Meet the Pack

• Jonathan Wong has built his reputation as the East Bay's dog trainer for complex behavioral cases. Based in the East Bay and serving Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, and surrounding communities, Jonathan combines technical expertise with exceptional communication skills to help families transform their relationships with their dogs.
• Jonathan's real skill isn't just training dogs but connecting with people. He specializes in challenging cases, from aggressive dogs and severe anxiety to resource guarding and complex behavioral issues, always prioritizing human safety above all else.
• Many dog owners come to him with misconceptions about human-dog hierarchy, and Jonathan excels at managing expectations while finding the right fit for each person's current abilities and life stage. His diverse East Bay clientele includes busy working parents, renters dealing with noise complaints, elderly couples, and families with young children.
• As a regular instructor at Pet Food Express Pinole, Jonathan makes professional training accessible through both group classes and personalized in-home sessions. His philosophy centers on realistic expectations and genuine care: every situation deserves thorough assessment, every family deserves to feel safe and confident with their dog.

• In August 2024, Jonathan and Vivian met Raymond at a Contra Costa County Animal Services adoption event in Orinda. Originally named "Bochy," this black Pit Bull with honey colored eyes had been overlooked by most adopters despite his friendly temperament with dogs and gentle nature with children. Jonathan saw what others missed: potential.
• Now Raymond serves as Pack Leader Training's demo dog, proving that even dogs from difficult backgrounds can achieve remarkable behavioral transformation. Raymond's composed, assertive energy makes him ideal for working with reactive and aggressive dogs. His calm presence helps de-escalate situations and allows dogs to practice appropriate social behavior in a controlled environment. 
• Whether you adopted a shelter dog with unknown history, a rescue with behavioral challenges, or a purebred with aggression issues: transformation is possible. Raymond proves that breed doesn't determine behavior; training and understanding do.

March 1, 2015 - July 28, 2026, age 11

• After grieving the loss of my first dog, Aniya, a beautiful Belgian Malinois, my wife and I weren't sure our hearts were ready to love again. But at Milo Foundation in Richmond, CA, we saw Nakita - a whippet/husky mix with one blue eye and one brown, and a brindled coat like nothing we'd ever seen. Something about the way she locked eyes with us, or her small, pitiful howl from inside that kennel, told us she was meant to be ours.
• Once she settled into a foster home in Oakland, her true colors came out - she was smart, agile, and endlessly eager to please. 
• But Nakita wasn't always easy. She came to us with real challenges, the kind that could have gone either way. 
• Through consistent, patient training, she became proof of what's possible with the right approach - a living example of the philosophy Pack Leader Training was built on: that even the trickiest cases can become success stories.
• She traveled with our family far and wide, curled up for naps after every meal, and was right there beside me as I left corporate sales behind to become a full-time dog trainer. When I launched Pack Leader Training in April 2018, Nakita was there from Day One. Every dog I've trained since carries a little piece of what she taught me first.
• We said goodbye to Nakita this month, at 11 years old. She will be deeply missed, and forever loved.