ABOUT US
My love of dogs was developed at a young age, but it wasn't until bringing home my first dog in early adulthood that I became immersed in dog training, nutrition, development and behavior. My educational background in Neuropsychology offered comprehensive understanding of behavior and learning theory upon which I built my knowledge of dogs. After spending a couple years raising and training my own dogs and pursuing continuing education and certifications in training and canine nutrition, I made the decision to follow my passion and work with dogs as my career.
When I started training dogs professionally, I spent time shadowing and working for other trainers who specialize in behavior modification, advanced off leash training, rescue rehabilitation, puppy raising, and more. I worked at a training facility doing up to 35 board and trains per month, where I was involved with training hundreds of dogs of various breeds, backgrounds and behavioral challenges. I then moved back to my hometown in Northern California where I opened my own company training pet dogs through private lesson programs and home based individualized board and train programs. After meeting Chelsea, and becoming partners in life, it is now a privilege to have merged my company with Rockem Dog Training to provide these services and more to the dogs of Northern California.
I've enjoyed ongoing continued education through workshops, seminars and online courses, and believe as professionals, it's important to always continue learning. I also hold a certification in Raw Dog Food Nutrition and have helped hundreds of dogs improve their health through transitioning to a species-appropriate diet.
When I'm not working with dogs, I love hiking, dabbling in photography, and making art.
-Sammy, Co-Owner
After adopting and falling completely in love with my first dog, Rocky, over 13 years ago, I embarked on a new chapter with Rocky by my side. Shortly after adopting him, I dove head first into the animal field and pursued my future and passion here.
In 2010, I began my professional work with animals as a kennel technician and quickly became a dog training intern at a company that trained animals for TV, movies & entertainment. I was soon training animals on the sets of popular TV shows like Parks & Rec and The Big Bang Theory, while also working on movie and commercial sets, along with live theater productions.
After my time at Studio Animal Services, I switched gears a bit and followed my heart into helping animals as an Animal Control Officer for the Department of Justice and Law Enforcement in Las Vegas. While challenging, this job was also rewarding, humbling and overall, an experience I will forever be grateful for.
In 2013, I began a new career at Canine Companions for Independence, where I worked my way through a three-year apprenticeship to become a fully certified Service Dog Instructor through Assistance Dogs International. Over the course of 6.5 years, I trained and placed hundreds of service dogs to assist their human partners with a variety of different skills.
In October of 2019, I decided to open up Rockem Dog Training to help dog owners live with their dogs in a way that brings out the best in human and dog, while also helping those who want to owner-train their own service dogs.
Merging companies with Sammy has opened up great, new opportunities for Rockem and we are excited to continue to this journey for many years to come.
-Chelsea, Co-Owner
SERVICES AND FEES
PHILOSOPHY
All dogs are individuals, and therefore all dogs need and deserve an individual approach to training. While the science of how dogs learn is universal, the way in which we use that science to apply training methodology can be varied and uniquely tailored to the individual dog.
At Rockem Dog Training, we believe in a balanced approach to training dogs. This means providing feedback to your dog to show them which behaviors are right and which behaviors are wrong. This clarity of communication helps set dogs up for success making safe and appropriate choices in what is often a confusing human world. We provide consistency and build motivation, which improves your dog's confidence and behavior. We teach you how to advocate for your dog's needs and communicate clearly and compassionately, which creates a mutually trusting and respectful relationship.
Our approach is a holistic one, meaning we create the lifestyle and relationship you desire with your dog through addressing habit changes, teaching new behaviors, and improving the mental and physical health of your dog. Whether you want to enjoy calm walks, proudly bring your well-behaved dog to a restaurant patio, instill trusted house manners, or have a lifetime adventure buddy, the foundations of training will lead to greater inclusion and freedom in your life together.
We believe all dogs deserve to live biologically fulfilled lives. Training is the gateway to that fulfillment.
