Joe Kelley – Thunder Dawg – Excellence in canine training

Life for Joe Kelley has gone to the dogs, but he isn’t complaining. Kelley is a professional trainer and owner of Thunder Dawg Training in Hawkinsville.

He trains all breeds of dogs and their owners in many forms of training, from basic and advanced obedience for companion/family dogs, to protection and service for working dogs. He offers individual and group training and does work for law enforcement K9 units.

Kelley got his start many years ago when he took his German Shepherd to be obedience trained. Through that experience, he developed an interest in becoming a trainer himself. He began an apprenticeship, working with his dog’s trainer. Following that time, he went on to training school in Las Vegas, Nevada, to expand on his skills.

Kelley’s business has grown mainly by word of mouth and reputation. Dogs are normally kept on his premises while being trained.

“If they are inside dogs, I keep them in restricted areas in my home,” he said.

How long training takes varies.

“It depends on the breed, its age and what the dog is being trained for,” said Kelley. “Basic obedience for a smart breed like an adult Shepherd can be around 10 days, whereas other breeds may take longer. Pups take longer to train because they have more energy and are easily distracted. Any dog can be trained to do what you want them to. They are rewarded with praise; there is never a need to hit them.”

The day of this interview, clients Ashley Gregory and Danny Mullis were there to visit their puppies in training. Gregory’s puppy is a 14-week-old silver Labrador named Jeb, and Mullis’ German Shepherd is named Duchess. Both clients came to Kelley on recommendations from friends who have had their dogs trained by him.

Gregory said she was surprised at how well all of the dogs there get along with each other. The dogs have free run of a large fenced in area for exercise and training. One dog, Tubby, is there to learn not to chase his owner’s goats. As stated earlier, Kelley’s training tasks come in many forms.

Another form of training Kelley offers is sulky and cart pulling. The uses are multiple from pleasure to service. Once Kelley obedience trains the dogs, his friend, Daphne Lewis, trains them to pull. Lewis builds and sells sulkies. She said a rule of thumb is a dog can pull three times its weight. The sulky she demonstrated had three dogs harnessed to it. Dogs can be trained to pull utility carts or even wheelchairs. This option has benefited many veterans in this area.

Once a dog has been trained by Kelley, he is there for that dog and client for life. “If a dog backslides into old habits once he’s home, I don’t charge any additional fees for future training,” he said. He also offers boarding services at reasonable fees for any dogs he has trained in the past.

Kelley can be reached at (478) 636-1037 or through his website at:

www.thunderdawg.com.

HHJ News