Trainers

Darrel Hager – Owner & Head Dog Trainer

Head Dog Trainer Darrel Hager has been training dogs since 2007.  He ran a successful dog training business in Chicago from
2008 to 2013 before moving to the Orlando, Florida area.  Darrel is a self taught dog trainer from watching hours of Youtube videos and hours practicing with his first dog, Nikita.  He’s attended various seminars from top trainers such as Fred Hassen, Bart Ballon and others.  Darrel taught at large dog training national events, regional events and has done private dog training consultations where he trained future dog trainers at different dog training businesses.  Occasionally, Darrel will have a fully trained dog available for sale.  He specializes in high end obedience training for pet dogs with a passion for the working dog breeds.  He is highly skilled in obedience training, scent training, retrieval training, protection training & training dogs with aggression and behavioral problems.  Lately he’s been working with lots of small dogs since they are so popular in Florida.  Darrel graduated from University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in Musical Theater and is from Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin.  He has one 2.5 year old daughter, Pepper, and a new baby son named River.  Pepper is quickly becoming an amazing dog trainer and River loves to watch.

Amy Hager – Co-Owner & Office Manager

Amy has been with Darrel since the beginning of Darrel’s dog training adventures in Chicago.  She trained dogs, was the office and marketing manager and helped with all the kennel work for their Chicago run business.  Darrel has been one of the greatest dog training mentors for her among others.  Amy says when she got her first working dog, Thunder, that she thought she knew everything about dog training, until she started.  Working with a high drive dog who has more capabilities and energy than an average pet dog taught her that she knew nothing and her real training was beginning now, with Thunder.  Thunder was a “civil” dog, meaning he was very friendly with the family and people and dog aggressive with any new dog or person.  She got Thunder when he was 8 weeks old and this dog was very well taken care of.  Thunder taught Amy that aggression is not always because a dog was “abused”.  Many times aggression is genetic and the best thing that you can do as an owner is to train your dog to avoid accidents.  Fixing your dogs aggression isn’t always possible if it is genetic, that is simply the dogs personality.  A police officer in California bought Thunder and liked his “civilness” because Thunder was going to be a working dog and he wanted a natural protection dog, which Thunder fit perfectly.  Amy graduated from University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in Finance and is from the northwest suburbs of Chicago.  She is the proud mommy of Pepper, her 2.5 year old daughter with Darrel and River, her new beautiful baby boy.