I started training dogs in when I was 9 years old - I trained every dog in the neighborhood! I joined local obedience classes and got introduced to competition obedience. I started showing when i was 10 and was teaching 4H and local obedience by the time I was 14. It was a natural progression when I discovered agility to start teaching it, so i invited all my obedience students to come take a class… “if you build it they will come!” I was enjoying the sport so much that I wanted everyone to do it! And they did! (Having travel companions was an additional bonus) Many of the “original 7” are still competing with us today,

Training still remains my passion! I love watching those light bulb moments happen with both the handlers and their  dogs as they figure things out together, and creating a plan to address each unique problem so we can bring the best out of each team. I enjoy working with a variety of breeds and working with each individual personality. Watching the handler’s journey and seeing the bond develop as they progress in their training is the most rewarding thing in my life!

I started playing agility because it was so FUN! I had a lot of show dogs that had no job after getting their championships and we had discovered agility as a demo event at the larger breed shows. My show dogs also did obedience, so it was easy to handle them off lead to try it out, and they loved it as much as i did, In 1989 we started a fun agility/flyball group with my in-laws and we all were hooked. We put on a lot of demos at fairs, schools and nursing homes - introducing the sport to as many as we could, 

I started competing in 1990 with UKC, NADAC, and USDAA. We drove anywhere to find an agility trial, as there weren’t many around us at first (AKC recognize the sport until 1994). I was lucky enough to get to be a part of the Eukanuba agility demo group in the early 90s. They would put on a fancy show for large pet expos and dog shows around the country,  We got paid to play agility, flyball, barrel racing, drill team and other games with our dogs!

My greatest accomplishment in this sport DEFINITELY was being selected to compete on the AKCs 2009 World agility team, I went to the FCI world championship in Austria with my Border Collie “Zippity” and competed in the team and individual events, We have competed in 20+ finals in AKC and USDAA but have some favorite memories:

• In 2008 Zippity and I made the long trek to Arizona for USDAA nationals and ended up 2nd in STP finals and 5th in GP finals.  Back then there were like 600 dogs entered in our height class,

• Another favorite was winning the AKC Challenger Round with Zippity in 2009 and with Cappy in 2014. Although they both went on to a top place in finals - nothing beats the thrill of running in that challenger round where you give it everything you got,  the only prize is the winner goes to finals and the fastest dogs are in there!

• In Harrisburg, at the 2014 AKC Nationals, we had the best year ever with Zachary going 4 clean rounds and placing 3rd in Finals and Cappy winning the challenger round and placing 2nd in finals!

• IN USDAA nationals in Kentucky we won the Performance Grand Prix with a students dog Cressa , she was one fun fast little Border Collie!

Over the years I have titled many breeds - Smooth Fox Terrier, Springer Spaniels, Dobermans, Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, and of course, Border Collies. I have put 27 MACH/PACHS on 7 different dogs and been in the finals ring at USDAA and AKC nationals over 20 times, but just playing the sport every weekend with my dogs is the most fun of all!!

After 30 years (and discovering agility!) I have given up participating in the breed ring but have bred and showed many Shetland Sheepdogs, Springer Spaniels, and Smooth Fox Terriers to their Championship title. I  have earned numerous obedience titles on my dogs in the past, including 5 CDX and 2 UD titles, and still occasionally compete,  I have done some rally and dock diving - but my new passion is herding! The Border Collies have 6 "quackies" at home so we can practice our herding. Nothing is better than watching your dogs do what they were bred to do, I never tire of watching instinct at work!

I currently live with 5 Border Collies - so life is never dull! 16 year old Zippity, 13 year old Zachary, 9 year old Zealous, 3 year old Zander and 2 year old Ticket.  All black and white of course!

When I was a child, a neighbor had a magnificent Doberman Pinscher. I fell in love with him and I told everyone that when I grew up, I was going to have a Doberman who would love me as much as Pitt loved Mrs. Pappas. In March of 1968, I graduated from The Grace Hospital School of Anesthesia for Nurses and had begun my new job. In that first week, one of my new colleagues was talking about her new litter of puppies. I asked what kind of dogs she had—I knew it was a fantastic omen when she said “Doberman Pinschers!” Darby came to me at 8 weeks and started my journey through the world of dogs. With my former husband, I participated in conformation and obedience in the early years. Over the following decades, I had many wonderful dogs who were loving companions and protectors. I worked full-time as a Nurse Anesthetist and taught Obstetrical Anesthesia. I also became an avid golfer, competing at local and state levels in Michigan and Pennsylvania after moving to Erie in 1985. In 2006, I came to appreciate that I was losing my competitive edge in golf—I could not drive as far or score as low as I once did. I resigned my golf membership and turned to my dogs. 

I began training and subsequently competing in Schutzhund, which includes obedience, tracking, and protection work. The closest training facility was near Youngstown, and that became increasingly difficult and complicated.

After joining Erie Kennel Club, Inc. in 2009, I volunteered to work an agility trial. That experience was an epiphany for me—the agility ring was where I wanted/needed to be. Roca came to me in 2010 and we began our agility journey at Countryside Agility. Training, trialing, and earning titles were amazingly fun and I learned that problem-solving was amazingly rewarding.

