We were so lucky to be featured in two news papers here in the High Desert in the month of November. L.J was easy to talk with and did a great job of writing a fun and informative article about our company. This has been a labor of love and we have put immense amount of time into that website to help brand new dog owners who just adopted their dog from a shelter. We look forward to working with other shelters right here in the High Desert and offering free online dog training to new dog adopters. On that note, I have to say working with Riverside County Animal Services was simple amazing, they let us shoot videos, follow them around and ask a ton of questions which I know was not easy to deal with. They took a ton of personal and professional time to make this happen and we have to give a very special thanks to Kim McWhorter and Jackie Schart for giving so much to this project. These two very special people made this happen and its a big deal to have them on our side 🙂 Check out the article and picture below.
(Jason Rae, owner of Inside Out Dog Training, sits beside his four year old Border Collie, Whiskey. According to Rae, Whiskey was a difficult dog to deal with when Rae first adopted him, but the pup has come a long way since they began training. (Photo by Sarah Alvarado, Apple Valley Review)
AV man runs dog training company, online courses
By L.J. GAMBONE
APPLE VALLEY REVIEW
A dog may be a man’s best friend but Fido can become his worst nightmare without proper training, according to Apple Valley resident Jason Rae, an animal behavior specialist.
Rae, owner of the High Desert-based Inside Out Dog Training, said he has dedicated the past 10 years of his life to teaching dog ownershow to permanently tame their unruly pooch’s behavior.
His company offers several customized training packages for dogs of all breeds and even puppies. Rae said his methods are centered in positive reinforcement and lots of love and attention.
“I don’t buy into the philosophy that you have to dominate your animal,” said Rae, 34. “You just need to be loving and caring and make sure your dog is well-trained.”
Rae and his wife Jenna founded Inside Out Dog Training in 2007. Over the years, the couple became aware of the alarming number of dogs that are returned to the shelters from which they were adopted. Rae said a big reason for this is because of behavioral issues that an owner cannot get under control.
He experienced this himself in 2010 when he adopted a dog from a local shelter.
“Jenna and I rescued a Border Collie that we named Whiskey,” said Rae, a native of Dallas. “I cannot even begin to explain how awful he was acting. But I started to train him and he responded very positively. In a short time, Whiskey was like a whole different animal and he is just an amazing pet.”
Inspired by Whiskey’s turnaround, Rae created the website, www.strutmymutt.com, to help those who adopt shelter dogs with training and other concerns related to raising a pet. He has partnered with Riverside County Animal Services, which offers animal adopters free membership to Rae’s site.
“When Jason contacted us about what he was doing, we said, ‘come on down,’ ” said John Welsh, senior public information specialist for Riverside County Animal Services. “His mission is completely altruistic and he has dedicated his time and his own money to help shelter pets. We feel very lucky he reached out to us.”
Along with videos that focus on behavioral issues and training commands, Strut My Mutt also offers video instruction on topics such as how to create a language between you and your pet, the proper way to walk your dog and what to expect when bringing a new furry friend into your home.
“Our videos are short and very easy to follow,” said Rae, who owns four dogs. “We want people to be empowered by them and feel confident that they don’t have to spend lots of money to pay a dog trainer. They will learn how to be a good leader for their dog, which will result in a better quality of life for everyone.”
Currently, Rae is working on partnering with more shelters in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. He said he not only provides training for shelter employees on how to use his website, but also gives each shelter a set of marketing materials to effectively promote Strut My Mutt.
“It takes less than an hour to get a shelter set up on the site,” said Rae. “So far, Riverside County Animal Services has had incredible feedback about what we’re doing. We’re expecting a lot of growth over the coming months and we are fully prepared for it.”
You can see the articles on the news sites with the links below:
