JP Carter – Owner/Head Trainer

JP Carter is a leading dog behavior trainer serving the Kansas City Metro and surrounding areas. His pet experience includes a Raccoon, a couple of Russian Tortoises, and multiple cats and dogs. JP’s love of dogs started at 4 years old, when a very responsible German Shepherd walked him home daily from Montessori school. JP is a proud Eagle Scout, father of an Eagle, and member of the Tribe of Mic-o-say. With 30 years of business experience, he is a skilled corporate trainer, change manager, and effective decision facilitator.

JP was finishing his B.S. in behavioral economics when he met his beautiful wife Wendy at the University of Kansas. They both lived in a BF Skinner inspired housing experiment, the Sunflower House, that studied environment-based decision making and behavior management. Wendy is now a respected Special Education Teacher serving in the first Seven Habits Certified Lighthouse school for the Olathe School District.

Their first “child” was a 200 LB Great Dane named Baby Blue. But when JP’s human daughter brought a 4 pound Chihuahua into their home, he soon realized how different these small dogs are to manage. How can such a small dog be so much harder to train than his Great Danes? After doing his research, he contacted one of the top dog trainers in the country John Van Olden. As the owner of Canine Trade Group, John Van Olden’s training protocols are the most effective dog training methods ever developed. Not only did Mr. Van Olden’s system solve JP’s dog training issues, but once John saw JP’s training skills and experience, JP was asked to take on the very successful Fountain City Dog Training.

Fountain City is dedicated to preventing bad habits from developing as well as efficiently responding and correcting challenging training issues such as aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity and more. Referred by local veterinarians and animal shelters, Fountain City Dog Training is committed to result-based training solutions.

Gavin Vavra – Topeka Dog Trainer

Gavin covers the Topeka area. 

Gavin Vavra is one of the top dog trainers in the country, having been fully certified in “Decisions Not Dominance” calming protocols taught through the Canine Trade Group certification course. Before becoming a dog trainer, Gavin spent ten years as a professional youth mentor, helping teenagers navigate the transition to adulthood. Still, he always found time to assist foster dogs by helping them learn basic and advanced obedience skills.

Gavin’s love for dogs and canine behavior began as a child. He used to help his father teach their English Springer Spaniel to retrieve birds and do so without chewing them to pieces. Gavin’s passion for dog training continued growing, and he taught his own German Shepherds basic obedience. When he and his wife decided to take on a 120 lb Mastiff puppy, they needed help, and they decided to hire a trainer.

This was Gavin’s first experience with just how difficult it can be to find a trainer that is a good fit. They tried boarding and training, which successfully taught their pup how to sit—but not how to be gentle with their toddler or calm when they had guests. It was enough to convince him that in-home training was the way to go, and he quickly became a believer in the Canine Trade Group protocols.

Now, he’s joined forces with JP and Fountain City Dog Training in Topeka, Kansas.  

Whether you are dealing with aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity, disobedience, or you’re having difficulty house training, Gavin will walk you through effective training protocols to help you achieve a happier, healthier, more balanced canine companion.

Working with Gavin will provide you, your family, and your dog(s) with the foundations to manage nervous energy, eliminate anxiety and aggressive behaviors, and live a happier, calmer life.

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