Kerry Trainers:
Sorted by Country, State and City

Copyright © 2003 Kerry Blue Terrier Foundation

This list of trainers was compiled from comments made by your follow Kerry owners. All these trainers have worked with Kerries.

Another good source of trainer contacts is Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers at http://www.ccpdt.com/rstr/index.html  This Council is the body that certifies trainers recognized by the venerable Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).

In the article Helping Adopters Choose a Dog Trainer, Dorothy Turley explains what to look for in a trainer.

If you know of additional good Kerry trainers, please let me know (johnv@kerryblues.info). When submitting listings, please include a short description of your experience with this trainer.

Index

• Canada
  • Ontario
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

Canada

Ontario

McCann Professional Dog Trainers
Flamborough ON,
http://www.mccanndogs.com

Companion Dog Training
Cambridge ON,
http://www.companiondogtraining.org

Carolark
The Centre for Applied Canine Behaviour, run by Carolyn Clark.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://www.carolark.com/index.html

The training we all received has been invaluable. The website explains the origins of her philosophy of training so I won't go into it. She has sponsored seminars by Turid Rugaas and other progressive thinkers on training. Basically the training we received was based on positive reinforcement with treats and clickers. We were made to feel at home and the classes weren't stressful or tense. We took our Wheaten there for puppy classes and a few higher levels, but Mookie the Kerry went through the beginner and middle level classes as a 6 year old. So, I can't speak directly to the challenge of training a Kerry puppy, although I know if I had to choose a school for a Kerry puppy, I would choose Carolark. There was never a suggestion of using prong or choke collars. The instructors were friendly and loving to the dogs, not cold and aggressive as I have seen at other schools. The instructors at Carolark are there because they want to be ... it is more than a job for them. Many acquaintances in town have taken their dogs to Carolark and have been very happy. Bill Leonard Jan-2002

All About Dogs
Renee de Villiers
Toronto, Ontario
renee.devilliers@sympatico.ca

Spain

Julio Tudela
Valencia
635 885 777
julio_tudela@telefonica.net
http://www.onlydog.com/etologia

United Kingdom

Dog Training UK

United States of America

California

Mt. Diablo Dog Training Club
http://www.geocities.com/mddtclub/

Michelle Mingus
dogstuff@home.com

Happiness Country Kennels
5815 Mission Road
Sunol, CA 94025
http://www.happinesskennels.com
925-862-1900

Colorado

Blue Springs 'N Katydid Dog Training Center
2980 W. Oxford, Unit B
Englewood, CO 80110
Phone 303-781-9027

I have trained there for years and so have several others with Kerries. I have done conformation and agility and a smattering of obedience. Others have done the obedience. Charlotte Hart Feb-2001

Connecticut

Tails U Win
Leslie Nelson
Manchester, CT
860/646-5033

Kerrysue
Suzanne Rodda
544 B Narraganset Lane
Stratford, CT  06614
203 218-3350
Will travel.

Florida

Top Dog
Roz Mooney
Cattleman Road
Sarasota, FL
941/379-5999

Georgia

Jo-Thor's Dog Obedience Academy
3000 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta, GA 30062
770.642.4191

The owner's name is Joan. She is GREAT with dog with behavioral "challenges." She had never worked with a Kerry Blue before Jenny (Lisiji Juliana of the Jean), but she was captivated by her and how VERY smart she was. We got individual training, and Joan even came to our house and worked with us there, and on our normal walking path. And she kept telling us that Jenny would respond to what WE did - so I quickly realized that she was training US more than we were training Jenny (OUR habits were harder to break than hers!). I couldn't say enough good things about Joan. She also trains trainers in his area. Janet McCallen Feb-2000

Maryland

DOTC - Dog Owners Training Club of Maryland
Pikesville Armory
610 Reisterstown Rd
Baltimore Md
http://www.dotc.org/
Contact Registrar - 410-747-6776

This facility has a lot to offer in obediance, clicker training, agility and breed conformation. They also hold AKC sponsored obedience trials and Canine Good Citizen Certification I have attended classes here and it is a lot of fun and the poeple are very good with the dogs, yes there are Kerries here as well. Lisa Marie Wilkens Feb-2001

Fuzzy Faces Pet Sitting Service & L'Bijou Papillons

Ms. Elisa J. Kamens
c/o Fuzzy Faces Pet Sitting Service
10222 MacGill Ave
Columbia, Maryland 21045
410-997-8987

All Breed Conformation Classes (Beginning April 4th 2002) Classes will be a 6 week session at $67.00 prepaid price. If you miss the first 6 week course you can sign up for the next as it is on a rotating schedule Instructor - Goerge HOwes - 20 years experience in breeding and showing for the conformation ring Lisa Marie Wilkens Feb-2001

Massachusetts

Command Pawformance
Gail Cappadona, CPDT
766 Boston Rd, Rte. 3A
Billerica, MA 01821
978/262-9957
http://www.commandpawformance.com
E-mail: compawf@theworld.com

Kerrysue
Suzanne Rodda
544 B Narraganset Lane
Stratford, CT  06614
203 218-3350
Will travel.

