K9 College Dog Training, LLC
About
Clare & OWINTO Coco Chanel's Camellia, CGCA, TKA, RATO, BN
Meet Clare,
As a child, Clare’s family owned a black poodle mix named “Pepper Pup”. Pepper Pup was not a very nice dog. He bit the neighbor, escaped from the house numerous times and eventually was hit by a car resulting in a trip to the emergency room. Clare’s memory of Pepper Pups poor behavior served as the definition of what she didn’t want in a dog of her own.
It wasn’t until Clare married many years later that she acquired her first dog, a golden retriever named Bethany. Bethany was a fantastic dog. She was easy to train, had a great temperament and was wonderful with Clare's two young daughters. Bethany earned Clare her first AKC Obedience Companion Dog Title and Tracking Dog Title and set the course for her career working with dogs and their owners.
Clare has been breeding, training and showing dogs for over 25 years. She was co-founder of two AKC recognized Golden Retriever clubs in the area in the 80’s. She put her first AKC Conformation Championship on a dog named Topaz, which just so happened to be her second dog. Three of her golden retrievers lived to the ripe old age of 15 plus years which she attributes to the healthy and active lifestyle she helped cultivate.
One of Clare's passions is learning about dogs, everything about dogs. The various dog breeds, each breeds behavioral traits, and what they were originally bred to do. Clare enjoys learning about pedigrees, structure, mental health and how to develop a well-rounded beautiful dog while utilizing their inherited traits in sports training. She has a personal interest and participates in dog sports such as: Barn Hunt, Scent Work, Rally, Obedience, Conformation, Trick Training, Tracking, Herding and Dog Fitness Programs. She would also like to learn more about FASTCAT, Lure Coursing, Agility, IPO, Fly Ball, and Dock Diving.
Her love of dogs combined with her willingness to help others turned her passion for working with dogs, and their owners, into K9 College Dog Training, LLC in 2017. Clare considers herself a positive reinforcement based trainer which comes across naturally during sessions with her clients. She emphasizes that training is a critical component to establishing a long lasting relationship with your dog. However, her training is not limited to the animal itself. The owner receives just as much of her focus during the sessions as the animal.
Over the years, training has changed so much that one must continue their studies in the dog training arena in order to keep up. Clare actively pursues continuing education opportunities in her field of expertise to stay ahead of the pack. As a former Project Manager for DuPont Engineering, she grasps the importance of listening while also asking lots of questions during her studies and when meeting with her clients.
While Clare initially focused her efforts on Goldens, she branched out to Australian Shepherds in 2008. At this time she has 3 generations on the ground. She currently has 3 Aussies training in competition. Chanel is currently working in Utility, Cami is training through Open and learning Barn Hunt and Ruger has started his show career in the conformation ring, obedience and scent work.
Today Clare is training her 8th dog. Each dog has taught her something new. Clare is excited to learn more about the different arenas in dog sports, what makes each dog tick and to see where this journey takes her while meeting new clients and their dogs along the way!
Ruger placed second out of a very large class and earned his first AKC Title, Novice Container with AKC Judge Terri Eyer.
Cami Earning her Instinct Title and 2 legs towards her Novice Barn Hunt Title with Judge Kim Loar. She earned her Novice title very quickly and now has 2 legs on her Open Title.
