Welcome to Rocky Junior's Dog Training Service!
Serving Pierce and South King Counties since 2015
Everyone, please meet Jenny! Rocky Junior, my training assistant and best friend since 2011, died on May 16, 2024, less than a month from his 13th birthday. Rocky Junior was the most amazing dog I have ever met. He did important, lifesaving Reactivty And Fear Therapy (RAFT) and helped over 350 dogs recover from their fears and go on to lead the happy, carefree lives they were meant to live. After Rocky Junior died I went through several weeks of intense grief. Going to RAFT sessions without Rocky Junior was very hard on me, and I cried an awful lot. Rocky Junior had always been there to help - and now he wasn't.
I searched and searched, but could not find a local puppy who might be able to take over for Rocky Junior. Then I found Jenny, a puppy who had been abandoned in a Houston park when she was only 3 weeks old. A Houston Police Officer named Abby saved Jenny, then fostered her for Destination Rescue. Jenny loved her foster home, and was raised by a female German Shepherd named El. As soon as I found Jenny online I applied to adopt her. Jenny arrived on June 20, 2024, and just 5 days later I took her to her first RAFT session. Amazingly, she just knew what to do. Every time I see Jenny at work she reminds me of Rocky Junior. I am so proud of her!
Hello! My name is Jeff Salter. Since March of 2015 my dog, Rocky Junior, and I have been offering private, in-home dog training and behavioral help in Pierce County and South King County. We "Speak Dog," meaning we truly understand dogs and only work with them in ways that won't harm or frighten them. We're the polar opposite of all the "dominance," "alpha" and "balanced" people out there who call themselves trainers.
We will never hurt your dog.
Instead, we will help your dog recover from its fears so your dog can live a happy, fear free life.
Isn't that the life everyone should have?
If your dog isn't fearful, we'll help you create a confident, happy, talented dog.
For over 8 years Rocky Junior and I have been almost exclusively working with fearful, reactive (what some would describe as "aggressive") dogs and their owners. This is difficult, challenging work that has to be done right, with therapy rather than force or punishment. I never meant for my business to involve so many fearful dogs on our roster at any given time, but for some reason the needs of area dog owners took us in that direction.
There's nothing better than helping a dog recover from its fears, so it no longer has to live a life full of fear. It's so wonderful seeing these dogs become happy, confident dogs. Their gratitude is immense, as is the relief I see from their formerly stressed and worried people. But we're not all about fearful dogs - I do love working with puppies and adult dogs who don't have issues, so don't hesitate to get in touch!
Dogs are very much like toddlers. This fact, proven through scientific study, should drive everyone towards humane, ethical, force free training. When the study was published in 2015 I was overjoyed, feeling validated by science, as I had believe since I was a child that dogs (and cats and other pets) were cognitively very similar to human toddlers. We don't shock, beat or choke our little children. Knowing that our dogs have brains very similar to little kids, we should know and recognize that it you wouldn't do it to a child, you shouldn't do it as a dog.
In my practice I see dozens of dogs every year who have been traumatized and damaged by forceful, punitive "training" methods. It's absolutely heartbreaking - and totally preventable.
All you have to do is to do it right - and we'll help you with that!
After serving as a Military Police officer in the U.S. Army, I became a police officer in Coos Bay, Oregon. It was there that I was first exposed to pro dog training, in the form of training police dogs. Four years later I became a police officer in Tacoma, Washington, and continued with police dog training there. 10 years later my career ended, due to a serious back injury, and I wasn't sure what I'd do with the rest of my life. I knew dog training and animal welfare would be a part of my future, so I began to study, study and study more. I wanted to know as much as humanly possible.
After training dogs on a part time basis for years, I finally became a full time training professional in January of 2009. I did so because I'd been forced in 2006 to learn how to help my first Rocky recover from his intense fears and phobias, which caused highly reactive and aggressive behavior. I thought if I could help Rocky recover and become an ambassador for not only Rottweilers, but all dogs, why shouldn't I help as many dogs and owners as I can?
Be Careful In Your Choice Of Dog Trainers
Did You Know Dog Training Is Unregulated in all 50 U.S. States?
Unfortunately, this is reality. Anyone can get a business license (or not) and call his or herself a dog trainer.
There are no required qualifications, no mandated education, training or certification.
Remember when I mentioned that, as a young child, I was convinced that dogs were very much like toddlers?
Scientific studies have proven that dogs are cognitively similar to 2-3 year old children!
(Berns, 2012-2016)
The most glaring similarity is in the region of the brain responsible for complex thinking skills. In humans this region doesn't fully develop until age 26. In dogs the region never develops, so dogs never develop complex thinking skills like rationalization, analysis or discernment. As a result, dogs cannot understand punishment.
Dogs are toddlers for life, no matter how long they live. We need to treat them accordingly.
So, what happens when you shock, choke, hang, strike, hit or yell at your puppy or dog?
You have violated the trust your dog puts in you.
You hurt your dog and could cause it to become fearful, reactive or even aggressive. Even if you think you don't see these consequences in your dog, you have, at the very least, damaged your relationship with your dog. A majority of dogs exposed to forceful, punitive training practices develop PTSD, and will explode within the following months - prompting many to not see the connection between "training" and the horrible consequence.
Sheila came to us after her dog, Jake, became reactive to dogs and even attacked another dog. We did skills training, followed by extensive Reactivity And Fear Therapy (RAFT) with Rocky Junior. You can see how far Jake came - he's not only not reactive to dogs anymore, he's highly focused and well behaved in public!
Unfortunately, hurting dogs is what most trainers in the Puget Sound Region region do. They shock, choke, hang, hit and yell at dogs, as if their abusing dogs is somehow normal and necessary.
It's not. These people don't possess modern, science based knowledge about dogs or effective, humane and ethical force free training practices. They believe in the fully debunked "dominance" or "alpha theory," and do not have the skills to train without using force and punishment. I think some of these people are just making a mistake, due to a lack of knowledge, but I also feel that many of these "trainers" are bullies in real life. This is what happens when an industry is unregulated. Anyone can proclaim he is she is a dog trainer, or worse, a "behaviorist."
For the sake of you and your dog, you have to stay away from these people. Keep in mind, dominance and "balanced" trainers (who also use punishment) rarely advertise HOW they train. Ask questions. Read reviews and thoroughly investigate web sites. Don't let anyone tell you that shock collars (which they will call "ecollars"), prong collars and choke collars don't hurt. They do. Scientific evidence backs this fact up, and in my practice I help at least 30 fearful dogs per year who became fearful & reactive because of these abusive training practices.
Here's an ARTICLE so you can better understand dominance training and why you should avoid it. Like the plague.
Rocky Junior has been working with me since August of 2011, when he was just 12 weeks old. He's done thousands of lessons with fearful, reactive dogs and has helped save the lives of over 300 fearful dogs.
Rocky Junior understands dogs better than most dog trainers.
We both truly understand dogs. We help dogs become free of fear and live HAPPY lives.
We know how to train dogs and how to give them the therapy they need to get better, without using any sort of corrections or punishment. It can be done, but it takes an awful lot of knowledge, skill, flexibility and dedication.
We Are Fully Dedicated To Helping You and Your Dog, and Doing It The Right Way!
We will work with you and your dog(s), 1 on 1, and come to you to get the work done. Training is a partnership, and we'll educate you well before we even start working with your dog. We will help you achieve success!
"Life with your dog shouldn't resemble some sort of dystopian boot camp."
Mutual respect based on clear communication and kindness set the stage for cooperation and peace.
