My Background

My personal dog training journey began in 2021 with my first puppy, Koda, a 10-week-old Pomeranian. Although I had worked with other dogs since I was young, getting my own puppy inspired me to refresh my training knowledge and techniques. Determined to start off on the right foot, I began training Koda the day I brought him home and enrolled us in our first obedience class when he was 12 weeks old.

Koda's intelligence and trainability amazed me. He passed his first obedience class with flying colors and earned his AKC Canine Good Citizenship title at just 6 months old. While I enjoyed obedience training, I was captivated by the agility classes held at the same facility. The complexity of the courses, the handlers' ability to communicate with their off-leash dogs using just words and body language, and the dogs' courage to tackle each obstacle with speed and power enthralled me. I decided that Koda and I would pursue agility, dreaming of running courses together.

For the next three years, Koda and I attended weekly group and private agility lessons with professional trainers who had national and international success. I quickly learned that agility training was much more than just teaching a dog to jump and climb over obstacles. It required a solid foundation built on trust, achieved through understanding the complexity of canine behaviors and effective communication. and effective communication. Training the basic skills to prepare for the agility ring was challenging, but with hard work and dedication, we both fell in love with the sport. Seeing Koda’s joy and energy just from pulling into the parking lot of the training facility each week assured me that we were in it for the long run. And at just 15 months old, Koda and I competed in our very first agility competition, qualifying in 5 out of 6 classes that weekend!

Awards and Titles

Koda progressed from a Novice to Master/Excellent AKC competitor in just seven months! Since then, he has received multiple AKC titles, including Novice and Intermediate Trick Dog, Excellent Jumpers and Agility, and Excellent FAST. He is also a two-time winner of the UK International Master Series Event, earning us a spot in the UKI 2024 US Open Master Series Final in Florida!"