About Up N Atom - Dog Training Cleveland

Shaina Zimmerman

Up N Atom Dog Training is owned and operated by Shaina Zimmerman, a highly experienced dog trainer originally from Denver, Colorado. Shaina moved to Maplewood, Ohio in July of 2022, bringing with her years of experience in dog training, veterinary assisting, boarding and daycare facility management, and volunteer experience in shelters and rescues.

Shaina entered the dog industry in 2009, starting out in various dog daycares in the Denver metro. She managed a high volume dog boarding facility in Parker, Colorado as a teenager, before moving to Mesa, Arizona and beginning a stretch in veterinary medicine. When she moved back to Colorado, she continued working in vet-med for a few years before following her true passion, dog training, full-time.

Shaina was hired as an in-home dog trainer for a few years, where she traveled the metro area offering private lessons in dog owners homes. In 2016, she met renowned dog trainer Lisa Lucero at Denver Dog Dynamix and found her “home”. She mentored under Lisa Lucero for eight years, managing the Dog Dynamix branch for many of those before moving to Ohio in 2022. For two years, Shaina operated Dog Dynamix Ohio as a satellite operation. Now fully settled into Ohio, she brings Up N Atom to the Cleveland metro with years of industry experience behind her.

Professional Training Accomplishments

Versailles von zur Bindenburg BH CD RN APR1
Atom de Jardin CGC BH RA RNX MR Brevet MR3 FR2 Champion of MR1 at the 2019 USMRA National Championship, selected for Team USA 2020 FMBB Championship at MR1, 3rd place MR3 at the 2021 USMRA National Championship, Vice-Champion at the 2022 USMRA National Championship, Vice-Champion FR2 at the 2022 NARA National Championship and Cup
Flinke Idole des Loups du Lac CGC CD MR3, Selected for Team USA 2024 FMBB Championship at MR2 (8th place of 17), Vice-Champion MR2 at the 2024 USMRA National Championship

Alicia Paniccia

Alicia has been a professional dog trainer for the last decade and is well versed in all training methods, with a primary focus on relationships and how they can heavily influence the connection between dog and owner. Alicia began exploring competition frisbee and dock diving with her Australian Cattle Dog/Border Collie mix, Gunner, in 2014. Alicia has an extensive history with rescue and has volunteered her time at local shelters, as well as fostering dogs from all over the country. Alicia’s next dog, Avalanche, was a rescue Belgian Malinois who introduced her to the protection sport world. Avalanche went from Craigslist dog to a sport dog in no time, competing in a discipline known as French Ringsport where she acquired her level 1 title in 2022. Alicia believes the best way to win a dogs heart is to tap into their soul with play. She feels the working dog relationship is unlike no other, and the best part is, you don’t have to have a “working dog” to do so.

Jessica Dalin

Jessica is an Ohio native originally from Jefferson. She began training dogs professionally in 2015, but began her career with dogs in 2004 when she entered the veterinary field as a teenager. She is currently the Small Animal Care Instructor at a Technical School, a program she built and has been instructing since 2014.

Jessica originally entered the world of protection sports with her mastiff, Mayhem, in 2014. She has been training for Mondioring with West Penn Mondioring Club in Hadley, PA since. She has titled two Belgian Malinois in Mondioring, and has competed at a National Championship level on multiple occasions. She has also whelped and raised numerous litters of Malinois.

Jessica is a talented dog trainer who cares deeply about animal husbandry and making training easy to apply to dog owners lives. Her well-rounded experience makes her an obvious asset to the Up N Atom Dog Training team.

Professional Training Accomplishments

Envy Mi Obsession MR2
Badger des Loups du Lac MR3 x 6

Why "Up N Atom"?

Atom is my first Belgian Malinois, born in August of 2016. Within six months of working for Lisa Lucero in Denver, I “went to the dark side” and brought home my first pointy-eared-brown-dog as a Mondioring prospect. Owning Atom has opened my dog training world; training him for high-level sport has given me the opportunity to work with some of the best dog trainers in the world (Lisa Lucero, Fernando Dosta, David Broderick, Todd Dunlap, and Tommy Verschueren, to name a few who have helped us majorly on our journey) and allowed me the chance to travel around the country competing.

