hi! I’m Jen.

I’m a dog trainer, blogger, freelance writer based out of the Columbia River Gorge in the Pacific Northwest. For nearly a decade, my blog, Long Haul Trekkers has shared tips on getting outdoors and traveling with your dog, product reviews, and dog training advice to make adventures with your dog more accessible. I train dogs at NWB Dogs, based out of Bingen, WA and am a certified NePoPo® New Gold trainer.

Who is this newsletter for?

This newsletter offers unfiltered dog training advice for the devoted dog owner who struggles with their dog.

I talk about training tools like e-collars and prong collars, discuss boundaries and rules, and do deep dives into theory, all in the name of debunking the myths that the pet industry and cultural norms have taught us about dogs, pet ownership, and dog training. I write about things that people don't like to discuss on the Internet when it comes to dogs and dog training, but that are sorely misunderstood.

I’m brutally honest because that’s what our dogs need from us. They deserve better and frankly, so do we. We don’t get dogs so that we can let them control our lives. We can live in together with respect, balance, and freedom.

I created this newsletter because much of what I say doesn’t exist on the web. Or it does, but the truth is marred by antagonists who have never worked with a difficult dog, who have never tried the tools I use nor the methods that get the results my clients seek.

My Dog Training Philosophy

I am one of just a handful of NePoPo® Gold certified trainers in the Pacific Northwest (one of the others is my business parter at NWB Dogs). I specialize in balanced training and relationship-based behavior modification that builds drive and motivation in dogs so that they perform commands every time, on cue, with heart and soul.

I aim to be that person who shares the stories from my personal dog training journey because I've been you: a struggling dog owner desperate for someone to tell me how to effectively communicate and train my reactive dog that I couldn't stand.

I’ve been that dog owner who tried and failed repeatedly to train her challenging dogs using positive only methods.

Like many trainers you’ll meet, my dog training journey started with a challenging dog.  Her nickname was La Loca and I couldn’t stand her. I put everything into training her, but it didn’t’ work.  After posting about my frustration on Instagram, several friends introduced me to the concept of balanced training.

I did a deep dive into this new-to-me method of training. I had never heard of it and thought positive reinforcement was the only option. But alas, it was not!  I found a trainer where I lived and started taking her to group classes. After just one lesson, I felt like I could finally communicate with this dog and my frustration toward her evaporated almost instantaneously. 

Join the pack

Be part of the enlightened dog owner community: a place that welcomes open-minded discussions about the struggles of dog ownership and dog training in a world that just doesn’t quite understand.

No matter where you are in your dog training journey, I’m here to support you and help you work through the behavioral issues you struggle with with you dog.

I'm delighted to have you here and sincerely hope that you learn something new from this newsletter.