Jill & Jamie Bowers
Dog Training and Behavior Specialist

Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist  Jill Bowers, Behavior Specialist

Dog Training and Behavior Specialist

FOUNDER OF THANK DOG!: Hi! I grew up in rural Ohio surrounded by horses, pot belly pigs, goats and most importantly, dogs. Although I had spent my life caring for animals, it wasn't until I moved to Los Angeles seven years ago that I became a dog trainer and behavior specialist.

It was then that I met John Van Olden, a military trained, police dog handler and the founder of Pawsitive Solutions, a dog training company serving the state of California. Despite the fact that 500 applied for only nineteen positions, I was lucky enough to be chosen for the $20,000 education. The training consisted of three months of classroom behavior courses including hands-on training of several dogs of differing temperaments.

During my time with Pawsitive Solutions (PS), I became the head dog trainer for the Southern California region. My responsibilities included visiting local veterinarians to establish relationships and to give presentations about the PS philosophy and methods, along with conducting my private in-home lessons.

After my contract expired with PS, I decided to strike out on my own and formed Thank Dog Training. Since then, I have continued my education by attending seminars and conferences while I also continue to learn from my mentor, John Van Olden.

I recently finished another extensive dog training course for 2 months in which I lived in Colorado to study under Jennifer McCarthy. During that time, we lived with the wolves for an entire week researching pack behavior, while also learning more techniques and various types of dog training.

I am a member of both the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and the International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP) .

I am highly recommended by many local vets and shelters and was interviewed about dog training on the Burbank local channel. I was recently given the S.A.F.E. award for my dedication to the Burbank Animal Shelter, specifically, for writing the training section of the pet guide given to each person who adopts a pet from the shelter.

John Van Olden