Atom de Jardin reached the highest level of Mondioring (MR3) and is also titled in French Ring (FR2). We have achieved an IGP BH, as well as our Rally Novice and Rally Advanced titles through the American Kennel Club. He has numerous podium placements at the USMRA National Championships, including 1st Place MR1 in 2019, 3rd Place MR3 in 2021, and 2nd Place MR3 in 2022. He took 2nd place for FR2 at the NARA National Championship and Cup. Atom embodies the “Get Up and Get It Done” attitude I love when working with dogs, so the company name reflects his spirit and tenacity. I simply would not be the dog trainer I am today without him by my side. – Shaina Zimmerman

What methods do you use to train the dogs?

We are a balanced training facility, meaning we start all dogs off with a liberal foundation of positive reinforcement training through shaping and luring behaviors. Once they have a solid understanding of the obedience skills on the leash, we then overlay the “have to” part of training via thoughtful use of corrections. We then work to build their skills unleashed, with the goal being a reliable off-leash trained dog. Using a balanced training methodology we produce happy, motivated dogs who want to work, but also know they have to listen for their safety and the safety of others.

Do you use "shock collars" in all of your programs?

At Up N Atom, we do not teach using the ecollar, but we do proof using them in certain programs. That’s a really important difference in dog training, as teaching a dog with an ecollar is putting them into an escape/avoidance state of mind — essentially making them figure out how to release pressure without them understanding what is being asked of them — rather than helping the dog be successful, and then introducing fair corrections to disobedience to known, well-practiced skills. We utilize a LOT of positive reinforcement, teaching the dog how to do the skills, increasing distraction strategically, and then going on field trips to make sure they can perform those skills in new environments around dogs, people, and other heavy distractions. Proper use of an electronic dog training collar does not cause fear, anxiety, or aggression. It helps us open up our dogs world by giving them the gift of off leash reliability and consistent feedback.

We do not use remote collars on puppies under 6 months of age, or in programs under 3 weeks long. Dog owners who would like their dog trained without an ecollar are welcome to discuss it with their trainer, but we will not offer off leash training without the use of an ecollar.

Do you offer a dog training guarantee?

Here’s a little secret about dog training… it is not a magic pill. Dogs are living, breathing creatures and not computers we can program. We can guarantee that if you follow our training advice and do your homework, you will see positive dog training results. However, as we cannot control how you live with your dog at home, whether or not you use your training equipment and recommended training techniques, or how you control the environment to help set your dog up for success, we cannot offer a money-back guarantee on training programs.

Dog owners who commit to doing right by their dog and follow our training recommendations will receive individual dog trainer support so everyone is satisfied with the results. We will never guarantee a “cure” for behavioral problems, but we will help you figure out how to make them easier to live with via obedience training, management strategies, and behavior modification techniques.

While our goal is off leash training for adult dogs, some dogs may not be appropriate candidates for off leash adventures. This may include dogs with high levels of fear or anxiety, aggression towards dogs or people, dogs with noise phobias, and dogs with high prey drive. Your dog trainer will give you honest feedback of what they think is realistic for your individual dog.

How do I learn to train my dog at home when they graduate from a training camp?

Once your dog graduates from the training program, the client education portion begins! We need to teach you how to work with your dog like a dog trainer. You will receive written and video instructions on how to enforce the training, how to use the equipment, and what to do when your dog blows you off (because dogs WILL test your dog training skills when they come home). For the first two weeks post-graduation, we will ask you to keep everything low distraction. It is important you learn to read your dog and know how react proactively in new situations before upping the difficulty. Once those two weeks are up, we can meet for a private follow up lesson to test the training skills in more difficult situations. Our programs will train your dog, but they will also train you… which is almost more important!