Meet The Team
Charlie Chun
Founder & Head Trainer
Charlie found his love for animals at a very early age, and his passion for training not long after. By the age of 14, he dog sat and walked neighbor’s dogs for free just to spend time with them and try his hand at basic training.
When he turned 18 Charlie started his professional career and trained under Gerry Zimmermann, professional K-9 police and K-9 military trainer. Learning side by side with law enforcement professionals, he participated in bomb sniffing, bite training, and military K-9 exercises.
When he returned home to California, he continued his studies under a trainer in Malibu. After assisting in Malibu dog class for over a year, the class was passed on to him. Charlie relocated the class to Thousand Oaks where it currently serves as the most popular group class in Ventura County.
Charlie specializes in a number of training techniques from house dog to show dog to working dog, and he is always ready to accommodate all dog parents and dog lovers.
"I train dog owners, not just their dogs!"
Hudson Jacobson
Head Trainer & Manager
Hudson has been training dogs with K9 University for over 2 years now! He has loved working with dogs since he was young and that passion has only grown as an adult.
With some extra time on his hands during the pandemic, Hudson fostered over 50 dogs over the course of 1.5 years and volunteered for the Labelle Foundation, a non-profit dog rescue. He became a vital team member who oversaw transports, microchipping, and vaccine administration; some of the dogs he helped were extremely sick, neglected, abandoned, and/or malnourished. He has hands-on experience working with dogs in all stages of life and finds it extremely fulfilling to see their transformation, no matter the story behind them.
With Hudson’s background, of fostering so many dogs and puppies of all breeds, he knew the next step was to learn how to train them in order to help them grow and continue to reach their highest potential.
Alexandra Hoffman
Trainer
Alex is the newest member of our pack! Alex's love for dogs and helping others runs deep. With an extensive background in hospitality, managing local restaurants and hotels, it has always been a goal of hers to elevate the human experience.
After many years of working closely with all different types of people, she decided to go after her passion of animals. She's spent four years working with pups at boarding facilities, and was known for her patience and dedication in working with dogs of all temperaments.
This is where her love for the dogs that were often misunderstood grew, whether they were fearful, deemed aggressive or difficult to work with, Alex honed her dog handling skills until she was ready for the next step in creating harmony in these dogs lives. Alex’s journey in the world of dog training has just begun, and she is excited to continue touching the lives of dogs in need.
Philosophy
We are what you would call in the dog training world, “balanced trainers”. We use the Quadrant of Learning theory coined in 1938 by neurologist/psychologist B.F. Skinner who developed the technique based off of classical conditioning. The Quadrant entails different consequences that make the behavior more or less likely. We utilize positive reinforcement (adding something to increase a behavior e.g. giving treats), negative reinforcement (removing something to increase a behavior e.g. removing leash pressure), positive punishment (adding something to decrease a behavior e.g. corrections), & negative punishment (removing something to decrease a behavior e.g. removal of food).
Our Pillars
Our #1 priority is to holistically understand the needs of the owner. Creating harmony within your pack can be difficult and we are here to support you and your dog through the entire process.
Understand
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." Yes, we are dog trainers, but we are equally responsible for training dog owners as well. We seek to educate our community to empower their journey of being a responsible owner.
Educate
Advocate
The path to success is paved with trust. Our training methods are focused around building a solid relationship between you and your dog. Our job is to build confidence in you as their guide and them as your pack.
Persevere
The final part of our process is persistence. Our goal is that by the end of our time together, we have given you the tools to provide the structure your dog needs to thrive. A cohesive pack is only achievable through perseverance.