Abundant Life Dog Training

Empowering Dogs To Be Their Best

Abundant Life Dog Training empowers dogs to be their best as companions and as competitive partners.  With my training methods, the dog is always emotionally balanced allowing him to learn and perform.

I have been training and competing my dogs for various dog sports for over 36 years, and teaching classes for the last 34 years.  

I use positive reinforcement to create a communication system with dogs. 

Dogs are very cooperative by nature.  They choose to respond to our cues.

I Didn't Know What I Didn't Know

Dogs have always a big part of my life.  I never knew competitive dog sports existed until I went to my first training class in 1984.  Because my instructor was a member of a Schutzhund club, I joined it as well as a local Obedience club.  Both clubs used compulsion based training.   This was not for me.  I was determined to find a better way.   

By learning as much as I could about dogs, discovering and implementing the laws of learning, and studying the science behind training, I developed a program that is very effective, and I have been using it with my dogs and teaching it to my student's for more than 34 years.  Dogs stay emotionally balanced so they can learn new skills and respond correctly to signal and verbal cues.

Abundant Life Dog Training produces emotionally balanced companion dogs as well as top-scoring dogs in numerous competitive venues.

Indiana earning her Canadian Tracking Dog Excellent title.

Balanced Dog Training

Too many trainers promote 'Balanced' dog training and use a clicker, treats, an e-collar and a prong collar. 

For me, balanced dog training is about keeping the dog emotionally balanced.  When the dog is correct he receives reinforcement, and when he is incorrect, that's on me.  What information did I give to make the dog respond that way?  Some questions I ask myself are:

• Is there something physically wrong?  This is always my first concern.
• Was the dog emotionally balanced when I gave the cue?
• Where was her focus when I gave her the cue?
• How clear is my cue system?
• Does she really know the behavior?
• Have I been paying her well enough for her to perform the behavior?

And the list goes on and on.

Dogs make the best choice they can with the information we give them.

In addition to receiving the JET Award of Merit for heroism from the Belgian Sheepdog Club Of America, my dogs have earned their Canine Good Citizen, Virtual Home Manners, Therapy Dog International, and American Temperament Test titles.   We have competed and earned numerous titles in:

• Agility - AAC, USDAA, NADAC - MACH (Masters Agility Champion)
• Conformation - AKC/CKC Multiple BOB (Best Of Breed)
• Herding - HIT (Herding Instinct Tested)
• Obedience - AKC/CKC/UKC Multiple HIT (High In Trial)
• Rally - AKC/CKC Multiple HIT (High In Trial)
• Tracking - CKC/AKC Multiple TDX (Tracking Dog Excellent)
• Trick Dog - TDA (Trick Dog Advanced)
• Schutzhund - BH, SchH 1