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Deborah Jones, Faculty (Foundations, Body & Health)

deb@k9infocus.com

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Deborah Jones, Ph.D. (she/her) is a psychologist who specializes in learning theory and social behavior. She taught a variety of psychology courses at Kent State University for the past 20 years. Deb has been training dogs for performance events for the past 25 years and was an early innovator in the use of clicker training techniques in dog training. She has owned and worked with a variety of breeds and has earned top level titles in agility (MACH), rally (RAE), and obedience (UD) competitions. Her focus is on developing training methods that are enjoyable and effective for both the dog and the trainer. Her mission is to help others develop strong positive relationships with their dogs. Her favorite saying is “it’s all tricks!”

In 2004 Deb developed the FOCUS training system, along with agility trainer and World Team member Judy Keller. FOCUS stands for Fun, Obedience & Consistency lead to Unbelievable Success. They first applied FOCUS training to agility dogs but quickly realized its usefulness for all dog sports. Their latest work is “The Focused Puppy,” which lays out a strong and systematic foundation for all future training. Deb has written a series of 4 books with Denise Fenzi titled “Dog Sport Skills.” She also recently finished a book on cooperative care.

Deb has taught a variety of dog training classes, workshops, and seminars. She loves teaching in an online format!

Deb's website is www.k9infocus.com and her blog is at k9infocus.wordpress.com.

Pronouns: Deb goes by she/her.

Why choose us?

We offer a variety of online training solutions designed to help you and your furry friend achieve success

World Class Trainers

Learn from professionals with years of experience in canine behavior

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Proven methods

Science-backed positive reinforcement techniques that actually work

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Personalized approach

Programs tailored to your dog’s unique needs and personality

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Engaging lessons

Keep training exciting with interactive exercises and games

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Our testimonials

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I've taken a number of classes by a number of instructors at FDSA. I appreciate how well they overlap, and that the message is often the same despite who's teaching.The FDSA online site is so great! Not complicated; it has been easy to use. I am really impressed with Denise's mission to bring into her Academy absolutely top-notch instructors! Plus, I really love the 3-tier options for her students! With these options, the online courses are affordable for everyone that is interested in improving their dog training skills and building the best relationship with their dog(s) -- whether they do, or plan on doing dog performance sports, or just want to spend time with their dog and have a well-trained dog ... a dog that is a wonderful representative to the community at-large....all achieved with positive training methods! The depth of knowledge that i am getting from the classes I am taking is invaluable. It has opened a door to training and overall learning for me that I wouldn't be able to get elsewhere. I am in a power wheelchair and finding transportation to classes is often difficult for me. These online classes have given me the guidance I've needed to stay focused and motivated to work with my dog.

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I am continually amazed at how much I learn with each class. Watching both the teacher's video's and the student's videos gives me lots of opportunity to think through the elements and break it down for myself and my dog.

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I was at first hesitant about taking online training courses, in general. This course has convinced me that it can be almost an even better training and learning opportunity, reviewing your training sessions with the instructors input, analyzing what you did yourself. Precise, fast and clear instructions, help and very positive feedback made this course a blast - 6 weeks went by too fast! I live on a farm way out in the country and while my dog loves to learn between his severe travel anxiety and the price of gas we don't have a lot of opportunities to try new classes. The Fenzi Academy is perfect for us and gives us the opportunity to try things and have access to trainers that we would never have in person. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity! This is my first time taking a Fenzi Academy class, but not my first time taking an online class. I have to say it is the best experience I have had so far. What was better than previous experiences is the greater detail in breaking down training plans with good videos and lectures, and making it less of a "figure it out yourself" kind of experience. The other component is technology they use allows for more organized discussion and content delivery - it may seem secondary to the quality of teaching, but the delivery tools are really important. Lastly, the timeliness and quality of the coaching was excellent. will be taking additional classes in the future and would recommend her course and Fenzi Academy to others.

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