Rocket Dog Academy

Thanks to Jen and her staff, I can co-exist w/my very stubborn English Bulldog, without continually telling her "no", "stop", "don't do that". I. know that Optimum Dog uses STEM collars but I wanted to try using positive reinforcement methods first. Going in for board & train, my EBD knew all of the commands but, in typical Bulldog fashion, she literally didn't give two $%#&@ about following those commands, unless it was her idea. Jen and her team were on board with starting with positive reinforcement methods, with the hope of not needing to move to STEM. My EBD came home, and was better at listening, but within a couple of weeks time she was back to giving ole mom the paw if she didn't want to do something. Additionally, we spend time at my fiancés house, on five acres, not fully fenced. I needed my furry little angel to come when called, not run out into the road because she was chasing a deer and to "leave it" when told to do so...because...being kissed by this love muffin, who just ate a pound of chicken *&^%, is not my idea of a good day. So back to Optimum Dog she went, this time for STEM training, and I wish I had done this from the beginning!! This was just the little push she needed to be a secure, well rounded, obedient and happy pup! STEM training, for her, looks something like this; she wears her collar, her STEM number is 6 (0-100), it is so mild that I cannot feel the STEM when I put the collar on my skin to test it out. It's just enough of a gentle tap to get attention, much less even than tugging on a leash/collar to redirect her. I reserve "vibrate" for "leave it". Vibrate gets an immediate reaction of "I'm not touching it mom, I promise"; who knew?! I always thought vibrate would be less annoying but turns out, with my pup, that isn't the case. Anyway, I am grateful that Jen and her team walked me through this training, utilizing the methods that I was comfortable with and then training me on how a STEM collar really works. It's not about "shocking" or "pain", which was the misconception that I had going into this initially. If you are looking for a great trainer, Jen is one of the best! If you are looking for warm & fuzzy and a woman that is going to make excuses for being strong and independent, not going to find that here. Jen is a strong woman with strong opinions and ideas. She has a profitable, flourishing business, in an industry run by men. That alone, garners my respect!! As a bonus: My brand new SUV broke down just outside of her parking lot. I text her that I was stuck and she came running....like literally, running. I was sitting in my car, blocking traffic and a driveway, cars speeding by giving me the "bird" and yelling at me; my anxiety at an all time high. Jen grabbed my keys, did some GM magic, popped the hood, messed with the battery, put gas in my car, because maybe the fuel sensor wasn't working...who knows...When OnStar didn't call/text or show up, after over an hour (ultimately they called SEVEN HOURS LATER...that's another review...I digress), Jen was on the phone with the tow company getting me a tow truck and on the phone with her husband getting me help and a ride home. She didn't have to do any of this, but...she did. Shine theory!! When one woman shines, we all shine!! I've read all of the reviews for this business, the good and bad. While I can understand the frustration in a couple, with not being contacted or missed appointments, there are some reviews that are simply pet owners not taking responsibility for their own issues. It's often easier to shrug the blame on to someone else, rather than to look in the mirror and ask "what part do I play in this situation". Take all reviews, mine included, with a grain of salt. Not every person or every business is going to be the right fit for everyone. But, if you are looking for a good trainer, in a clean, safe environment, I suggest reaching out for a tour and conversation.

We have worked with Jen, Charlie Elner and we cannot say enough good things about all of them. They really care about the animals they work with, helping their clients learn the skills they need to be a better handler, and offer all kinds of suggestions on tools to train the best dog possible. After 6 months with our Belgium Malinois rescue who had no prior training, was pretty crazy when we brought him home and we weren't even sure if it we could make it work to keep him... his recall is amazing, he has learned to live with our cat and livestock (despite his high prey drive), he walks well on a leash, knows a plethora of tricks and commands, he has turned into a happy, hard-working dog.... We love him so much! And we are excited to keep learning together with Optimum Dog! Thank you so much you guys, Dallas can't wait till he sees you all next!