Dog's Time -- It's Their Time!
Kathy Fardy
PO Box 1133
Billerica, MA 01821
978/667-6607
E-mail: dogstime @hotmail.com
http://www.dogstime.com

Jennifer Vickery
Southampton Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02120
617-541-1000
http://thepawsitivedog.com

Jennifer Vickery, my dog trainer, who also trains Tibetan Mastiffs, Airedales, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Pit Bulls, Jack Russells, and every other kind of obstinate, independent breeds, has her training school. She is the greatest, although she only looks to be in her early 20's, she's been doing dog training, basic, intermediate, advanced and agility training and obedience for almost 20 years. I am totally impressed with the guidance and suggestions she has given my with my little Kerry Blue Finnegan over the past 3 and 1/2 months. Michelle Wall Feb-2001

Angell Memorial Animal Hospital
Huntington Avenue
Boston (Jamaica Plain), MA
617-522-7282

For basic obedience, Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Jamaica Plain was fine, though classes may be large and too boring for kerries. We used them to get started, and then went off on our own. They care about the dogs more than the humans, which is good. If a dog isn't "getting it," they look at the human accusingly, which of course is correct. :-) Sharon Arkoff Feb-2001

Canine University
71 Clinton Street, Malden, MA
email: info@canineuniversity.com
Web: http://www.canineuniversity.com
(781)324-3722

For kerries that are looking for reassurance from their humans in order to blossom, I can recommend Canine University in Malden, Massachusetts. In my experience with them (agility classes), they are oriented toward positive motivation only, are very patient, train the owners from the dog's behavioral perspective, go in small steps, and keep the training process relaxed and low pressure. Sharon Arkoff Feb-2001 They are wonderful; no terrier prejudice whatsoever and always use positive reinforcement and methods...a variety of classes and experience levels. They are about average in price and also near public transportation ("T"). Owned and run by a very nice couple with 3 dogs and 2 children who are involved in obedience and agility competition. Molly Coen Feb-2001

Tails-u-win-again
Bea De Gruttola
508/865-9927

Bea De Gruttola does a great job training people to understand their dogs as well as making learning a very positive experience for the dog. Lots of success stories. She does everything from puppy class to agility to therapy dog training. Victoria Kniering Jan-2002

MasterPeace Dog Training
264 Fisher Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-553-9300
web site: http://www.masterpeacedog.com
E-mail: masterpeacedog@aol.com

Fran Masters, CPDT is the owner and teaches Puppy Kindergarten and Pet Obedience classes. She, herself, competes with her dogs in Obedience and Rally trials and has put many titles on her dogs. Esther Zimmerman, CPDT teaches Competition Obedience classes. She, too, competes with her dogs in Obedience and Rally trials, and has put titles on her dogs. I have trained with Esther for over 3 years; she has no prejudice towards any breed, and has done a remarkable job with me and my Kerry. This positive-method only facility also teaches agility and breed handling, holds show & goes throughout the year, and regularly holds run-thrus for obedience, agility and rally during the month. There are many more trainers there; all of them are great! Patty Sontag December 2005

Michigan

Hotlick's Kerry Blue Terriers
Adair, Kevin & Monica
876 Burke Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
616/456-0412

Superpetz Store
Wayne, MI
734/728-0093

Their trainer is named Judy Kaiser and her daughter Betsy Burnock and another trainer Chris Allen-Plemmons who have helped train Kerries, Irish, Airedales and Welshes over the years---personally, I have worked with them and trained 1 Dobe and 3 terriers and they are wonderful. Judy's late husband (Ron Kaiser) was a respected Obedience judge and they worked with AKC, CKC and UKC rules and regulations and are now also doing puppy socialization and agility classes. She also has helped with CGC and therapy dog testing. The store number is 734/728-0093 and Judy's home line is 313/561-2701 and she is most helpful. I refer all of our puppy people to her. Carol Pizzino Feb-2001

