Mike began his professional dog training career with Jessie in the Spring of 2017, mentoring as an assistant then as a full trainer.

Certifications/Schools

-Certified Police K9 Instructor (Canine College, IN)

-Pet First Aid & CPR
-Mike Ritland's Trikos Team Dog Certificates in:
  K9 Training Foundations
  Teaching Basic Dog Obedience
  K9 Behavioral Modification
​​-Michael Ellis
  Continued training through Leerburg University​
​

Testimonials

Professional

Mike has worked at Honey Creek Pet Resort LLC and now Central MO Canine since the Spring of 2017.  Aside from helping in the kennels and office, he has been our Doggie Daycare Supervisor and mentoring with Jessie learning dog training & behavior.  You'll see him conducting most of the Puppy Classes and handling the demo work for the group classes.  He's the primary handler for our dogs in for Board & Train as well.

Mike has completed Trikos Team Dog Certifications and graduated as a Certfiied Police K9 Instructor through the Dog Trainer College in Indiana.  Through Leerburg University, he has done continuing educations, including Michael Ellis's videos and courses.

Personal

In Mike's home you'll find a Border Collie, a Shepherd/Malinois Mix, a Pit Bull, a Yorkie and a Chihuahua Mix.  He has trained each in basic obedience as well as working some agility and tricks - the favorites from his Border Collie are jumping up through his arms and fetching him a beer out of the fridge.

The relationship you have with your dog is the key to training success!

Successful training starts with the foundation you have with your dog.  To have a calmer, more obedient and compliant dog, your dog needs to look to you for cues on how to behave.  We'll help you with exercises designed to foster this relationship leading to a better companion at the end of the day.

Our training methods primarily consist of Positive Reinforcement (giving a reward for correct/wanted behavior to get that behavior to repeat), and Negative Punishment (withholding a reward for incorrect/unwanted behavior to get that behavior to go away).  We use your dog's motivation (what they want in that moment) and tie it to a behavior that works for you.  Markers ("Good", "Yes", etc.) and rewards (treats, toys/balls, attention, tug, play, etc) are used to reinforce wanted behaviors.

The things that your dog loves will be used to establish engagement with you, making you the gateway to all the awesome stuff your dog wants and needs.  Without engagement, there is no relationship that will lead to truly successful training. But with the foundation and engagement, training is simple from there.

No amount of out-sourced training is going to teach or give your dog a reason to listen to you when it matters most, especially long-term.  This is why we dedicate our training to educating and coaching you throughout the process to help you get the dog you want!

Mike Mantle

EXPERIENCE

Over 30 years combined experience and regular continuing education.

about our TRAINING

COMMITMENT

We are here to help you and your family throughout your dog's life.

meet our team

Jessie Opperman

Jessie is our resident trainer and behavior consultant.  She began her professional work with dogs in 1996 while working at a veterinary practice in the greater Seattle area.
 
Certifications/Schools
-AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
-Certified Professional Dog Trainer-ka (2005-2015)
-Red Cross Pet First Aid & CPR
-Certficate in Canine Nutrition
-Tarheel Canine - K9 Detection & SAR Trainer's Course

What to Expect

Central Missouri Canine Solutions 

FLEXIBILITY

Our training programs are completely customizable to meet your training needs, time and budget.

Professional

During her 12 years at the veterinary hospital, Jessie ran the Jump Start Puppy & New Start Dog Program.  Created to satisfy the needs of the clinic's clientele, her training and behavior programs even brought in clients from other practices.  The Jump Start puppy program incorporated all of the beginning puppy training issues (house training, crate training, mouthing, leadership, vet care, etc.) and included a consultation and puppy class.  The New Start dog program was designed for those clients who had recently adopted an older pup or adult dog, and for those who needed a refresher for their dog.

A natural extension of the training services was also doing behavior consultations.  Jessie worked closely with one of the staff veterinarians to develop a full-service behavior practice.  Together they helped clients work on such issues as separation anxiety, dog-to-dog aggression, stranger aggression, etc.

Outside of her personal training experiences, Jessie has always continued her education in dog training and behavior by attending seminars and workshops done by both board-certified Veterinary Behaviorists, and other certified trainers and behaviorists.

The last several years Jessie and her husband were in the Northwest, she  also followed her passion for dog rescue by representing the German Shepherds for one of the oldest all-breed rescues in the nation.  During that time she rehomed over 100 German Shepherds.  As part of the rescue, she also helped the public learn about the breed, general dog training, and even helped some folks keep their dogs instead of rehoming them.    


Personal
Jessie was truly hooked on training when she and her husband Eric adopted a German Shepherd, Cain, back in the mid-90's.  She worked with him in the areas of advanced obedience, and sheepherding.  Cain received his Canine Good Citizen award and later Jessie & Cain became certified Pet Partners (therapy dog) through the Delta Society.  Together they visited nursing homes and grade schools.

Over the years the Oppermans adopted more dogs and Jessie continued to train through advanced obedience, obtaining the Canine Good Citizen awards and working in new areas, such as agility and tracking.  Jessie trained her own dogs under the tutelage of some of the most respected trainers in the Pacific Northwest.  This allowed her to broaden her own training experience and techniques, and many of the tips from these trainers have been adapted for use in our own training programs today.