About Us
About Jaclynn
I have always had a slight obsession with all animals, but my first true training experience came in middle school when my family started raising guide dog puppies. After raising two puppies of my own and having one graduate, I realized the impact a single animal can have on another person’s life. I then went to UC Davis and earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science.
My time at UCD gave me a solid foundation of knowledge, as well as hands-on experience with many different species of domesticated animals. When I graduated in 2010, I got a job in the training department of a boarding and training facility and earned my Pet Obedience Instructor certification from Triple Crown Dog Training Academy. Over the course of the next six years, I worked with hundreds of dogs and their owners in board-and-train programs, group classes, and private lessons. I was able to work with all sizes, breeds, and ages of dogs, and I dealt with everything from puppy and adult basic obedience, to more serious issues such as anxiety, fear, and aggression.
In early 2016, I decided I was ready for a change, and took a giant leap to start my own dog training company. After three wonderfully dog-filled years of working for myself, we took another big leap and made the move from Sacramento, CA to Poulsbo, WA- the new home of Sassafras Dog Training. My specialty is in-home private lessons and day trains, but I am always willing to try to customize a training plan that works best for the dogs and owners. I love the constant challenge in finding what works best for each individual dog, and helping owners apply these methods efficiently and successfully. The satisfaction of seeing the lives of an owner and dog change for the better is what keeps me going. Basically, I just love dogs, and I love helping people have well-behaved dogs!
Why Sassafras?
The name Sassafras Dog Training is a nod to my best girl, Kali. I named her Kali first, but as so often happens with our pets, somewhere, somehow, the nickname Sassafras came along. What started as Kali, quickly turned into Kali Sassafras, then Kali Sass, then Sass, Sassaroo, Sassers, and on and on.
Kali is no longer with us, but she was by my side for over twelve years, and in that time helped me train quite literally hundreds of dogs. She also taught me an incredible amount and was often able to do my job better than I could! So it seemed more than fitting upon moving to Washington and reopening the business up here, to name it after the girl who’d been with me through it all, my best girl, Kali Sassafras.
About Jester
Jester joined the team in 2019 after he was career-changed from Guide Dogs for the Blind. He was far too exuberant and easily distracted to be a guide dog, but it works perfectly for us as he’s shaped up to be a great demo and distraction dog. Jester’s enthusiasm for working and learning is perfectly balanced with levels of goofiness only he could attain. There is nothing with 2-4 legs that this guy doesn’t want to be friends with!
Jester’s main duties are to be a balanced, neutral dog for other dogs who may struggle with leash reactivity or shyness in new situations, to be a distraction for dogs who are farther along in their training and are ready to have their skills put to the test in real-life environments, and, his personal favorite, provide some comic relief with his spunky personality.
Jester’s favorite things are food (any and all food, especially crunchy things), hiking new trails, choosing and parading squeaky toys around the house, and long naps on the couch.
