How it All Began!

So, ever wonder how dog trainers get started? Well, here's my condensed story.

Like many dog trainers, I didn't plan on being one as a young child (although my five year old granddaughter says she wants to be a dog trainer - gotta love it!). I did the usual, "working for the man", when I "grew up" and my last 16 years of corporate work was with 3M. At 28 I adopted my first basset hound, Kelsey. She is the blame for all this blogging as without her I would have never taken the steps towards the world of dog training. She was eight months old when we went to our first obedience class because she kept running away to go to KMart. This was 25 years ago and I had no clue how to keep her home (like a real fence in the backyard might of worked...daah!). So off to the 3M Club dog training club we went and darn if she wasn't too bad at it and I really liked it. We kept working in the Novice level and I put an AKC obedience title on her. She was the best teacher in the world, thank goodness she ran away! I started to be more and more involved with the dog club, eventually being the president among other positions. During the six years I was with the club I adopted my border collie Jezebelle, who took to me places I could never have gone without her. Because of her we achieved a utlity title with AKC, which allowed me to apply as an obedience judge. I am now a judge for the Novice and Open level of AKC, and can judge all levels of AKC Rally. In 1996 I left 3M and opened my own training school (AllBreed Obedience and Behavioral school for dogs in Woodbury, MN). While still working at 3M I partnered a business from 1990-1996 called Top Dog Training Acadamy in Hudson, Wisconsin. I wrote a book in 1999, "Seeing Eye to Eye with your Dog" and have done numerous t.v. appearances. All because of a naughty basset!

So never underestimate why you have the dog you do. I've had plenty of dogs in my life and each and every one has tuaght me something as well I have taught them. They are also wonderful teachers for our children. I raised two boys with lots of dogs in the house.

So hug that dog(s) of yours and give them a chance to take you down journey's you never would have done if they weren't in your life!

Stay posted - mucho more to come!