Alphabetical Listing of our Independent Instructors
Cochran, Susan (Instructor: Agility - All Levels
Susan became involved with dog sports in 1986 showing her Bullmastiffs in conformation. Within a few years, she began training and handling dogs on a professional basis, putting championships on a variety of breeds. In 1986 she discovered the sport of dog agility and although still titling her dogs in herding, tracking and obedience, her main focus is competitive agility. She has achieved many successes in agility including winning the 26" USDAA 2003 Western Regional Steeplechase, the 26” USDAA 2004 Western Regional Grand Prix and going on to become the 2004 26” USDAA Grand Prix World Champion. She has also participated in the 2004 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, the 2005 ESPN Great Outdoor Games, has been in the USDAA Agility Top Ten in several categories, has qualified to try out for the AKC World Team for the past three four years and was a Finalist in the 2005 USDAA Grand Prix. Susan has had many High in Trials with both her current dog MACH ADCH Aiko, a 5 year old Border Collie and her retired Australian Shepherd, Freddy. For more information regarding Susan's classes and private instruction, please contact Susan directly via email: greatdogsagility@gmail.com
Kathy has trained her own dogs for fun and competition for 30 years. She has competed with her dogs through the AKC Open Level in Obedience Competition, and has trained two dogs at the AKC Utility Level in Obedience Competition. She also trains and competes in agility and herding.
Kathy is a certified AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator a member of the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers) an active member of the Hangtown Kennel Club (Placerville/El Dorado Hills) where she teaches Competition Obedience. She keeps current in dog training methods by attending seminars and workshops in obedience, agility and herding.
Kathy owned collies in the past for approximately 30 years, however she is now owned by three Shetland Sheepdogs. Her oldest dog, Dash, is retired from herding and recently achieved his MACH 3 in agility. He is also preparing to compete in obedience at the utility level. Dart, her other male sheltie also recently achieved his MACH in agility, and is working at the Intermediate level in herding, and at the Novice and Open levels in obedience. Her youngest dog, Tess, is training in foundation skills in herding, is training in obedience and achieved her first MACH in agility this year. For more information regarding her classes, please contact Kathy directly via email: KikuyamaK@aol.com
Kretner, Lisa: (Instructor: - Agility Intermedite - Advanced. Lisa has been enjoying dog sports since 1996 when she attended her first agility demo. Since then she has gone on to explore the fascinating world of dogs, including Agility, Conformation, Freestyle, Herding, Lure Coursing, Narcotics Searching, Obedience, Rally, Schutzhund and Tracking. She has trained and competed with her own dogs to many titles in several venues of dog sports frequently in the placements. Lisa has taught agility from beginning foundation to advanced competition classes in addition to Dog Boot Camp Family Obedience for the local park district. Her emphasis is in having fun with your K9 friend using positive and motivational methods. She keeps her training methods current by participating in numerous seminars and workshops in all types of dog sports presented by well known and respected trainers from all over the world.
Lisa is a member of several local and national dog clubs: American Belgian Tervuren Club, Haute Dawgs Agility Group, Redwood Belgian Tervuren Fanciers and Two Rivers Agility Club of Sacramento. For the various clubs, she has been an active member, served on the Board and held numerous Committee/Dog Show-Trial positions as well as being a club Treasurer several years running.
Lisa is currently training and competing with her three Belgian Tervuren (“Yatzee”, “Paige” and “I.C.”), ranging in age from 16 months to 8 years of age in Agility, Conformation, Freestyle, Herding, Obedience, Rally and Tracking. Her motto is “It’s all about having fun with your dog”. For more information regarding her classes, please contact Lisa directly via email: agiltervs@comcast.net
Amie is the founder and owner of Placer Dog Training, a certified AKC Canine Good Citizenship trainer and evaluator, and member of APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers). She is a longtime member of the Sacramento Dog Training Club (AKC). She is a dog obedience competitor/handler with over 20 years of experience in dog training. She keeps current in her training methods by attending seminars, lectures, and workshops given by nationally and internationally ranked competitors. Her emphasis in training is via positive reinforcement. Her experience in dog training range from fun parlor tricks to achieving several obedience, rally, and agility titles, with placements on her dogs.
