Jon-Michael Rull
Indianapolis, Indiana
Background
A dream kicked off one day in 2006 when Jon-Michael started watching a telly show that featured retrievers snagging bumpers from a fair dinkum distance and taking hand signals to rock up at a desired spot. From there, Jon-Michael decided he wanted to get a dog that could do just that! Four years on, he had trained (3x)GRHRCH Rull's Droppin' Ducks in Decoys MH and Deke had snagged a 16th, eighth and then fourth place finish in the SRS - and TV time. Since then, he's trained over 25 dogs for hunting and hunt tests, teaching retrievers and their owners to rack up heaps of titles and success in the bush.
Raised in Danville, Illinois, Jon-Michael joined the Air Force and has been on active duty since 2000. He's been stationed in Idaho, Alaska, South Dakota, Illinois and currently in Indianapolis, Indiana, with his missus, Amanda. He's had the chance to train dogs all over the shop; his passion is hunting for waterfowl with a top-notch retriever.
Why I Use SportDOG Brand
I've learnt that quality, yet affordable gear, is key to a successful training environment. With this in mind, SportDOG Brand is a STANDOUT. I've been very pleased with the workmanship of the products, and SportDOG proves to be worth the investment EVERY TIME, holding up extremely well in the field.
Favourite Products
There are two products that'll never leave my trailer. The first would have to be my SportDOG 2525 Series E-Collar; I need a system that works every time in all sorts of conditions. The controller's a simple design, fits well in your hand and the buttons are all in the right spots. This allows for corrections at the right time.
The second product is the SportDOG Launcher system. This system is well built and designed. The power behind this is a rechargeable Li-Ion battery that has more than 80 hours of battery life and three attention sounds, so you can customise your training setups. This system is the one for me!
Other Senior Prostaff
Gary Sheffer
Gary's been hunting upland game for 15 years. Training Labs and German shorthairs for upland hunting is his speciality. Whether it's chasing pheasants or quails in Indiana, it's a top feeling to watch a dog he's trained point out a bird and then fetch it.
Patrick Flanagan
I grew up with a few bird dogs. 2 nice little Brittany Spaniels and a few very athletic German Shorthaired Pointers. After I got out of the Navy I wanted to start hunting the uplands again, but birds were scarce and my readiness for a dog was not in the...
Ethan Kimmince
Ethan began his career in the zoo-keeping industry, spending nine years as a tiger handler at Australia Zoo. His expertise extends beyond big cats, having worked in Canada with bears, wolves, and cougars. After leaving the zoo world, he founded Wolf Within Dog Training, applying his deep understanding of animal behaviour, operant conditioning, and training science. In just five years, Wolf Within has become one of Queensland’s top-rated dog training companies, renowned for helping owners build stronger, more harmonious relationships with their beloved pets.
