Dog Training Elite Austin is the local franchise of a company founded by John Mestas, who according to the business's website has more than 40 years of experience in the field. The site states he has served as an AKC field trial judge, trained guide dog puppies for the blind, coached search and rescue and police K9 teams, and volunteered training service dogs for people with special needs. The Austin location is owned by Jenny Hurst, who the company says has been rescuing, fostering, and raising dogs since 2010 and previously worked as a trainer for the organization in Utah before taking over the Austin franchise.
The company describes its approach as "balanced," pairing positive reinforcement with structure and consistency. Training takes place in clients' homes rather than at a separate facility, which they say allows trainers to address behaviors in the environments where they naturally occur. According to their site, programs are customized to each dog rather than following a fixed curriculum.
Services listed include obedience training, puppy training, therapy dog training, service dog training, personal protection training, and work with anxious or reactive dogs. The Austin location serves family pet owners across a range of needs, from basic manners to more specialized training goals.
