Meet Our Trainers 

Travis Pepperkorn- Owner/Head Trainer- Unleash Fido

At a young age I was a handler in the AKC show ring but converted to competition sports such as French Ring and Schutzhund. After completing my studies at Triple Crown Dog Academy for Theory & Application of Canine Behavior, I decided to make my passion a career and started Unleash Fido. My dedication and loyalty are to helping people and their four-legged family members not just co-exist with each other but also love to live life with each other by overcoming behavioral issues and teaching obedience. 

"Working with dogs is a passion of mine, I am so blessed to be able to have the best job in the world!" 

Macayla Ward - Lead Trainer

Hi, my name is Macayla, and I'm originally from KY. My love for training and learning about animal behavior started when I was young, growing up around farm animals. I had my first dog for 14yrs and did what many people do: try to train based on YouTube videos, which doesn't always work out as planned. I've always loved dogs, but was usually found in the barn with the horses. Over those years, I learned how to train horses, and I still use a lot of what I learned working with horses while training dogs today. My love of animals took me to study to be a  veterinary technician. I love the medical side of things, but training/ behavior has always been more interesting to me.  I started working for Unleash Fido in June of 2020.I have two Belgian Malinois, Charlie, who is nine and living the retired life; I got him when he was 7, but he taught me the ropes and what it takes to have a high-drive working breed. I compete in French Ring Dog Sport with Ziva.. This sport focuses on agility, obedience, and protection work. It doesn't matter if you're dealing with typical puppy problems or more severe behavioral problems. Having a dog should bring fun and joy to everybody in the family. They should not lead to more stress or chaos. Walks should be leisurely and enjoyable; if they're not, I'm confident I can help you. My goal is to teach your dog how to behave and live within the guidelines of a healthy, happy family member.
I look forward to helping you attain a well-balanced life while having a well-behaved four-legged family member.

Dakota Adkins 

I have been with Unleash Fido since May of 2021. I am a Jacksonville native. I grew up in a house full of dachshunds and always had a love for all animals. At 21 years old, I rescued two dogs, Beau and Benny, which began my fascination with dog training. I originally started as a Kennel Tech with Unleash Fido, but I loved watching the trainers and the dog's transformations from when they entered the camp until graduation. I was promoted to a back-up trainer, where I shadowed the trainers and worked on repetitions with the dogs, all while learning and observing their behaviors. After a while, I was promoted again to a trainer position due to my hard work and passion for these dogs. I love them like my own and desire to see the transformations from beginning to end, knowing that I made a family's life much more enjoyable with their dog. From basic obedience to the problem child, I can help you and your pup.

 Lydia Polk

Hello! My name is Lydia, and I started working with Unleash Fido in August of 2023. I have had a passion for working with animals from a young age. In Michigan, where I grew up, I volunteered and worked at my local animal shelters for three years, starting as a dog walker and then graduating to working full-time as an Animal Care Technician. That was when my passion for dog behavior took flight. I obtained hands-on experience with hundreds of dogs through the shelter and saw how truly important it was to help owners work on their relationship with their pups, from basic obedience all the way to tough behavioral cases. This passion eventually took me to Jacksonville, where I began working as a Kennel Technician at Unleash Fido. I immersed myself in studying canine behavior and canine training theory by reading books and watching lectures, as well as through hands-on experience. I adopted my own rescue dog, Zuki, who was a year old and reactive to people, dogs, cats—basically anything that moved quickly—and didn't even know the word sit. She has probably taught me more than I’ve taught her in the year we’ve been together, and today she is a well-mannered, affectionate member of my family. I am thrilled to be on the team and help you build your relationship with your pup so they can be a model member of society! Whether it be a brand new puppy, a rescue dog, or an older pup that needs a little extra help, I would be delighted to help you and your well-loved family member create a peaceful home.