The Experts Behind Every Transformation

We train dogs, but we also work with families. Our team listens first, then builds a plan that fits your dog and your life. You’ll meet experienced trainers who care, who show up, and who guide lasting results for families in Lehi, Draper, Alpine, and throughout Utah County.

Our Team

Meet the Expert Behind Our Success

Jason - Director of Training

Jason is the owner and director of training at Canine by Design. He has worked with dogs of all breeds in both dog sport and behavioral training applications professionally for over 10 years. He established Canine by Design to improve the experience for both pet owners and their dogs seeking training and pet services.

Jason carries diplomas and licenses from the elite NePoPo® Silver and Gold Schools founded in Belgium and taught by Bart and Michael Bellon. He thoroughly enjoys training and working with dogs of all backgrounds, and his passion for life-long learning fuels his pursuit of mastery in the theory and language of modern dog training.

In the area of competitive sport and working dogs, he is a training consultant with several local Police K9 units throughout Utah and Colorado. He also competes with his own dogs in Schutzhund and is a certified trial helper in IGP (formerly known as “IPO” or “Schutzhund”) with 3 IGP organizations and is the training director of the Matrix Dogsport club. He is a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and is a certified AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator.

In addition to working with dogs, Jason spends time educating pet owners, working dog handlers, and other canine professionals in the theory of modern dog training. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brigham Young University and enjoys the real-world applications of behavior theory in his work.

Melissa - Office Staff

Melissa is an experienced office coordinator and is passionate about providing the quality of customer experience the clients at Canine by Design deserve! As both a working professional and dedicated special needs mom, she is highly skilled at communication and creating balance in whatever she does. As a lifelong dog enthusiast, Melissa currently has two dogs: Kit, a sweet and snuggly doodle mix; and Loki, a clever Shiba Inu.

She resides in the Salt Lake area with her husband and their blended family of six kids—three girls and three boys—making a real-life Brady Bunch. Outside of work and being a mom, she enjoys family game nights, Disneyland trips, and all things nerdy.

Steph - Office Staff

Steph has a diverse professional background spanning the veterinary field, pet rescue, and leadership roles. Her passion for dog training was sparked by her desire to rehabilitate her rescue dog, Kodi, who struggled with reactivity. This experience deepened her commitment to canine behavior and training.

Currently, Steph and her dog, Shady, are active competitors in dock diving and detection sports. They are also working towards certification as a Search and Rescue (SAR) team in human remains detection. Steph volunteers with multiple SAR teams in the Salt Lake Valley and is an active candidate with Rocky Mountain Search dogs. Always eager to expand her knowledge, Steph continuously seeks new opportunities to advance her skills in the pet and working dog sectors.

Steph resides in Holladay with Shady and her fiancé, Chris. Together, they enjoy an adventurous lifestyle filled with hiking, mountain biking, climbing, Nordic skiing, and a variety of outdoor pursuits.

Dayna - Trainer

Dayna has been working with dogs for the last 9 years. She got her start with dogs as a kennel technician at a local training business where she was able to shadow experienced trainers. This gave her hands on experience with boarding and training dogs and since then, she has been actively training dogs for the past 7 years.

Dayna currently owns two German Shepherd Dogs, a Border Collie x Poodle, and a Weimaraner. She competed in PSA, a protection sport, with one of her German Shepherds and her Border Collie x Poodle, who is now retired. She is now preparing to compete in IGP (formerly schutzhund) with her German Shepherd. Dayna has previously competed in agility, dock diving, nose work, and disc dog competitions.

A fun fact about Dayna is that she competed on the TV show America’s Top Dog with her Border Collie x Poodle mix “Theo”. She placed first in her episode and won second in the overall competition!

Dayna also has a vast history of service dog work and has helped place dozens of service dogs into a variety of homes. Her service dog training includes; psychiatric assistance, veterans with PTSD, mobility assistance, hearing alert dogs, and medical alert dogs. Dayna is currently working to expand her skillset to include gluten and allergy detection.

Sarah - Trainer

Sarah has been working with and training dogs for the past 10 years and holds a bachelor’s in graphic design. Her passion for dog training was sparked when she began working with her Labrador. While her initial goal was to pursue a career in graphic design, she fell in love with dogs and quickly changed career paths. She began training dogs at a doggie daycare in her home state and eventually moved to Utah in 2014 to work for a dog training facility in Sandy.

Sarah’s passion for dog training led her to compete in the world of dog sports. She has competed in French Ring and IGP (formerly IPO) with her Malinois and German Shepherd. In addition to her working dogs, Sarah also has a senior Beagle.

Sarah’s professional experience training dogs has surpassed basic obedience into specialized training programs. She has trained service dogs, aggressive dogs with bite histories, reactive dogs, and many overly excitable dogs who lack impulse control and focus. She loves to help owners unlock new skills with their dogs and build a healthy relationship.

Outside of training dogs, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 kids. She enjoys hiking, eating sushi, and painting.

Mason - Trainer

Mason joined the Canine By Design team as a trainer in 2023. His love for dogs started an early age, but his interest with learning and hands on experience began 6 years ago when he got his first German Shepherd. Mason’s career in dog training began at a doggy daycare facility, where he worked as a kennel tech and supervised dog socials. Shortly after, Mason helped establish a local Gameness, Relationship, and Control (GRC) club. Since then, he has attended multiple workshops and seminars to expand his knowledge and skillset. In 2023, Mason graduated from the elite NePoPo® New Silver School. In 2024, Mason became an IGP Certified Trial Helper for the German Shepherd Dog Club of America (GSDCA).

Mason currently owns a German Shepherd x Belgian Malinois mix, Cora; and a German Shepherd, Sylas. They are working toward earning Cora’s SR1 title in GRC. He also hopes to participate in upcoming UKC nose work events for their novice title. Mason and Sylas are currently a members of Matrix Dogsport and are working toward earning titles in IGP and American Schutzhund.

Mason loves to volunteer his time to help foster dogs. He enjoys helping them find forever homes.

Andrew - Trainer

Andrew joined Canine by Design to continue his pursuit of professional training opportunities. He has an educational background with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Utah. In 2024, Andrew graduated from the well-known Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers.

Andrew’s mission as a dog trainer is consistently to provide the highest standard of training promoted at Canine by Design to whatever your needs are for your dog. His collaborative approach with both owners and their dogs is what makes him a great part of the team at Canine by Design.

Aileen - Trainer

Aileen brings six years of dedicated experience working with dogs to the Canine by Design training team. Her passion for dog training shines through in her impressive achievements, including earning High in Trial and a prestigious Diamond Award with Detection Dog Trials (DDT).

Aileen shares her life with two energetic companions: a Heeler/Border Collie mix and a German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP). Aileen is extremely outgoing and a welcome addition to our team, and with her expertise and love for dogs, she is successfully helping our clients in educating both dog and owner in their specific needs.