Jennen has been involved in training her own dogs and an assistant in other classes for many years. When our new Green Meadows location opened, she decided to take over as the head training and lead classes on her own. She is certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. She is a member of the Pet Professional Guild. She also currently has certifications in Fear Free Shelters which covers the best ways to work with pets in a fear free manner. She has a certification in Empowerment and Handling Skills which includes safety and handling, canine communication, recognizing fear/stress/anxiety and defensive handling. She also is dog/cat CPR/first aid certified. She is also an AKC evaluator.
Jennen is currently the trainer for the local rescue, Second Chance, working with adoptable dogs to help in making them adoptable.
In May 2021, Jennen graduated with a Masters degree in Public Health through the University of Missouri choosing to go with the veterinary path. Her goal is to work with the community through workshops and low cost training to help keep dogs in homes and out of shelters, saving more animals in the long run. She has created a few programs that work with both kids and adults to help them learn how to read their body language and the situation to reduce the chance of dog bites.
She has loved starting the training program here at Lizzi & Rocco’s. It has been very fun and educational for both her and the students in her class. She looks forward to continuing to work with dogs and train them to be the best pets they can be.
Leah - Assistant Trainer
Leah is one of Jennens assistant trainers for classes. She is a college student at Mizzou, studying Animal Sciences and Captive Wild Animal Management. She has 2 kiddos at home; one pit bull mix, Kenai, and DSH cat, Kuroos. She used to work with dogs and taken many animal courses, so she is well inept at reading animal behavior and body language. She looks forward to working with you, and helping your furry friend!!
Maddy - Assistant Trainer
Maddy is one of Jennen's assistant trainers for classes. She went to the University of Missouri and graduated with her Bachelors of Science in Agriculture with emphasis areas in Plant, Animal, and Food Sciences this past May. Maddy is a dog of her own, Johnnie a Golden Retriever, who has taken the puppy classes and will help apply what she has learned to assist others. She is looking forward to helping you with you furry friend's training!
Meet Your Four-Legged Instructors
Margot Herbst
Head Influencer Entertainment Manager
Margot is an approximately 11 year old bully breed mix. She was rescued from the Central Missouri Human Society in September 2012. Margot and Jennen's relationship started a little rocky. While Jennen was helping with a training program there, she met Margot who was a WILD one. With lots of energy, Jennen even thought "good luck to adopts here". Jennen agreed to foster at that time due to her time running out at the shelter. Well here we are 10 years later and they are the best of pals.
Our manners program is named after Margot because like Jennen says "if Margot can be trained, any dog can be trained." After Margot came home with Jennen, it became obvious that this girl just had a lot of energy and needed an outlet as well as a job which Jennen started working with her on immediately.
After going through basic training, Jennen and Margot started training in agility which has been absolutely amazing. A lot of Sundays this fall, you will find them at different trials working to get Margot another title.
While she is older, you would never know. If you come into our Green Meadows location, you will usually either find her sleeping on her crate by the window or walking on the ledge of the short wall trying to make sure she does not miss anything. She does have a big bark which she uses sometimes to say hi to people who stop by the window but it is just that, a big bark. If she came out, the biggest concern would be that she would hit you too hard with her tail. She always loves saying hello and getting attention.
Mac Herbst
Head of Security Safety Inspector
Mac is the new kid on the block (though new kid is going to stop describing him soon). He was fostered by Jennen starting spring of 2021. Well since she is a sucker for the bully breeds, he ended up never leaving. He was rescued from the streets of Kansas City so unfortunately we do not know much of his back store. They estimate that he is about 3 years old.
When you look at Mac you will see that unfortunately his ears are gone. A very short crop that makes them look like they are pretty much missing. Jennen does not know the situation revolving this. This does not seem to bother him any, he just needs his ears cleaned a little more regularly.
Mac is a very nervous dog who came to Jennen scared of everything. She could not brush her hair in the same room with him for a few months because he was scared of anything with a handle. She has been working hard with him on socialization and he has warmed up a bit. He is still nervous and will approach you to check you out but then quickly run away before deciding if he wants to reengage. Unfortunately due to this fear, sudden movements and approaches from people may startle him and just like Margot he has a big bark. And while he may bark, if you get closer he will just run and high. Jennen is hoping in 2022 to keep working through this and make him more comfortable around other people and dogs.
Interested in future training sessions? Sign up to receive emails from our training coordinator!
