Choose your trainer wisely. Be informed. Anyone can hang a dog trainer shingle. There are many uneducated, unqualified people representing themselves as dog trainers. The results are most often detrimental to both the dog and the client. Ask for credentials and references. Be sure the trainer you choose has a documented history to support their training and professional accomplishments.
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington: Summa Cum Laude Graduate with a BA in Education
- North American Dog Agility Council Certification (NADAC)
- Fluid Motion Agility Certification Program
- North American Dog Agility Council Trial Dog Championships
(Multiple Championships With Multiple Dogs) - North American Dog Agility Council: Multiple Top Ten Annual Awards
- North American Dog Agility Council: Triple, Triple Superior Versatility Titles
- AMBOR/AKC: Excellent Agility Title
- 2008 Pennsylvania State Sheepherding Champion (N/N)
- 2008 Pennsylvania State Sheepherding Championship’s Most Promising Handler Award
I believe the canine and equine seminars, clinics, training sessions, and camps that I have attended during the last 30 years have shaped and contributed to my successes as a dog trainer. I have learned from the some of the best and most outstanding trainers in this country. I have embraced all of these opportunities to learn about Canine, Equine, and Human Behavior, Obedience, Agility, Manners, Movement and Structure, Nutrition, Aggression, Tracking, Clicker Training, Behavior Modification, Sheepherding, and Mental Management: I have learned from a host of amazing “teachers” including but not limited to the following:
Sharon Nelson: Internationally recognized for canine behavior modification and agility training in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Sharon has titled 30 agility dogs including 14 different breeds. Along with her dog, Lucky, Sharon has earned 3 Purple Achievement Cups including Versatility Awards. Sharon has an uncanny ability to read dog and human behavior and subsequently change it!
Amanda Nelson: As a 19 year veteran, Amanda is the only NADAC handler to earn NATCHes (Trial Championships) in all 3 NADAC divisions. Amanda has also authored training articles for Clean Run Magazine. She currently owns and operates Fluid Motion Agility.
Paula Goss: For the last 8 years, Paula has been ranked in many of NADAC’s Top Ten Categories. She has 18 NATCHes and Medals as well as 10 Platinum Speed Star Awards. Paula is one of 12 NADAC competitors in this country to have earned the coveted
MOD Squad Award.
Lisa Bonker: Running 3 different dogs, Lisa has won her divisional classes at the NADAC championships for 5 years in a row. She has 6 NADAC Platinum Speed Star Awards and has earned over 50 Medals/NATCHes running multiple dogs and breeds.
Ray Coppinger PhD: As a biologist and sled dog musher, among other things, Ray is a wonderful speaker. His knowledge is based in science and his experiences are vast and diverse. His seminar at Wolf Park and his book, Dogs, co-written with his wife Lorna, gave me a new perspective on wolves, dogs, and the fascinating wonders of the early neurological stimulation program for puppies.
Kathy Sdao MA, ACAAB: “Teaches scientific principles and core concepts of classical and temporal conditioning.” Kathy’s seminars are well organized, informative, and professional.
Sue Sternberg: Founder and director of Rondout Valley Animals for Adoption. Sue developed Training Wheels and Assess-A-Pet outreach programs for shelter dogs. Sue is an expert in Dog Aggression.
Leslie Burgard DeFusco: The owner of “Dogs Think Dog Training”, Leslie is a thinker and a doer. Along with Sue Sternberg, she is working to change the way the world handles and treats shelter dogs. Leslie has many agility titles to include NATCHes and Top 10 Year End Awards. Her first trip to the NADAC Agility Championships was successful with numerous awards.
Paulina Hope: As a 3 time winner of the 20 inch division at the AKC National Agility Championships in 1999, 2000, and 2007, Paulina is a skilled and successful trainer and teacher.
Susan Salo: Susan brings over 35 years of horseshow jumping experience to the world of agility. Her seminars are filled with techniques, exercises, and strategies to build a skilled jumping dog. She focuses on correctness and speed which lead to successful clean jumping on course. Her professionalism, knowledge, and organization during her seminars are wonderful.
Patricia McConnell, PhD: With seminars, books, and DVDs, Dr. McConnell, provides insight into “Both Ends of The Leash”, “Dog – Dog Aggression”, “Feeling Outnumbered – Managing A Multidog Household,” and insight into many, many training challenges. She also has a great sense of humor!
Temple Grandin, PhD: As the author of “Animals in Translation” and “Animals Make Us Human”, she opens a new world of insight in human and animal behavior. Her books and scholarly publications are brilliant.
Lanny Bassham: In addition to winning a Gold Medal as an American Sports Shooter in the 1976 Olympics, Lanny has also set 4 world records and earned 22 world and team titles. He is the author of “With Winning in Mind” and the creator of the Mental Management Program. Lanny coaches many famous athletes and is a very successful mental coach. His books and seminars will change the way you think about winning and about life.
Dale Carnegie Training in Public Speaking, Leadership, Self Improvement, and Corporate Training: These skills have been invaluable in my work as a teacher, a dog trainer, and a minister.
Scott Glen – Alta Pete Stockdogs: With his dog Sweep, Scott completes the only dog/handler sheepdog team to ever win the Western Canadian Sheepdog Championships 3 times. In the 2000 Canadian National Championships, Scott and his dog Dan won the event and at the same event he also won the reserve championship with his other dog Fly. In 2001, Scott and Fly won the Canadian Championships. With his dog, Tala, he was the reserve champion at the 2003 Canadian Championships. Scott and his dog, Pleat, won the 2004 USBCHA National Championships. He is a gifted, talented trainer and reads dogs like a champion.
Carla King: Sheepherding for over 20 years, Carla is confident and effective as a trainer. She has won many trials and enjoys a successful sheepdog training career. Her honesty and no nonsense approach to sheepdog training put me on a successful track right away.
Lori Cunningham: With her dog Matt, Lori place 10th in the 2010 USBCHA National Sheepdog Finals. She has won and placed in many sheepdog trials. She opened the door to my beginning in the sheepdog world. Classy, funny, and a great dog trainer, Lori is enjoying her successes.
J. Michael Plumb: At the 1976 Olympics, Michael won an equestrian team gold medal in eventing. He won his second gold medal in 1984. He also has 3 silver team medals and one individual silver medal. Ten times – he earned the United States Equestrian Association’s Leading Rider of the Year Award. In 2003, he was inducted into the USEA Hall of Fame. I learned volumes from this great equestrian. He inspired me to believe in myself and in my talents as an equestrian.
Karen Stives: Her equestrian skills earned her a team gold and individual silver in the 1984 Olympics. I took lessons from Karen during the same years that I took from Michael Plumb. Together they were an amazing teaching team.
Kay Meredith: As a founding member of the United States Dressage Foundation, Kay Meredith was instrumental in the development of dressage in this country. In 1979, she won the title of Horsewoman of the Year from the ASHA (now USEF). She attended the World Championships as a dressage team member in 1986. In 2004, she earned the USDF Lifetime Achievement Award. I learned my dressage foundations from the best.
When all is said and done – it is not what we say that makes us great at what we do. It is what we do and how we do it that makes us great! A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of the horses, dogs, children, and adults that have taught me to live what I teach. I am forever grateful to all of them for making me a richer, happier, more knowledgeable human being. Knowledge is power; with knowledge we gain the power to change the world one gentle step at a time.
“All human interactions are opportunities either to learn or to teach.” {Peck}