Amie has owned several dogs including a Miniature Poodle, German Shepherd, Alaskan Malamute, Maltese/Poodle mix, three American Cocker Spaniels, a Border Collie and a Papillon. She has competed in AKC obedience at the novice, open, and utility levels. She has been a participant at the Gaines/Pup-Peroni Western Regional Dog Obedience Championships at Sacramento, and at Portland, Oregon, both in the category of Open. Two of her cocker spaniels achieved certification with Therapy Dogs Incorporated. Currently her Border Collie "Skye", and American Cocker Spaniel "Mocha" are working in Obedience, Rally, K9 Freestyle, Agility and Tracking. Her Papillon, "Lexie" is working on skills in obedience, freestyle and agility. Contact Amie directly via email: placerdog@surewest.net
McClendon, Janet: (instructor: Open/Utility Competition Obedience) Janet McClendon is an accomplished dog trainer and handler with 20 years of experience. She is knowledgeable and keeps current in many techniques of dog training, and prefers a positive approach to training for fun and success in the ring. She has owned several breeds of dogs including a Belgian Tervuren, Belgian Sheepdogs, Border Collies, and a Pit Bull Terrier. She has titled her dogs in Conformation, Obedience, Tracking, Herding and Agility, and has earned many first places and high in trials in Competition Obedience. She is currently competing and training with her three border collies, Ziggy, Tyler and Keegan, in Obedience, Tracking and Herding. Contact Janet directly via email: ziggzmom@yahoo.com.
McCoin, Arlene: (instructor: Open/Utility Competition Obedience) Arlene McCoin has been training, competiting and titling her dogs for over 15 years. She is an active member the local Dobermin Pincher Club, the Sacramento Dog Training Club, and participates in seminars to include national and internationally ranked competitiors to keep her skills current. Arlene has achieved high in trials, and has also competed in the Western Regionals in Obedience. She is currently training her two Doberman Pinchers, Lance and Juliet, in Competition Obedience and Tracking. Contact Arlene via email: arlenemccoin@aol.com.
White, Pat (Instructor: Pet Obedience, Heeling and Competition Readiness)
Pat White has been involved in various dog sports for nearly 20 years. As a teenager, she began training and showing quarter horses at the national level. She married, had three children and her interests moved to teaching soccer and little league. She and her husband (of 30 years!!) purchased their first Golden Retriever for the family in 1988 and were hooked on dog training when she attended her first obedience class!! Pat began teaching obedience two years later.
Pat has earned advanced titles in competition obedience many times over!! She has earned two Obedience Trial Championship (OTCh) titles on two of her Golden Retrievers, three Utility Dog Excellent titles (UDX), six perfect scores of 200 on three different dogs, over fifty High in Trial awards, and thirty plus High Combined awards, the highest awards you can earn at an obedience trial. Additionally, she has been ranked nationally in obedience and agility with multiple dogs. Not only does she continue to rank her obedience dogs but, also trains them at the highest levels in dog sports: agility, tracking, and hunting tests. Her current dog, Ted, is currently one of the most titled Golden Retrievers in the country sporting an OTCH, MACH3, TDX and MH.
Pat has trained with some of the world's top trainers for many years. For the past decade she has trained with Sylvia Bishop (from England), Susan Garrett (Canada), Greg Derrett (England), Nancy Gyes (California) and Bobbie Anderson (Oregon). Her style of training is motivational but no nonsense, bottom line foundation emphasizing developing a relationship with your dog which will make you successful in the ring!! Training with these top-level obedience and agility trainers has given Pat the depth of experience and tools to work with her own dogs, and pass along to her own students through group and private lessons and her successful obedience and agility seminars. If you watch her dogs work, you would truly understand how motivational her training is, yet they are consistent and eager to work in the show ring! Contact Pat directly via email: CapitalK9s@aol.com,
