Debbie Motley
I have had dogs for over 40 years. Most of those years were with dogs adopted from shelters, that I trained to be household companions. I then discovered the dog club and have been active for over twelve years. I have served the club as President and as Secretary and have taught a variety of classes from Conformation, Puppy Socialization, Beginners, and Rally Advanced.
My passion is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel which I have shown as well as my Golden Retriever in AKC, Canada, and UKC conformation shows
My dogs also compete in AKC obedience & rally trials and in AKC & CPE agility trials and my golden has also competed in hunt tests and earned her junior hunter title.
Cathy Kishel
The Canine Coach
Association of Pet Dog Trainers member
I started training with the IRDTC 1975 and soon after became in an instructor. I have taught all levels of obedience & agility, ranging from puppy classes to competition levels as well as instructed therapy dog and canine good citizen classes. I also give private lessons that range from basic household problems to behavior modification. With my own dogs, Labrador Retrievers, I have competed in events ranging from obedience, hunt tests, rally, agility an conformation having finished numerous titles including many class placements. As part of my ongoing desire to learn I attend work shops and seminars to keep up to date with new training techniques.
Carol Cheney
Hi, my name is Carol Cheney. I live in Sturgeon Township with my husband, Chris, 6 Parson Russell Terriers, 2 Scottish Deerhounds, an American Staghound and a Border Collie. We go under the name of Flintlock Farm.
I have been active with dogs all my life, over the last 35 years working with various breeds of dogs in multiple venues. Currently, Chris and I show in conformation, earthdog, rally and obedience with great success having earned multiple titles with our dogs. Several of our Terriers have earned the highest titles in A.K.C. Earthdog and Verastility Titles through Parson Russell Terrier Association of America (the A.K.C. parent club for the breed). The majority of our dogs are A.K.C. champions who go on to performance titles. We believe a well balanced dog has titles on both ends of its name. The dog in my photo is CH Flintlock’s Chatelaine, a home bred bitch, going Best of Winners for a 5 pt. major at the Devon show in Philadelphia 2007; one of the most prestigious shows in the country. (The picture will be up shortly.) We also recently have had one of the Terriers certified for Therapy Dog work through Therapy Dog International and are doing hospital and nursing home visits.
I have taught Puppy Classes for IRDTC for over 15 years and have done other classes such as beginner but prefer to work with owners and puppies to help build the basic building blocks for a successful relationship. Over the years I have had experience with most breeds of dogs and not all dogs learn or respond the same way, so experience is paramount in an instructor. Living and working with packs of dogs has given me valuable experience in dog behavior and the importance of pack leadership. I feel most problems are a lack of communication between dog and owner and strive to help owners recognize the signals their dogs are giving them and help to create a better bond between them.
Jane Lehtinen
My name is Jane Lehtinen. I have been showing dogs in many venues since 1978. I began with my first pure-bred Doberman Pinscher in Obedience. A Beagle friend started taking me along with her to shows as she had too many to handle herself. That experience taught me a lot.
I have shown over 100 dogs to American championships including breeds such as: Pomeranians and Schipperkes. I’ve earned five (5) CD’s on Austrailian Shepherds, Pomeranians, Schipperkes. I have multiple Agility degrees in three venues and AKC Rally titles.
I own a dog grooming business locally. This allows me to earn my paycheck and still travel to the dog shows when I want to. You can say I am “really” into the dogs!
Scott Dahlquist
Skijorring/Canicross Instructor
Scott got his first sled dog, Raven, in 1990 and began skijoring competitively in 1991. With Raven, he entered his first race and finished dead last. However, after acquiring more dogs and doing more training, he dominated the pro skijor class in the North Star Sled Dog Club for the next ten years. He went on to have Clear Shot Racing Sled Dogs and at the height of his racing career was ranked in the top ten internationally. He supported his passion by working as a veterinary technician, dog food rep, and equip outfitter.
Missi Roland
Competition Agility and Obedience Instructor
Pictured above from left to right:
CH/UCD/UAG2 Avatar Chieftain of Bayshore CDX/RN “IAN”
Bokate Clique Click BOOM! RN “CLIQUE”
Missi
UUD R’Quest Immediate Possession UDX/RN/JHD/HT/SCD “REPO”
CHX/UCDX/UACHX VX. R’Quest Adren-Line Rush CDX/RE/HSAsd/HIAsd/HXAsd/AX/AXJ/NCC/NF/NJC “TRIPP”
A day without dogs is not a real day! My life revolves around dogs and I enjoy teaching others about my passion and how they can develop a wonderful relationship with their dogs through positive, motivational training methods.
My experience in dog sports spans over three decades along with success and titles on multiple breeds in the American Kennel Club/Canadian Kennel Club and United Kennel Club including Obedience, Agility, Field, Tracking, Conformation, Fly Ball, Rally and Herding. My breed of choice is the Border Collie of which I have bred two generations of Obedience Trial Champions, multiple bench Champions, owned/handled Cynda: the first female Border Collie ever to earn AKC/CKC/UKC Obedience Championship, she also was the 6th dog to earn the UKC Obedience Championship after it‘s inception, Presto: a CH/Multiple BOB/UDT/200 scorer.
I have previous and current students with a variety of breeds but have also handled multiple breeds to titles for their owners.
Success for myself and my students relies on the building of a solid, no grey area foundation to make all future training more effortless.
“There is no greater beauty then watching a dog become one with his handler.”
John and Kathy Perusich
John and Kathy have owned Siberian Huskies since 1973.
Johns’ first instructing class was in the late 1990’s right here at IRDTC. He helped with two Beginner classes and taught an Open/Agility class. He also made the agility jumps and a set of weave poles.
We taught the 1st unofficial Rally class at TPDTC and the 1st Rally class at ADTA.
Kathy taught a night of Beginner and Advanced Beginner classes at ADTA.
John and Kathy both helped with Graduation classes, Run-thrus and Fun Matches at ADTA.
John has judged Sanction matches and Kathy was Match Chair at TPDTC.
Through National Steel Pellet Co. they taught an 8-week session of Puppy and Beginner classes for employees.
We have attended a Judges Rally seminar, Judy Howard seminars, Working seminars with Sue Koche and private lessons with her.
Our Accomplishments;
John and Alex UD RAE3 AO AOJ AXP AJP; Canadian OTCH and CDI; NADAC NA NJ, NG, outstanding performance NJ and Novice Gamblers.
John and Niki UD RAE3 NAP NJP; Canadian CDX.
Kathy and Frankie UDX2 RAE 2 NAP NJP; Canadian OTCHX. They were invited to AKC Nationals Obedience Invitational four years in a row.
From 2002-2006 the dogs were ranked in the top 5 Siberian Husky’s in Canadian obedience.
Niki and Frankie also were one of the top ten Obedience Brace teams in the US with a high score of 198.5.