Juniper Zen
is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA) and a graduate of the Canine Behavior Academy, formerly hosted at the Marin Humane Society (2008). She is a member of the Pet Professional Guild. She also continues her education with regular seminars, webinars, books/videos, and networking with fellow dog professionals.
During the past 15+ years, she has worked with dogs in a wide variety of contexts, including shelter work, dog daycare and boarding facilities, teaching group classes, private lessons, and competing in sports. She specializes in setting a good foundation for puppies and resolving handling/grooming issues. She also has a soft spot for dogs that are high energy and too smart for their own good!
Training Philosophy
Juniper Zen uses positive, force-free methods, particularly clicker-training. She has found this to be the best way to communicate with and teach our dogs for long-term success. Applied knowledgeably, it is effective for everything from basic manners to fear/aggression issues.
Services
Ruff Translation provides dog training services in Fairfield, Vacaville, Davis, Dixon, and Winters, California.
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Assessment
All training programs start with an Assessment. This appointment allows Juniper Zen to get to know you and your dog, and put together an individualized training plan. You’ll receive plenty of information, including a prognosis for how much training your dog will need, and get started with the first steps toward your goals.
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Private Lessons
The perfect option for owners who want to be hands-on with their dog’s training. Forget the struggle and learn how to work WITH your dog. Lessons are individualized and take place in your home, so you can fix problems where they actually happen. Juniper Zen can also meet in public for socialization work and advanced training.
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Video Lessons
Technology saves the day when in-person lessons are not an option! If you live outside of Juniper Zen’s service area, have a highly fearful or aggressive dog, or are stuck inside due to the “shelter in place” order, Video Lessons are the solution to your dog training needs.
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Puppy Camp
A special program for “working parents,” who want their puppy to learn and exercise instead of being stuck in a pen all day. You get all the benefits of Board & Train – intensive training and socialization under the care of a professional trainer – but bring your pup home to share the weekend. For puppies less than 6 months old.
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Nose Work Intro Group Class
Nose work is an activity in which the dog is taught to use their sense of smell to locate an object – usually a q-tip that has a small amount of essential oil on it. This gives dogs an opportunity to fully engage in the strongest sense they have, in a fun, mentally challenging mission. It is a great way to burn off energy as well as increase confidence as dogs learn to navigate obstacles, ignore distractions, and explore the world. This is a 6 week group class.
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Nose Work 2 Class
This class picks up where the Nose Work Intro class ends. The dogs have learned to hunt for birch oil, up to their nose height, indoors and in containers. This class will introduce more height, more challenging interior and container hides, and easy exterior hides. This 6 week group class runs 90 minutes per session, and costs $200.
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Board & Train
The Board & Train program is on hold. Please email Juniper Zen for referrals to other trusted professionals.
Certifications
Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
Specializations
setting a good foundation for puppies and resolving handling/grooming issues
Training Methods
positive, force-free methods, particularly clicker-training
Social Media Links
RuffT on FaceBook
RuffT on Yelp
