Joel’s

Joel, who we call Tito, is a valued member of the Atlanta Dog Trainer team, bringing a performance-focused approach shaped by his work as a contractor in canine skills to the U.S. Army. Crafting his skills in performance instruction as a contractor in canine skills to the U.S. Army, Joel considers himself primarily a performance coach more than a “dog trainer.” He was contracted to the Army in Germany, Hawaii, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as well as to Florida police departments, where he excelled at optimizing behavioral performance across a wide range of canine “occupational” demands. Whether a dog is expected to excel in athletics, agility, discipline, security, or simple companionship, the goal is always to develop a canine-human bond that benefits both the dog and its owner to the maximum.

Joel has always appreciated the loyalty and devotion of dogs to humans. As a young man, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on a remote highway when a feral dog emerged from the woods and laid on top of him, attempting to keep him warm and signal passing vehicles for help. The dog’s efforts were successful, attracting assistance, and Joel adopted the dog and brought him home. Having survived alone in the woods for some time, the dog struggled to adapt to a domestic environment, ultimately destroying Joel’s living arrangements. It was at this point that Joel decided to devote himself to teaching canines how to best adapt to and perform successfully in the human environment.

Joel is a graduate of the nationally renowned Michael Ellis School of Dog Training. He specializes in agility, rescue, fly-ball, security, and Schutzhund performance to German national standards for those seeking the ultimate canine companion. With more than twenty years of experience, Joel has dedicated his career to making dogs the best they can be. He is known for his patience with even the most challenging “students,” always striving to establish the strongest and most effective working relationship between pets and their humans.