A beloved dog dies in training

Dunkin, a Bernese mountain dog, died in late August while at Smart Dogs Training Academy in Los Angeles. His owners had paid ten thousand dollars for a four-week live-in training program.

The facility claimed overheating

Two days into the stay, while the couple vacationed, they learned Dunkin had died nearly six hours earlier after allegedly overheating at a park. The facility owner, Jeff Todd, did not respond to requests for comment.

More deaths emerge from same facility

After posting about Dunkin's death, owner Andrew Fedyk heard from at least seven families whose pets died at Smart Dogs under similar circumstances, including another Bernese mountain dog and a service dog left in a hot van.

Todd's credentials don't add up

Todd claims to have trained twenty-five thousand dogs over twenty-five years, which would require training nearly three new dogs daily. He also claimed to have trained Cesar Millan and worked with police K-9 units.

Red flags the owners missed

Fedyk and White felt uncomfortable from the start. Todd was abrasive and pushy, disabled the dogs' AirTags, never shared his facility location, and always met clients at dog parks instead.

“He's abrasive. He's very pushy.”

No actual facility existed

A prospective trainer revealed Todd had no boarding facility and allegedly slept in a branded Sprinter van with as many as four dogs at a time. The van hadn't been seen at the reported address for over a year.

A pattern of questionable deaths

Bill Spector's mastiff-shepherd mix died five years ago under Todd's care. Todd claimed the dog died from a second dose of Prozac, a typically nonlethal anxiety medication, but the story didn't add up.

Dogs are legally just property

In all but two states, pets are considered property rather than individual beings. This legal status complicates how deaths are handled and what recourse owners have.

No licensing required anywhere

No U.S. state currently requires dog trainers to be licensed. This means anyone can set up a dog training website and start taking clients with no qualifications or oversight.

The pet industry lacks safeguards

The billion-dollar pet industry is growing, but unlike restaurants where food safety is regulated, boarding facilities face almost no requirements. Some cities like Los Angeles require kennels to be licensed, but enforcement is inconsistent.

Deaths in facilities are not rare

Animal rights attorney David Rosengard says these deaths aren't uncommon. In July, an Irvine trainer was sentenced to nearly twelve years in prison for animal cruelty after eleven dogs died in his hot car.

“these things aren't uncommon”

Criminal charges are possible

Fedyk is pursuing criminal charges against Todd through Los Angeles Animal Services. Animal cruelty charges typically fall into negligence or abuse categories, and exposing a dog to extreme heat would likely qualify as neglect.

How to vet a training facility

Dog training expert Tom Davis recommends visiting the facility in person, asking about temperature control, and trusting your gut. If something feels off, go somewhere else.

“It's an interview process. It's kind of a dating scenario.”

Transparency is the first step

Attorney David Rosengard says increasing transparency about trainer qualifications and facility standards would help pet owners make safer choices. The movement for regulation is growing as more cases emerge.

Another dog, another tragedy

Just weeks after Dunkin's death, Fedyk shared the story of Kilo, an eleven-month-old Samoyed who died after allegedly being locked in a crate in the heat by another California trainer.

“JUSTICE FOR KILO. REGULATE DOG TRAINING.”