Our Story
From May 2015 to March 2017, I unexpectedly lost 3 very important figures in my life; my grandparents, Tom & Janet Sawyer, who always supported me 200% in whatever I did and Rykah, my German Shepherd who got me started as a dog trainer. While brainstorming a way to memorialize them, I remembered a story that made me giggle and in that moment I realized that I had found what I was looking for. From the day that I brought Rykah home, my grandpa had always called him Ryker. No matter how many times I corrected him about the name, for the rest of Rykah’s life, my grandpa called him by the wrong name. My grandma tried to help me correct my grandpa, but it was no use and she ended up calling him by the wrong name as well! As far as my dog was concerned, his name was Ryker when my grandparents were around and he happily responded to them when they called.
I knew immediately that the name Ryker was the perfect tribute to them all. By changing things over to Ryker Dog Training in August of 2017, I have been able to honor the memory of my grandparents and Rykah, who helped to shape me into the person and dog trainer that I am today.
My grandparents, Tom & Janet Sawyer, and Rykah
Our Specialities
We opened the doors at our current location, 58 E. Herndon Ave, Fresno, CA, in March 2019. We were previously operating as Instinct Professional Dog Training until our name change in August 2017. Our training staff continues to expand their knowledge by attending educational seminars taught by various experts in our field. We strongly feel that we should never stop learning because there is no “one size fits all” approach to dog training. We use balanced training methods in order to tailor our training specifically to your dog’s needs. We provide a supportive environment for you to learn and ask questions throughout the training process.
Meet Brittany
Hello, I am the owner and head trainer here at Ryker Dog Training. When helping my clients and their dogs, I take a common-sense approach to training that takes their every day lives into account when coming up with a solution to a training problem. I want your dog to be a part of your family like my dog Rykah was a part of mine. Over the course of your training, you may meet several different dogs who assist me in lessons. They provide a calm, confident distraction for your dog to work around. You may even meet our resident Dog Trainers in Training, my daughter Kira or my son Sawyer.
I am an Evaluator and Instructor for the Canine Good Citizen and the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy programs.
Dogs, like people, have their own personalities and quirks. I tailor the training tools and program to the dog and owner in front of me instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Training should help your dog become an active member of your family.