Working line Dutch Shepherd
Asena
Zac's working dog. Just as comfortable holding place in the living room as working on the field or posing at Trout Creek Park.
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About Zac Thomas
A trainer who lives with the work.
Zac Thomas has trained animals most of his life. Today he trains family dogs, protection dogs and dogs for law enforcement, and he shares his home with his wife, their two daughters and a house full of dogs, from his working Dutch Shepherd to two rescues.
My story
Caring for an animal in your home is as much about responsibility as it is about love.
My name is Zac Thomas, and I've been training animals most of my life. I believe in building a mutual understanding between you and your dog, because caring for an animal in your home is as much about responsibility as it is about love.
My goal is simple. I want every owner I work with to have confidence in their dog. Confident it will listen. Confident it will come when called. Confident that a trained dog is a safe and protected dog.
The business is named for my family. T3 stands for my wife, Taryn, and our daughters, Tegan and Tinsley. They're the reason I hold every dog to the standard I do. Read the T3 story
Zac ThomasFounder and trainer, T3 K-9
How I train
Drive. Clarity. Control.
Every dog is different, so every plan is too. The tools and the pace change with the dog. The standard doesn't.
01
Drive
Training runs on what the dog already wants: play, food, the chase, the grip. A dog that loves the work learns faster and holds it longer.
02
Clarity
Clear markers, fair corrections, big rewards and a lot of repetition. The dog always knows what earned the reward and what didn't.
03
Control
Everything builds toward a dog you can turn on and off with one word. In protection work, that's the out. At home, it's a recall that works at the beach.
The dogs at home
Working dogs and rescues.
The dogs Zac lives with are the best proof of how he trains. Asena is his working dog, a couple of puppies from T3's last litter are in training now, and the rest are house dogs, including two rescues. Every one of them is family.
Rescue pit bull
Daisy
A 13 year old rescue, and proof that not every dog in a trainer's house is a working dog.
Rescue Jack Russell
Baldr
Six years old, rescued, and every bit a Jack Russell.
Trusted by law enforcement
Zac trains dogs for sheriff's departments. Those agencies are never named on this site or on social media. Serious clients can request references.
Who Zac works with
All ages and breeds. Puppies getting started, adult dogs with bad habits, aggression and reactivity cases, and working dogs that need a job.
See the work
Real training from the field, posted on Instagram.
Zac posts protection work, obedience and board and train progress. Follow along to see what the training really looks like.
Get started
Tell us about your dog.
Call or text Zac, or send a quick note. Tell him what's going wrong, or what you want your dog to become.