I’m Cody Jagodzinski, the founder of HEEL Dog Training.

I started HEEL because I saw how many dog owners want to do the right thing for their dogs but simply don’t know where to start. Professional training can be expensive, overwhelming, or completely out of reach for some families, and unfortunately, behavior problems are one of the reasons dogs end up back in shelters.

I wanted to build something that could help change that.

HEEL is a free dog training app that gives owners a clear place to start, with a personalized training roadmap and more than 200 step-by-step lessons covering everything from potty training and puppy foundations to leash walking, recall, biting, calm behavior, obedience, and mental enrichment.

What makes the mission especially important to me is what happens after a dog is adopted. HEEL can be given directly to shelter and rescue adopters as a free resource they can use from day one. We've already connected with more than 30 shelters and rescues, with organizations incorporating HEEL into adoption packets and post-adoption resources.

I built HEEL because I believe access to good training shouldn't depend on how much money someone has. Every dog deserves a chance to succeed in their home, and every owner deserves the tools to help them get there.

Now, I'm working to get HEEL into the hands of as many adopters, fosters, shelters, and rescue organizations as possible. The goal isn't just to build an app. It's to help more dogs stay where they belong: in loving homes.