Tri-State Dog Obedience Club

Valerie Bernhardt - I started in dogs in 1971 after finally moving to Pa. Working and having dogs was a childhood dream that after 35 plus years still remains my passion. To date I have owned and trained over 20 Flat-coated retrievers and 9 English cocker spaniels to over 16 bench championships ( all owner handled), 16 plus CD, 8 CDX's 12 working certificates, 4 working certificate excellents, 9 junior hunters, 1 senior hunter plus over 20 titles in Rally both in the US and Canada. I have also run multiple dogs in agility gaining 15 agility titles also in various registries. In addition some of the dogs have placed and won sporting groups, 2 achieved high in specialty trials awards and several have been nationally rated in various registries.

I have been training for TSDOC since the mid- 70's having apprenticed under some of the best trainers duing that period. I try to keep current with training methods by attending seminars yearly. After all of these years I still get the most satisfaction out of teaching the beginners class and watching dog and handlers become working teams.

Joan Clemmons - AKC RALLY INSTRUCTOR FOR 4 YEARS-
Before my involvement with dogs I worked with horses most of my life. During that time I owned, trained, showed and instructed. In 1996 I took my first obedience class at TSDOC with my German Shepherd because I wanted a well behaved dog. Later, I began training my Pug, Rosie. This is when my interest in training dogs for competition began. Rosie and I earned titles in Rally, Obedience and Agility. We are currently working towards her U.D. and excellent agility titles. My English Bulldog, Holly, has earned AKC Rally and C.D. titles and is now working towards her C.D.X.

I own six dogs, ranging from a Chihauhua to a Great Dane. My husband and I, along with our children started a 4-H dog club called K-9 Frenzy. I was lucky to start AKC Rally at its inception and attended seminars while working through my Novice to Excellent titles. I was asked to teach a class at TSDOC and found I really enjoyed the challenge.

Overall, for me, it is not the titles that are most important, but the people I have met and helped along the way, especially those who have helped and supported me.

"I believe that dog training should not be a chore but something that is enjoyed by both dog and human. From basic obedience to the more advanced varieties of training, it's about the journey, not the destination. Positive reinforcement, clarity, consistency & mutual respect are key elements for building a solid & enjoyable relationship."

PAST DOGS
"Kelly" (Sheltie) - Obedience: Novice A to AKC & Canadian UD; Dog World Award
"Teddie" (Sheltie) - Obedience: AKC UD, UDX and OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion), Canadian OTCH.
- Multiple High in Trial & High-Combined awards; 2 Dog World Awards.
- Competed in several regional & national level tournaments, placing 4 times at Gaines Eastern Regional
Tournaments (once in Novice, and 3 times in Super Dog). In 1990 & 1991, ranked as one of the top 10
Shelties in AKC Obedience.

Sara Jacobs - started training dogs in the early 1980's. She has owned and trained the following breeds St. Bernard, Newfoundland, Labrador Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, and Golden Retriever. She has trained and shown in competition obedience, agility, rally, and conformation.

Sara has also shown in the breed ring and has had 3 champions. She also shows in the field and has placed a JH (Junior Hunter) on her German Shorthaired pointer and a draft title on one of her Newfoundlands.

She has titled dogs in the following disciplines:

Obedience	Agility	AKC Rally
CD (Companion Dog) CDX'(Companion Dog Excellent) UD (Utility Dog)	NA (Novice Agility) OA (Open Agility) NAJ (Novice Agility Jumpers) OAJ (Open Agility Jumpers)	RN (Rally Novice) RA (Rally Advanced) RE (Rally Excellent) APDT Rally Levels 1, 2, 3 ARCH, ARCH X, ARCH EX

Sara has worked in a shelter helping the dogs with basic obedience so they could be adopted our more easily.

"I try to make training fun for the dog and owner. Using food and toys in my training teaches the dog that he can learn by having fun. There is not just one way to teach a dog - if one way doesn't work, we just find another way."

