Sheila Joseph
My name is Sheila Joseph and I’ve owned a dog or two for the last thirty years. My first dog was a husky that I would hook up to my daughter’s red wagon for walks.
I took my second husky to agility classes but never competed.
In 2004 I got my first mini schnauzer, Trixie. She was my Velcro dog. She couldn’t be more than one room away from me. I took her to a Rally class in 2009.(Rally is a course of signs with different obedience directions that the handler and dog need to complete as a team). The instructor said I should think of competing since Trixie was so attentive. I signed up for completion the summer of 2010. Trixie completed 3 trials and won a Rally Novice title. I was hooked! Trixie went on to get the Rally Advanced title. I retired her after that due to an injury.
That winter we were given Sophie, a Shih Tzu-Poodle mix. After taking her through beginner class we signed up for Rally. Sophie won 3 Rally titles – Novice, advanced, and excellent. She also won Beginner Novice and Novice obedience titles. Somewhere in those years I was asked to teach Rally at IRDTC.
In 2015 Emmy, another mini schnauzer, came into our lives. At 2 1/2 she has won all three Rally titles.
Right now Rally is held on Thursday nights. It’s a fun sport and builds relationship with your dog.
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.
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.
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.
Karlyn Berg
Karlyn has been training her German Shepherds at IRDTC since the winter of 2004. She has taught Rally Obedience, presented introduction to tracking and currently teaches the Scent Work class. Karlyn’s two German Shepherds have achieved multiple titles with both dogs including CGC, Star, Puppy, Beginner Novice and Novice and advanced Obedience levels, along with Rally Excellent, Therapy Dog, Conformation Championships, and AKC and CPE Agility. Both dogs received their Tracking Dog titles last year and are now working on Tracking Excellent , Variable Surface Tracking and are now working on completing Open and Utility Obedience titles.Penny Uber
Penny and her husband are AKC Breeders of Merit, who breed and raise Nova Scotia Duck tolling Retrievers. Penny has also been involved as a Humane Society volunteer and Board member.