About Jon and Tails of Success
I grew up in Chesapeake and this is my story about becoming a dog trainer. It began with my first pet, Sandi. Sandi was brought to the local dog daycare by a volunteer. She had been displaced from her previous shelter due to the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Harvey, she curled up in my lap and fell asleep. That was it for me. She had found her home. I wanted to get closer and make her feel at home. I reached out to a dog trainer in the area, and as we talked, I realized how dogs interact with each other, how to tell when a dog was not doing well in a given interaction, and what was working (or not) in regards to dogs doing well at daycare. I began to understand animal behavior and especially dogs’. The training helped people and their dogs get closer; that was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life.
I began an internship with the Freckled Paw, which progressed to a full-time job. Working with dogs of all sizes and breeds, I saw a range of cases, including basic obedience training, crate and house training for new puppies, newly adopted dogs into homes with other dogs, and reactive dogs. In February 2019, I passed and received my certification as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). After receiving my certification I became a full-time trainer with the Freckled Paw. In August 2019, I joined the VBSPCA Pet Academy team, where I created a curriculum and taught classes for newly adopted puppies and their owners in Virginia Beach.