ABOUT US

CANINE BY DESIGN

Jason is the owner and director of training at Canine by Design. He has worked with dogs of all breeds in both dog sport and behavioral training applications professionally for over 10 years. He established Canine by Design to improve the experience for both pet owners and their dogs seeking training and pet services.

Jason carries diplomas and licenses from the elite NePoPo® Silver and Gold Schools founded in Belgium and taught by Bart and Michael Bellon. He thoroughly enjoys training and working with dogs of all backgrounds, and his passion for life-long learning fuels his pursuit of mastery in the theory and language of modern dog training.

In the area of competitive sport and working dogs, he is a training consultant with several local Police K9 units throughout Utah and Colorado. He also competes with his own dogs in Schutzhund and is a certified trial helper in IGP (formerly known as “IPO” or “Schutzhund”) with 3 IGP organizations and is the training director of the Matrix Dogsport club. He is a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and is a certified AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator.

In addition to working with dogs, Jason spends time educating pet owners, working dog handlers, and other canine professionals in the theory of modern dog training. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University and enjoys the real-world applications of behavior theory in his work.

Jess - Office Manager

Jess was introduced to dog training in 2020 after seeking out help for her dog, a Giant Schnauzer x Poodle mix named Stevie. Training allowed Stevie to go from an uncontrollable puppy into a driven dog that quickly earned her first AKC CGC title. Jess’ passion for dog training and dog sport was ignited by the relationship she and Stevie developed through training. She and Stevie have since earned their AKC CGC-U, BH-VT in IGP, and BT in American Schutzhund. Jess hopes to earn their UPr1 in 2024.

Jess joined the Canine by Design team in February of 2022 as the office manager. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies with a minor in Psychology and an Associate of Science in Humanities and Social Sciences from Utah Valley University. In 2024, Jess graduated from the elite NePoPo® New Silver School. She continues to expand her knowledge of dog training through various camps, workshops, and seminars hosted throughout the country.

In addition to training dogs, Jess enjoys powerlifting, bodybuilding, and a good mystery book. She and her husband are amateur ham radio enthusiasts and enjoy calling CQ from national parks.

Ashleigh - Trainer

Ashleigh was born into dog training. Her passion for dogs has always been part of her life. Ashleigh’s love for dog sport originated in the 1990’s, as her mother competed in IGP (formerly IPO). Ashleigh got her first dog,va black Schipperke, when she was 8 years old. Even as a young child, Ashleigh was passionate about training and went on to earn titles in AKC obedience with him and earned his CGC & CGCA.

Ashleigh purchased her first German Shepherd, Jetta, while in college. Jetta has earned her BH in IGP and the team is currently working toward earning their IGP1 and PDC titles in dog sport.

Outside of training dogs, Ashleigh worked as a veterinary assistant for 5 years. She also owns and operates a small hobby kennel for breeding health-tested, titled, and proven German Shepherd Dogs. Ashleigh is passionate about preserving the health, quality, and workability of the German Shepherd breed.

Training dogs is not Ashleigh’s only passion. She loves hiking, boating, horseback riding, and traveling with her family.

Dayna - Trainer

Dayna has been working with dogs for the last 9 years. She got her start with dogs as a kennel technician at a local training business where she was able to shadow experienced trainers. This gave her hands on experience with boarding and training dogs and since then, she has been actively training dogs for the past 7 years.

Dayna currently owns two German Shepherd Dogs, a Border Collie x Poodle, and a Weimaraner. She competed in PSA, a protection sport, with one of her German Shepherds and her Border Collie x Poodle, who is now retired. She is now preparing to compete in IGP (formerly schutzhund) with her German Shepherd. Dayna has previously competed in agility, dock diving, nose work, and disc dog competitions.

A fun fact about Dayna is that she competed on the TV show America’s Top Dog with her Border Collie x Poodle mix “Theo”. She placed first in her episode and won second in the overall competition!

Dayna also has a vast history of service dog work and has helped place dozens of service dogs into a variety of homes. Her service dog training includes; psychiatric assistance, veterans with PTSD, mobility assistance, hearing alert dogs, and medical alert dogs. Dayna is currently working to expand her skillset to include gluten and allergy detection.

Sarah - Trainer

Sarah has been working with and training dogs for the past 10 years and holds a bachelor’s in graphic design. Her passion for dog training was sparked when she began working with her Labrador. While her initial goal was to pursue a career in graphic design, she fell in love with dogs and quickly changed career paths. She began training dogs at a doggie daycare in her home state and eventually moved to Utah in 2014 to work for a dog training facility in Sandy.

Sarah’s passion for dog training led her to compete in the world of dog sports. She has competed in French Ring and IGP (formerly IPO) with her Malinois and German Shepherd. In addition to her working dogs, Sarah also has a senior Beagle.

