My name is Patti Engleman and I am the owner/instructor at Bell Creek Agility & Obedience. I believe every team is unique and offers different challenges, but I do believe that training should be a positive journey for both the dog and the handler. I believe as with all things there should be a balance. I think that a dog should have fun and be shown in a positive manner while I think it is also important to mark when a behavior is not okay and by this I do not mean yelling at your dog, but simply marking the behavior with an uh-oh or oops. If the dog is not given some indication than you may end up with a very stressed dog as they struggle to determine what it is we want. I believe in breaking down what I am asking, so the dogs can get it right as well as helping to build their confidence and trust in us and that is how I ask my students to train as well.
I have taken classes from a number of folks as well as taken seminars from some of the top handlers in the United States/world in both agility and obedience. I have had some amazing instructors/coaches and I strive to continue to improve my knowledge of both handling and training. I have had the opportunity to learn more about dog training as well as more ways to teach it by watching the different ways teams approach training and handling. I learned how to tighten up my heeling from Connie Cleveland, my best serpentine from Joy Dolsby, my sends from Paula Lockhart, my K-turns from Barb Davis, how to cue the dogs better and faster as well as to trust my training from Heidi Vania and from Sheri Walsh I learned so much from basics through the excellent levels in both agility and obedience. There are a lot of amazing people out there that want to share their knowledge and I am grateful for them. I know I have picked up things from other classes, but these are the instructors and speakers I will always remember because my dogs loved, truly loved, the way they taught me to teach them.
I have assisted with obedience and agility classes in the past and started teaching my own classes at a local dog club several years ago. I have had multiple students go on to compete both happily and successfully. I love watching the growth of my teams as well as the bond that can only be developed when learning to work your own dog. My goal in teaching is to show what an amazing and positive journey you can have with your best friend as well as memories and new friends that will last a life time.
I have taken classes from a number of folks as well as taken seminars from some of the top handlers in the United States/world in both agility and obedience. I have had some amazing instructors/coaches and I strive to continue to improve my knowledge of both handling and training. I have had the opportunity to learn more about dog training as well as more ways to teach it by watching the different ways teams approach training and handling. I learned how to tighten up my heeling from Connie Cleveland, my best serpentine from Joy Dolsby, my sends from Paula Lockhart, my K-turns from Barb Davis, how to cue the dogs better and faster as well as to trust my training from Heidi Vania and from Sheri Walsh I learned so much from basics through the excellent levels in both agility and obedience. There are a lot of amazing people out there that want to share their knowledge and I am grateful for them. I know I have picked up things from other classes, but these are the instructors and speakers I will always remember because my dogs loved, truly loved, the way they taught me to teach them.
I have assisted with obedience and agility classes in the past and started teaching my own classes at a local dog club several years ago. I have had multiple students go on to compete both happily and successfully. I love watching the growth of my teams as well as the bond that can only be developed when learning to work your own dog. My goal in teaching is to show what an amazing and positive journey you can have with your best friend as well as memories and new friends that will last a life time.
Springwind's Bell Creek Ace
My Journey
I grew up with sled teams, but my first true pet was a Labrador retriever that I received from Springwind Labradors at the age of nine. We were not Bell's first home, but after being taken back from a bad situation as a pup, she came to live with my family at the age of six months. It did not take long for Bell and me to form a bond that could not be broken. Bell was not a versatile athlete, but instead was my best friend and my constant companion as I went from a childhood into adulthood. I have so many memories that she is a part of and my heart still aches from her loss at the age of 16.
I waited to get my next dog as I knew I needed time to be fair to them as they could not be her. When I was ready, I returned to my breeder for a black lab puppy, but she did not have one available at the time. After much discussion I decided to take a 2-year-old yellow Labrador while going on a wait list for a black Labrador. I did not know how much my world was going to change. It was my intent to do obedience with my new dog, but she was not a confident girl. My breeder suggested that I try agility with her and we were hooked. In agility her timidity and fears melted away to reveal a possessed yellow Labrador who only knew that it was the greatest game ever. Agility gave her the confidence to earn her RAE (Rally Advanced Excellent) as well as her CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) from AKC. In AKC agility she was able to earn multiple titles and championships as well as qualify for AKC nationals twice.
In addition to Flirt I have added the little black puppy I had to have (Rizzo ), a chocolate puppy that we were growing out for the breeder and fell in love with (Zip) and have now added a possessed sheltie (James) that had belonged to my friend Debi Hill. My dogs while similar in some areas are completely different in others and each has taught me something new. While I have had moments that were less than graceful, I have never given up on my teammate and they have never given up on me. Each of my dogs is a member of my family first and I cannot imagine my life without them. Each title I have earned with my dogs has been a journey that I would not trade for anything. I have competed successfully in multiple venues, but so far it is AKC that I have enjoyed the most. In AKC I have put over 50 titles on my first two dogs alone between agility, obedience and rally. I still look forward to the journey with my dogs, those actively competing and those that just get to practice, because ultimately it is about our time with them.
I grew up with sled teams, but my first true pet was a Labrador retriever that I received from Springwind Labradors at the age of nine. We were not Bell's first home, but after being taken back from a bad situation as a pup, she came to live with my family at the age of six months. It did not take long for Bell and me to form a bond that could not be broken. Bell was not a versatile athlete, but instead was my best friend and my constant companion as I went from a childhood into adulthood. I have so many memories that she is a part of and my heart still aches from her loss at the age of 16.
I waited to get my next dog as I knew I needed time to be fair to them as they could not be her. When I was ready, I returned to my breeder for a black lab puppy, but she did not have one available at the time. After much discussion I decided to take a 2-year-old yellow Labrador while going on a wait list for a black Labrador. I did not know how much my world was going to change. It was my intent to do obedience with my new dog, but she was not a confident girl. My breeder suggested that I try agility with her and we were hooked. In agility her timidity and fears melted away to reveal a possessed yellow Labrador who only knew that it was the greatest game ever. Agility gave her the confidence to earn her RAE (Rally Advanced Excellent) as well as her CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) from AKC. In AKC agility she was able to earn multiple titles and championships as well as qualify for AKC nationals twice.
In addition to Flirt I have added the little black puppy I had to have (Rizzo ), a chocolate puppy that we were growing out for the breeder and fell in love with (Zip) and have now added a possessed sheltie (James) that had belonged to my friend Debi Hill. My dogs while similar in some areas are completely different in others and each has taught me something new. While I have had moments that were less than graceful, I have never given up on my teammate and they have never given up on me. Each of my dogs is a member of my family first and I cannot imagine my life without them. Each title I have earned with my dogs has been a journey that I would not trade for anything. I have competed successfully in multiple venues, but so far it is AKC that I have enjoyed the most. In AKC I have put over 50 titles on my first two dogs alone between agility, obedience and rally. I still look forward to the journey with my dogs, those actively competing and those that just get to practice, because ultimately it is about our time with them.
