mineral collector) and I’ve always been fascinated with nature. I’ve spent summers on the road traveling the country, “hounding” for gemstones, and photographing landscapes and any dogs I meet along the way.
Eventually, I wound up as the Mine Manager at a world-class Fire Opal mine in Nevada for a season. It was the experience of a lifetime! Digging for gemstones is my true obsession, and dogs are my true passion. It’s “the ruff life”… 2x’s punny… cause its dogs and rocks… get it?
Finding Your Gem
My experiences as a Mine Manager and Tour Guide has helped me refine my passion for teaching others about the wonders of the natural world.
Training dogs is a lot like mining for opals. You will have to commit completely to achieving your goals and expect a rainy day or two in the process. No dog is perfect, no dog owner is perfect, but if you keep digging, you will find your gem.
