Meet the Team!
Manners Program
Deb Knappenberger, CPDT-KA
AKC CGC Evaluator
Debbie has been training her dogs for 15 years and teaching for 8 years. As a puppy fanatic, Deb teaches Puppy K & Advanced Puppy. Deb is an avid sports competitor and is currently trialing in obedience, rally and K9 nose work. Deb lives with her 2 Australian Cattle Dogs Squeak, Heidi & Aloha and her lab, Oz.
Deb is currently studying to take her IAABC CDBC exams and would like to expand her teaching to include sports and behavior issues.
Deb’s achievements include multiple titles in AKC, APDT and CDSP Rally & Obedience. Her proudest moments include Squeak's WCRL MX title as Squeak is a dog reactive dog. Great Achievement Deb!
Dawn Perl
ABC-ADT, AKC CGC Evaluator
Deb Stone
IAABC-ADT
AKC CGC Evaluator
Deb has always had a passion for dogs and dog training, being the one who always trained the family pets. She spent 5 years working at a daycare and boarding facility as well as doing pet sitting and volunteering for local shelters. Deb got into dog sports when she got her first dalmatian and trains and competes with her dalmatian and border collie mix in competitive obedience, rally, agility, trick dog and tracking.
After going on a journey with her reactive dog, Deb has gained special interest in canine behavior and behavior modification. Deb was recently certified as an Accredited Dog Trainer through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and is currently working towards becoming a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant.
Deb enjoys helping humans build stronger relationships with their dogs through positive reinforcement based training and by educating humans on canine behavior.
Accreditations: IAABC-ADT, AKC CGC Evaluator
Scent Work Program
Sarah Woodruff
NACSW CNWI
Sarah Woodruff is a certified nose work instructor (CNWITM) through the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW). Sarah and her rescue dog, Angie, started their nose work adventures in 2011. After dabbling in a number of activities including Tricks, Rally and Agility, Sarah learned that Angie’s most favorite activity was using her nose. Sarah enrolled in the 2011 PA nose work camp to learn as much as she could about K9 Nose Work® to bring the information back to her friends. After her first camp experience, Sarah started a local practice group and has been teaching classes ever since.
Sarah and Angie have achieved their NW1, NW2, NW3-Elite, and most recently their Elite-3 title. At 11 years old, Angie is still having fun playing in the Elite division and Element Specialty trials.
Sarah currently teaches all levels of classes from Intro to Elite. Sarah is an NACSW ORT Certifying Official and Judge, an NACSW trial Certifying Official, a Nose Work Camp instructor and a Performance Scent Dog (PSD) trial judge.
Manners Program
Kylene Peters, ADT-CTC
Kylene is a graduate, with honors, from the prestigious Academy For Dog Trainers which earned her a Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC). She is also a former Fear Free Level 3 Veterinary Professional from her previous days working as a veterinary assistant. Her main goal is to educate pet parents and modify dog behavior through reward based training. When Kylene is not training other dogs, she enjoys spending time with her border collie/lab mix, Eos.
Rally & Competition Obed
Program
Renée Hall
CPDT-KA, CDBC, IAABC-ADT, AKC CGC Evaluator
AKC Certified Fit Dog Lev 1
Renée runs the Comp Obed & Rally Programs. She enjoys working with new teams as well as experienced teams in both sports and is an active competitor with her own dogs, Jocelyn, Porsche, Julian & Savvy, & Phoebe.
The Let's Speak Dog program offers classes from starter thru advanced competition presented in a clear, structured approach. Each level introduces skills in a systematic way, building a strong foundation for both sports.
Renée's dogs have qualified for AKC Rally Nationals every year since 2013, have been nationally ranked in WCRL top 20 every year for the last 10 years with minimal trialling, and ranked in CDSP obedience for the last 6 years.
Renée is currently a WCRL Judge, CDSP Obedience Judge & NATE Judge.
Manners Program
Robert Hafer
AKC CGC Evaluator
Robert has been working with and training dogs for 20 years. His passion began with taking group classes with his own dogs! This lead to an apprenticeship with that trainer, learning how dogs learn, how to modify behavior and service dog work.
Bob worked in service dog training, working with mobility and public access. He worked for Petco, completing the Dog Trainer Program, teaching privates and group classes.
As Bob continued learning about behavior and behavior modification, he moved into work with reactive dogs. Bob worked closely with a number of Veterinarians in the Valley and complete the IAABC Principals & Practices course in 2020.
Bob is available for private coaching, behavior consulting and teaches some of our group classes.
Agility Program
Lynne Schroeder
AKC World Team Member
Lynne has a B.S. in Education from the Ohio State University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Rutgers University. Her professional career in health care management included 8 years in the human sector before being recruited into veterinary hospital management where she managed both primary and specialty hospitals for over 12 years.
Her love of dogs and athletics naturally lead her to the agility world where she has been actively training and competing in canine agility events for over 10 years across a variety of venues including AKC, USDAA, UKI, CPE and NADAC . She has put titles on her Schipperke and Miniature American Eskimo Dog and was a member of 2017 USA EO Team with her Miniature American Shepherd (“Mini Aussie”) Targhee.
In addition to training locally under Diane Bauman, Jess Ajoux and Mary Ellen Barry, Lynne has worked extensively with Sylvia Trkman in her Puppy, Foundations, and Running Contacts courses and regularly attends One Mind Dog seminars with the Finnish and North American OMD Coaches to keep current on the developments in the field. Lynne is devoted to the full-time pursuit of agility as a student, competitor and instructor. Lynne believes in creating a positive working environment for dogs and their handlers and enjoys the challenges and rewards of working with a variety of breeds to bring out the best in their potential!
Sports & Manners Progams
Laurie Bowen
AKC CGC Evaluator
AKC Certified Fit Dog Lev1
Started obedience training with her first Golden Retriever over 40 yrs ago. She competed with him as a junior handler in obedience and completed his CD(Companion Dog).
She currently has 4 Border Collies, who have all competed in Agility. She has a obtained the highest agility titles on 3 of her Border Collies. She also competes in AKC obedience, CDSP obedience, and Nose work .
MACH 4 PACH2 Dallas MXC,MJS2,MXP5,MJP7,MJPS,PAX,XF,T2B2,CGC,
who competed in 7 AKC National Agility Championship, and was a finalist in 2016 in Tulsa Ok. and made the Challenger's round in Georgia 2017. Competed at the Westminster Agility Championship placing first and third in the preliminary round. Waiting at the rainbow bridge.
PACH Kasey MX,MXJ,MJB,MXP3,MXPB,MJP3,T2BP,PAX ,XF,CGC who has competed in 2 AKC National Agility Championship in the preferred division, and made it to the Challengers round in Harrisburg. Kasey also as has her NW1 and NW2 titles, earning them at 11 and 12 yrs old.
MACH Fiona, MXG,MJS,MXP,MJP,MXF,T2B,TKA,CGC, who has also competed in 3 AKC National Agility Championships. She has also competed at the Westminster Agility Championship 3 times and is still actively competing in agility at 11 yrs. She is also working on her Rally Novice title.
Mick ,CD,BN, RN,AX,OAJ,XF,CGC,TKA, who is training in Obedience, and nose work, and due to an injury can no longer compete in agility.
Limerick, BN, RN, NA,TKA,CGC, has just started competition in agility and obedience.