about peanut’s pet care
Good training isn’t just about teaching dogs. It’s about helping people understand them.
The Story Behind Peanut’s Pet Care
Peanut’s Pet Care was founded in honor of my first dog, Peanut, a spirited, three-legged Mini Aussie who taught me the true meaning of resilience and loyalty. Peanut was with me from 2008 to 2022, through some of the most formative years of my life, and the relationship we built together shaped much of the way I think about dogs today. Today, I’m a certified dog trainer based in Ball Ground, Georgia, helping owners better understand their dogs and build stronger relationships through practical training.
With more than 20 years of experience working with animals of all shapes and sizes, I’ve dedicated much of my life to helping animals and their owners build stronger, healthier relationships. What started with caring for family pets grew into experience showing and breeding livestock, rehabilitating local wildlife, working with animals with disabilities, and eventually professional dog training.
Peanut’s Pet Care officially launched in 2022 as a broader pet care business offering both training and pet care services. Over the years,
we’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of clients and their animals while continuing to grow and evolve.
In 2026, Peanut’s Pet Care moved to Ball Ground, Georgia, and began a new chapter focused on dog training. Today, most training takes place
right here on our property, where dogs and their owners can learn in a relaxed, real-world outdoor environment. Peanut may no longer be here,
but she remains at the heart of the business that carries her name and the way I approach every dog and owner I work with.
About John
I’ve worked with animals from a young age in a wide range of roles, from caring for family pets to showing and breeding livestock, rehabilitating local wildlife, and working with animals of different species, ages, temperaments, and abilities.
That background shapes the way I work with dogs today. Animals are individuals, and good training means understanding the dog in front of you rather than forcing every dog through the same system.
I’m a Connecticut native and have called Georgia home since 2015. Today, I live in Ball Ground with my wife, Taylor, our dogs Charlie, Frodo, and Shiloh, our cats Nala and Dizzy, our Shetland sheep, and a few less conventional pets. Peanut, the three-legged Mini Aussie who inspired Peanut’s Pet Care, remains at the heart of what I do (04/24/08–09/09/22), along with our beloved cat Thor (10/20/24) and dog Baby (09/29/24), who are watching over us from above.
My Approach to Training
Dog training isn’t just about getting a dog to sit, stay, or walk nicely on a leash. Those skills matter, but good training should also help you understand your dog, communicate more clearly, and feel confident handling everyday life together.
That’s why I spend as much time teaching owners as I do teaching dogs. I don’t want you to leave a training session knowing only what your dog did while I was standing there. I want you to understand what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and how to continue using those skills on your own.
Every dog and owner is different, so training should reflect that. My approach is practical, thoughtful, and tailored to the individual dog in front
of me. Whether we’re building foundational obedience or working through more challenging behavior, the goal is to give both ends of the leash
the tools they need to succeed.
To me, that’s what Build the Bond means: clearer communication, greater trust, and a stronger relationship between you and your dog.
Experience, Credentials, & Awards
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA®)
- Atlanta Dog Trainer Academy Certified in Obedience, Companion Dog,
and Behavior Modification (Reactivity & Aggression) Training - Karen Pryor Academy Puppy Start Right Training
- Karen Pryor Academy Click to Calm for Reactivity & Aggression
- AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator
- American Red Cross Certified in Cat and Dog First Aid
- 20+ Years of Animal Experience in raising, training, showing, and breeding
- Cobb Life Magazine’s Best of Cobb – Pet Sitting: 3rd Place 2024
- Cobb Life Magazine’s Best of Cobb – Dog Training: 2nd Place 2024,
3rd Place 2025, & 2nd Place 2026 - BusinessRate Best of Marietta – Dog Training: 1st Place 2024, 2025, & 2026
Ready to Get Started?
Tell me a little about you and your dog, and I’ll reach out to schedule a free phone consultation.