I was thrilled, but also felt a bit insecure in early winter of 2014 when Denise asked me to be an instructor. What was she thinking? At the time, I had trained only two agility dogs! She assured me she would be there for me—she was and still is. In January, 2015, Countryside Agility moved from Edinboro to Erie and I was an Agility Instructor! This new chapter of my life has been the best. Helping students navigate their agility journey is immensely rewarding and I am genuinely thrilled with their success and accomplishments, in and out of the ring.

Special thanks to my present and past partners:
Ch Kerwynd’s Start the Countdown  (Turbo) OA NAJ, NF
Kerwynd’s Concepcion’ del Oro (Vega)
Beck’s Marshal Dillon (Dillon) OA AXJ NF T2B SS SR 

At the bridge: 
Beck’s Miss Kitty (Roca) OA NAJ MXP4 MXPB MJP3 MJPB NF MFP T2BP3 APR SPS APG SPJ PD
Cara’s Jackpot Bingo, BH
Darby, Jesse, Charlie Brown, Baron, Segan, Schona, Brian, Abby, & Luger

I started playing agility in 2004 for an activity to do with my first border collie Gilley.  Gilley was the first dog I ever trained; he eventually teamed with my husband and earned 7 AKC Championship titles.  I started teaching for Countryside in 2009.

I primarily compete in AKC and USDAA venues and have multiple MACH and ADCH titles on my border collies Whiskey and Brody.  I competed at AKC National Agility Championships (NAC) in 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Whiskey and Brody who achieved several top placements.  In 2015, Brody and I competed in the AKC NAC Challenger Round in Reno, NV.  I also completed at Cynosport World Games in 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019 with Brody securing numerous top placements in both team and individual events.  In 2015, Brody and I competed in the Cynosport Steeplechase Finals in Murfreesboro, TN.  

I love competing at regional and national events and my favorite memories are from these long trips, spending time with my husband (who also competes) and pack of border collies on the road.  

I currently own Five border collies, Whiskey, Brody, Cameron, Five and Alex.  I am looking forward to competing with my newest partner Alex.  Outside of agility I do a lot of walking, hiking, and swimming with my pack of border collies. 

I love teaching and enjoy sharing in my student’s accomplishments.

I started playing agility in 1998 when I adopted a crazy Elkhound from a shelter and she needed an outlet. The teamwork and fun of agility hooked me. I’ve been a dog trainer all of my life, but joined Countryside Agility around 2002.

A couple of my greatest agility accomplishments include earning a Masters on the Elkhound, which felt like a MACH; that dog had a sense of humor! Also, earning a MACH on a Tervuren, who was the love of my life and a MACH2 on an awesome Sheltie. Then I quit showing to focus on a house remodel - and have since gotten into garden, traveling, and family life and save my energy and agility love for teaching.

My favorite part of teaching is experiencing when students finally becoming a team with their dog. They make it over the learning hump and gain control and understanding, and are able to run together as a team. Seeing their dog as its own entity and developing a 2 way communication. Teams, who as beginners, I thought were “most likely to drop out'“ because of their lack of connection with the dog, become “most improved” to “wow”.

I enjoy all my class dogs like they're my personal dogs. I want students to relax and have a good time in class. It goes down the leash. 

Outside of agility, I’m currently loving Tracking and Scent Work with my 2 Border Collies. I’ve also done herding for years with my Tervuren and dabbled in obedience and rally. I love training tricks, hiking, and simply playing with my dogs. I really have never liked 'showing'... it's the training and time with the dog that I like. I’m also opening my own own pet training center in Conneaut, OH called K9 Focus! Where it all begins!

I started playing agility in 2007 and joined Countryside a few years after that. I've always played sports and was drawn to such a fun way to combine my love of sports with my love of dogs!

My greatest agility accomplishments are earning multiple MACHs (also a PACH) on multiple dogs, qualifying for several AKC Nationals (and competing at 2 with my first 2 agility dogs!), competing at the Toller Specialty several years and earning the Preferred Dog High in Trail with my first agility dog, Trooper.  More importantly, I think the greatest accomplishment one can earn is the love and respect of your teammate. And that perfect or most memorable run doesn't alway happen at a huge venue or even earn you a new title and pretty rosette... sometimes not even a Q!  But it's the feeling of two legs and four paws running as one. I have been blessed to reach that feeling several times with 4 different dogs now, and a puppy well on his way!! That is our greatest accomplishment!

There is tie between two of my “favorite agility memories” - Earning my first MACH with my Novice A dog, and our first run back with that same dog after rehabbing him from a herniated disc.

Outside of agility we play Barnhart and Dock Diving as well as dabbling with ducks, hoping to knuckle down and work towards a WC with my current kids. I'd also like to give Rally a go someday with my little girl!

Dogs are my passion and I absolutely love watching them learn! Helping people learn how to communicate with their pup and teaching them how to listen to their dog is extremely rewarding. My pups are my kids and my world revolves around them!