I began training my first dog, Chachi at DTCCU in 2010—a pitbull/Welsh Corgi/Blue Heeler mix adopted from the Champaign County Humane Society (yes, he looked wonderfully weird). Together, we earned our CGC and continued through several obedience classes. That experience sparked my love for dog training and the sense of community that comes with it.
With my current dog, Luna, a Dutch Shepherd, I’ve focused on nosework and tracking. We’ve earned the AKC Tracking Dog (TD) title and the NACSW Odor Recognition Test (ORT), and since then I’ve served as Tracking Chair for the club as well as Tracking Test Chair and Secretary for several DTCCU tracking tests. My passion lies in the “sniffier” sports—tracking and nosework—where handler and dog work together as a team in the ring, in the field, and in everyday community settings.
I am a teacher by both trade and training, with experience teaching learners from preschool age through adults. I have a special appreciation for handlers partnered with dogs who possess strong working drives and may sometimes be misunderstood. I’ve been fortunate to learn from instructors who provided thoughtful accommodations that allowed my dog and I to succeed, then gradually faded those supports as our confidence and skills grew. I hope to provide that same supportive, encouraging experience to the dogs and handlers in my classes.
