If you’re looking at this page, that must mean
you are wondering why you should pick me and Pawsitively Fun Dog Training to train your dog with.
In trying to answer that question, I thought about what I would look for
in selecting an instructor myself.
First, I would want to know what their student’s thought about them.
In that regard, I ask that you please refer to my
students’ page. The students shown did not
get any perks for writing their messages that are featured on the website.
Also, I didn’t weed through submissions and select the best ones to publish; instead,
if you submitted something, it got published. I would also direct you to
the DACOF section and refer you to the
Thank You note and necklace I received from my students at DACOF. My
students seem satisfied, as do the numerous veterinarians who refer their
clients to me for training.
Next, I would want to know whether the instructor
I was considering could train all types of dogs successfully, or whether they were just really
good with a specific type of dog. Accordingly, I would refer you to the
pages about my dogs and the dogs I show for
other people, so you would be
aware of the variety of dogs I personally train and successfully compete with.
You will see that this includes dogs from the Toy, Terrier and Herding
Groups and that I personally adopt, love, train and compete with rescue dogs.
Also on that note, please take note of the variety of breeds owned,
loved, and successfully trained by my students under my direction.
I would also want to know how well this potential
instructor did when they compete and whether they had trained dogs competing in the upper levels
of the sport(s) I was interested in - after all, I want to achieve my
personal best and the dog’s personal best with any given dog I work. I believe
my dogs’ pages demonstrate that I have competed
successfully for a number of years in a variety of dog sports. For example, I have won my classes
at State Championship competitions in both obedience and agility and have
received National recognition for the results I have obtained in
obedience and agility competition.
I would want to know the theory being used by
the instructor I was considering. In that regard, I would refer you to the blurb about my
methods.
With regard to my own dogs, I think of each of one first as my pet, and second as my teammate in
competition. I want my dogs to have basic skills and manners which makes them
enjoyable to be around and/or functional as a pet therapy dog. Next, I want my dogs
to have frequent exposure to several things - frisbee, swimming at the
ocean, agility, obedience, tracking, sheep herding, romping around being dogs,
long walks, etc. I believe there is more to life than the next blue ribbon.
I suppose you could say I take a “work hard, play hard” approach to life
and to dog training.
Another thing I would want to know about my
prospective instructor would be the influences which have shaped their training theories.
In that regard, the people who I have trained directly with and who
have influenced me most, are as follows:
-General Dog Training Theory: Suzanne Clothier and Donna Duford
-Obedience: Judie Howard, Terri Arnold, Kathy Santos and Connie Cleveland
-Agility - Major Influences (but not in any particular order): Stuart Mah,
Patti Hatfield-Mah, Rhonda Carter, Susan Garrett, Jen Pindar, Dave
Blackshaw, The Boltons, and Jo Sherman.
Additional Agility Influences (but not in any particular order):
Joan Meyer, Karen Holick, Bud Houston, Stacy Peardot, Ann Brau, Darlene
Woz, Michael Bond, Wendy Pape, Janet Gaunt, and Dan Deege.
I thank you for taking the time to research my credentials. When it
comes to training your dog, there are many, many options available to you and
it is important that you make the right choice for you and your dog. If
you have any questions, I would be happy to speak with you. Please contact
me at 561-386-1769 or email
rachel@pawsitivelyfundogtraining.com.
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