Spotlight: 2 Local Dog Trainers
People are always asking me for recommendations on dog trainers. And luckily, I have two that I can highly recommend.
For basic dog obediance, I suggest Karen Murphy of Karen’s Canines. Both Kia (my rescued female Boxer) and myself have taken classes from Karen and we actually learned things. Well, I learned things and I taught them to Kia, but the effect was the same: a calmer dog who does know how to sit even though she pretends she doesnt. We took the basic puppy class at a local school and at the end Kia even got a graduation certificate. I was quite impressed.
Several years later I went with my friend Ellen to visit Karen and she even remembered me. I have trouble remembering peoples names two minutes after meeting them and she remembered my name years later!
Then two summers ago, my husband decided that he wanted to try Kia in agility training. So we packed up Kia and headed over to Chris Allen’s farm Atair Acres. There Kia tried to learn to jump poles, go through a cloth tube, twist her body though a series of upright poles, and sit on a platform. But her heart wasnt really into it. Chris had a full class that day and Kia was way more interested in the other dogs than doing any of those stunts. Finally we agreed that because of her tortured past she was just too stressed out to deal with the obstacle course. Of course Chris did not say it, but Boxers are not known for their agility abilities anyway…..
Chris also trains and shows Arabian horses and runs a boarding stable as well. If she is not at a dog show, she spends her time riding and driving her horses. Come to think of it so does Karen. She too is an accomplished horsewoman and rides and drives her horses. Maybe that is why I like them so much…….
You can see Chris Allen at: www.atairacres.com and can visit Karen Murphy at: www.karenscanines.com