Barbara Miller - began her interest in dog training in 1979 and her association with Tri-State Dog Obedience Club started shortly thereafter. Barbara's first dog, a corgi cross named Ferdinand, completed his Mixed Breed Companion Dog title at a TSDOC match show back in 1986. Since then Barbara and her dogs have earned well over 100 titles in Obedience, Agility, Herding, Tracking, Flyball and Conformation. She has achieved several breed "firsts" including the first AKC agility title on a Basset Hound and the first VCD1 (CD, NA, NAJ, TD) on an American Foxhound. Her Cardigan Welsh Corgis, Australian Cattle Dogs, Foxhound and Basset Hounds have consistently been top ranked Nationally in Obedience, Rally and Agility.

Barbara teaches Puppy Kindergarten and Agility at Tri-State Dog Obedience Club. She believes that building a strong learning foundation early in a dog's life is crucial to a successful life-long relationship.

"There is no end to what a dog can do when he discovers early on that learning is fun! I get the greatest gratification from seeing an owner returning to Puppy Kindergarten with a new puppy after a long and loving life with one of my graduates from years gone by."

Richard "Mack" Mackintosh - has owned Flat Coated Retrievers since 1976, bred by Valerie Bernhardt. His very first competition dog was in 1977 when he first joined TSDOC. He has brought his dogs to numerous Obedience, Agility and Conformation titles and has always competed since that very first dog. He has competed in Obedience, Conformation, Agility and brought dogs up to their Working Certificate for field work.

Mack taught basic Novice Obedience classes for First Dog Training Club of Northern NJ for 18 years and Novice and CGC classes for the Ramsey High School Adult classes for around 10 years. He was one of the first CGC Evaluators for the AKC, and for a while was an evaluator for Therapy Dog International. He was an instructor for Skyline Agility in Haverstraw, NY for over 10 years. He is still a Certified Animal Control Officer for the State of NJ and for a time was a member of the Bergen County SPCA law enforcement division. When he retired from the Mahwah, NJ Police Department he became an AKC Agility Judge and in 2005 was asked to take on a full time job with the AKC Agility Department as an Agility Field Representative and he is still at it.

He is presently working with his Flat-Coat "Ridley" and they are anxiously getting ready to try for their Utility and Rally Advanced Excellent Titles.

Mack has a passion to be around dogs and feels blessed to be a part of the dog world. "I am a firm believer that dogs were domesticated because of their ability to want to please and work for us. Our job is to show them what pleases us and not spend a whole bunch of time on what doesn't. "

Betty Padgett - started in dogs around 1969 when she brought her collie to obedience classes at TSDOC. Shortly after that she began showing her collie and Shetland Sheepdog in obedience and junior showmanship, and her Siberian Huskies in confirmation. In the 1970's she began competing in sled-dog races with a variety of breeds from Siberian/Alaskan Huskies to Labrador Retrievers to Doberman Pinschers. Her team of Labrador and Dobermans took 2nd place in the Pennsylvania State Sled-dog Championships in 1986. Although she no longer races, she still has a recreational team made up of her Border Collies and can be seen "mushing" along the snowmobile trails in Pike County.

Three of her dogs, Australian Shepherd – Tucker, and Border Collies - Ben and Jake, qualified for and competed in five Obedience Championship Regionals, and Tucker won High in Trial at the Ralston Purina Maritime Obedience Invitational in Nova Scotia Canada in 1993. Border Collie Jake was a multiple High in Trial winner in obedience, earned his VCD2, Utility, Tracking, Excellent agility, Rally Excellent and PT herding titles. Miniature Pinscher, Rio, was owner/handled to his breed championship and rally novice.

She now is owned by 4 Border Collies who compete in herding, agility, obedience, tracking and rally. Tarquinn, her home-bred, has started working on his Herding Advanced title with a High in Trial, his Utility obedience and Excellent agility titles.

Rose Robischon - At present Rose is the President of the National Owner Handler Association, Inc. Before moving to this area she was president of the Nassau/Suffolk Chapter of the Owner Handler Association as well as their handling instructor in conformation. She has been President of the Tri-County Collie Breeders Association and trained and shown Collies in breed and obedience to their championships. She is a board member and AKC delegate of the Wallkill Kennel Club. She is also Vice President of the Stewards Club of America.