Sarah’s professional experience training dogs has surpassed basic obedience into specialized training programs. She has trained service dogs, aggressive dogs with bite histories, reactive dogs, and many overly excitable dogs who lack impulse control and focus. She loves to help owners unlock new skills with their dogs and build a healthy relationship.

Outside of training dogs, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 kids. She enjoys hiking, eating sushi, and painting.

Rachel - Trainer

Rachel grew up working with horses and competed in rodeos and shows across the country. Training dogs was a natural transition from horses and she’s been training dogs professionally since 2012.

In her career she has trained dogs for movies, drug detection, personal protection, service, therapy, show, and sport. Her favorite to train however, is the “Coffee Shop Dog,” the pet dog that can go anywhere with their owner and be calm and confident.

Rachel has explored many different training styles, seminars, and coaches to best be able to help dogs and owners live to their fullest potential.

If you see Rachel, her dog Amigo will be close by. Amigo is a German Shepherd Dog who also has an impressive resume. He is trained in K9 Search and Rescue, has taught University of Utah students and staff how to interact with service dogs, worked as a canine actor in movies and live comedy shows, modeled for pet products, and is a regular at his local coffee shop.

Rachel and Amigo both volunteer with a local Search and Rescue organization.

Kota - Trainer

Kota began training dogs in 2017. She got involved with dog training because of her Border Collie, Rigby. Kota has a background in working with pet dogs in multiple capacities including: running enrichment and group classes, conducting private training lessons, and board and train programs. The thing she loves most about dog training is assisting clients in strengthening their relationship with their dog.

Kota is a graduate from Bart and Michael Bellon’s elite NePoPo® Silver School. She is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP), and is a certified American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen evaluator. She has earned accreditations from the Canine-Human Relationship Institute and has also graduated from Salt Lake Community College with an Associate Degree in Health Science.

Kota joined the Canine By Design team as a trainer in 2022. Kota is passionate about learning and finding the best way to communicate to both the dog and the owner. She is currently working to graduate from the NePoPo® New Gold School. She also plans to participate in AKC Obedience and scent work with her dog, Rigby.

Mason - Trainer

Mason joined the Canine By Design team as a trainer in 2023. His love for dogs started an early age, but his interest with learning and hands on experience began 6 years ago when he got his first German Shepherd. Mason’s career in dog training began at a doggy daycare facility, where he worked as a kennel tech and supervised dog socials. Shortly after, Mason helped establish a local Gameness, Relationship, and Control (GRC) club. Since then, he has attended multiple workshops and seminars to expand his knowledge and skillset. In 2023, Mason graduated from the elite NePoPo® New Silver School. In 2024, Mason became an IGP Certified Trial Helper for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA).

Mason currently owns a German Shepherd x Belgian Malinois mix, Cora; and a German Shepherd, Sylas. They are working toward earning Cora’s SR1 title in GRC. He also hopes to participate in upcoming UKC nose work events for their novice title. Mason and Sylas are currently a members of Matrix Dogsport and are working toward earning titles in IGP and American Schutzhund.

Mason loves to volunteer his time to help foster dogs. He enjoys helping them find forever homes.

Taylor - Office Admin

Taylor has spent her career in customer support roles, helping people in industries like health and financial tech startups. While not one of the trainers, Taylor has always been passionate about dogs. She grew up with them and currently has three of her own: a Great Pyrenees, a German Shepherd, and a Malinois. Each of them has their own unique personality and keeps her on her toes!

Outside of work, Taylor likes to keep busy. She loves gardening, traveling to new places, going to concerts, and working on art projects. She is also a proud mom to an amazing kid who shares her passion for experiences and adventure!

Taylor enjoys getting to know our clients and hearing about their pups. Seeing the transformations in the dogs we work with and the happiness it brings to their families is such a rewarding part of her job.

Steph - Office Admin

Steph has a diverse professional background spanning the veterinary field, pet rescue, and leadership roles. Her passion for dog training was sparked by her desire to rehabilitate her rescue dog, Kodi, who struggled with reactivity. This experience deepened her commitment to canine behavior and training.

Currently, Steph and her dog, Shady, are active competitors in dock diving and detection sports. They are also working towards certification as a Search and Rescue (SAR) team in human remains detection. Steph volunteers with multiple SAR teams in the Salt Lake Valley and is an active candidate with Rocky Mountain Search dogs. Always eager to expand her knowledge, Steph continuously seeks new opportunities to advance her skills in the pet and working dog sectors.

Steph resides in Holladay with Shady and her fiancé, Chris. Together, they enjoy an adventurous lifestyle filled with hiking, mountain biking, climbing, Nordic skiing, and a variety of outdoor pursuits.