Minnesota

Total Recall School for Dogs
Sue Mills-Kothe
9056 W. Broadway
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464 1799
Fax 612-397-8085

The school is in Hugo MN about 35 minutes north of St. Paul. (I drive 40 miles each way to her school). Sue is one of the top obedience trainers in Minnesota and she understands terriers. I was once told that Max could not be trained. Sue worked with me and I have a trained Kerry. She uses the reward method and it works. I should also note that she was the first person in Minnesota to put a 200 in open on one of her dogs. I think there are only three other 200 dogs in the state. Gary Bush Feb-2001

New Jersey

Kerrysue

Wonderdogs
Barbara Kahn, Training Director;
Berlin, NJ
856-767-6464

Barbara Kahn uses positive methods, and I know of several Fox Terrier people who take classes there. She employs a couple of other trainers, who also use positive methods. They offer all levels of obedience, plus agility. I've been to seminars and matches there; the facility is excellent, and I recently became a member. They are about a 30-40 minute drive from Philadelphia. Virginia Barishek Feb-2001

New York

Jody Potter
Rochester, NY
JPotter400@aol.com

Kerrysue
Suzanne Rodda
544 B Narraganset Lane
Stratford, CT  06614
203 218-3350
Will travel.

Robin Willey
Rikker's Finishing School
Rocheser, NY
rwilley1@rochester.rr.com

North Carolina

Sallie Redding
Graham, NC
(919) 663-2260
redding@centernet.net

I have been training my two Kerries with Sallie Redding for the past 1.5 years. Sallie is excellent with the dogs and uses positive reinforcement to train them. We mostly do agility but she is also experienced in obedience. Brenda Vogel Feb-2001

Ohio

JL's Dog Training
Cincinnati
513 / 2479120

Joan L. Aufderhaar specializes in rescue dogs, behavior problems, and basic obedience training for your pet. She focuses on training with care and positive reinforcement to help your family and pet live together in harmony. She is the originator of giving a discount for rescue and Hamilton County SPCA dogs to assist with the adjustment of the dog to its new owners thus helping prevent its return to the shelter. We placed a young rescue Kerry in a home who found this trainer. This is just the kind of person who is needed to train any dog who has gone through a lot of unknown trauma. Barb Beuter Feb-2001

Kathy Crislip (Puppy Socialization, Novice, Open and Utility)
Mentor OH (east of Cleveland)
440-255-3301

Greta Marchus (Novice, Open, Utility, Agility and Tracking)
Painesville OH (east of Cleveland)
440-352-7513

Virginia Sepic (puppy socialization - very good at helping new owners understand the dog's pack behavior, along with problem dogs in private lessons)
Highland Heights, OH (near Cleveland)
440-442-1026

Pennsylvania

Greater Philadelphia Dog Fanciers Association
Virginia Barishek, new class coordinator
http://members.aol.com/GPDFA/GPDFA.html

I have been involved in obedience since about 1986, and I am active in AKC obedience with my Kerry, Andy (Garryowens Smarty Pants, CDX, NA). He is a joy to work with. I think obedience is a good outlet for Kerry working instincts; he seems to take real pleasure in it, and in the praise and hugs he gets for a good job. My all-breed club, Greater Philadelphia Dog Fanciers Association, offers both show handling and obedience classes. Our obedience instructor is Faith Harrop, who has experience teaching Andy and me, as well as many different breeds; Faith herself has Scottish Terriers. Faith also teaches obedience classes at Womens Humane Society, in Bensalem, PA, just outside Philadelphia. Virginia Barishek Feb-2004

Rhode Island

Kerrysue
Suzanne Rodda
544 B Narraganset Lane
Stratford, CT  06614
203 218-3350
Will travel.

South Carolina

Connie Cleveland
Dog Trainers Workshop
207 Greenpond Rd.
Fountain Inn, SC 29644 (near Greenville, SC)
Phone: 864-862-8626
http://www.dogtrainersworkshop.com
Private and group lessons. Competition and noncompetition.

Washington

Seattle Agility
Renton, Washington
http://www.agilityfun.com

The name of the school is slightly misleading...they offer agility, obedience and therapy dog evaluations and training. Doug and Diana are both Delta certified. Excellent puppy classes for both agility and obedience. Janet Beeby and I train our Kerries there. There are others for a grand total of five Kerries. There are many other Terrier breeds being trained there also. Sharon Burnett Feb-2001

Wisconsin

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