Meet Our Instructors

In addition to attending seminars and reading books and articles on dog training, SMDTC class instructors are required to train a dog to basic titles in obedience (to teach Puppy, Home Manners, Public Manners, and any of the obedience competition classes) or agility (to teach any of the agility classes). They must assist the level they wish to teach at least twice within a year of applying to apprentice. They then must successfully apprentice the class, which requires that they take the role of "lead instructor" under the guidance of an approved instructor. Finally, they must be approved by the Training Committee.

Carol Baron has owned and trained Brittany's for over ten years. Her second Brittany, Cody, was the first dog she ever trained, starting him in classes at SMDTC in 1995. Cody retired with a UACHX, UCD, CD, AKC Open Agility Standard/Jumpers With Weaves Titles, legs in AKC Excellent, along with many NADAC Titles. Carol has two Brittany’s currently in training; Molly who is six years old, and Jack, who is one year old. Currently, they are competing in AKC Obedience, Rally and Agility, UKC Obedience and Agility, and NADAC Agility. Jack and Carol are competing in a new venue--AKC Conformation. Carol is the Agility Chairperson for the Springfield Missouri Dog Training Club, and she teaches all levels of Agility.

Susan has been teaching classes for over 20 years, and is a past President of SMDTC. She has titled a Chow Chow, three German Shepherds and one Golden Retriever. She has shown her dogs in Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Herding, Rally, and Schutzhund as well as showing in Canada. She teaches classes from Home Manners through Utility and Agility. Susan is also a columnist for Front and Finish, a dog training magazine.

Cathy Hawkins, CPDT has been training dogs since 1971. Cathy created the first obedience classes held at SMDTC. Competing in AKC obedience and tracking, she has put titles on dogs from the sporting, herding, working, hound and terrier groups. She is the founder and director of Camp Jigsaw, a camp devoted exclusively to AKC tracking. Cathy is an approved AKC TD/TDX judge. She is a member of Pet Therapy of the Ozarks, where she created a PALS (Pets As Listeners) program for the Springfield/Greene County Libraries, the Ozarks Kennel Club and is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Cathy was the first person in the state of Missouri to be certified through the Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers. Cathy is approved to teach all obedience and tracking classes (excluding Rally) at SMDTC. She currently teaches Puppy Socialization, Agile Pup and Tracking.

Nancy Pate came to the club 15 years ago when she acquired a Standard Poodle puppy and her family said “YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT DOG!” The yellow pages lead her to the Springfield Mo Dog Training Club, and she had so much fun she stayed. After assisting and apprenticing she has been teaching classes for 10 years. Before retirement Nancy ‘s life work was as an artist and art educator teaching at all levels, elementary through university, and she enjoys working with groups of people and their dogs. Home Manners and Public Manners classes are her main interest where the evolution from rowdy dog to more cooperative happens rather quickly, and is a happy situation. Nancy has served on the board of SMDTC, participated in numerous committees, and keeps up to date on current training methods through reading, seminars and workshops. Photography is a hobby and she records the trials and main events of the club. Her dogs have achieved UKC and AKC CDs and AG 1 titles. She is currently training 2 recently-acquired standard poodles in rally and agility.

Nancy’s first experience with dogs came from helping her father train hunting dogs (hounds) while growing up. She attended her first formal obedience classes almost 20 years ago, and has earned titles on an American Eskimo Dog, a Whippet, and four Shetland Sheepdogs. These titles include Lure Coursing, Agility, Rally, and Obedience (including a Utility Dog Excellent, and 3 Dog World awards). For SMDTC, Nancy has taught classes in Home Manners, Public Manners, Novice, and Agility. Nancy has an undergraduate degree in Computer Information Systems, an MBA, has 30 years administrative experience in higher education, and has taught college courses in computers and organizational behavior. She serves as SMDTC’s webmaster, and has served the club in the past as enrollment secretary, secretary, training director, and on various club trial committees.

Sarah has been involved in dog training for 16 years. She has served as Training Director, Agility Chairman, and Membership Chairman for SMDTC. She has trained 4 Golden Retrievers, 2 Irish Setters and 1 Smooth Fox Terrier. Sarah has competed in AKC and UKC Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Tracking, and Rally. She also handles other breeds in conformation. She is a UKC Obedience judge and an AKC Non-Regular class judge. Sarah teaches classes from Puppy, Home Manners, Competition Obedience and Agility. Sarah is also an instructor and judge for the 4-H club in our area.

Dianne brought her first dog (a mixed breed) to obedience classes in 1976 and has been hooked on this wonderful sport ever since. She acquired her first pure bred sheltie, Toby, in 1981 so that she could participate in AKC (American Kennel Club) events. Toby and Dianne earned degrees in tracking, agility, the club’s first UDX (Utility Dog Excellent), and a Canadian OTCH (Obedience Trial Champion). Continuing to work with her favorite breed, the sheltie, Dianne has put AKC Utility Dog Titles on 4 dogs, as well as numerous UKC obedience and agility titles, She has also put AKC tracking, agility and rally titles on a number of her dogs. She has been teaching at SMDTC for over 20 years, and is qualified to teach obedience and agility classes. Currently Dianne teaches advanced obedience classes: Novice, Open and Utility.

Pam has been training since 1989. She has put 2 CDs, 1-UCD, 2-UAGIs, 1-UAGII, 1-UACH & 3-CGC's on 3 Dalmatians. For SMDTC she has taught Puppy Soc, Puppy Soc II, Home Manners, Novice, and Agility. She has been a member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) for about 8 years. Her attendance at several seminars, most recently APDT in 2005 & 2006, helps her to keep current on recent training methods. Pam is a member of Pet Therapy of the Ozarks (PTO) and she and her dalmatian, Meela, make pet therapy visits to several locations. Pam has served on the board of SMDTC several times, serving as President 2004-2006. She served as enrollment secretary for five years. She also served on the training committee, building committee, and various club trial committees since joining the club in 1989.

Margery took her first dog, an American Eskimo, through dog obedience class in 1973. A couple of years later she got her first Sheltie. After putting several obedience titles and two breed championships on Shelties, she branched out into other breeds including Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, a Curly-coated Retriever, a Belgian Sheepdog, a Schipperke, a Whippet, an Australian Shepherd, Border Collies, a Greyhound and currently a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Sheltie. Margery earned the first Obedience Trial Champion title in southwest Missouri with her Golden Retriever, and has titled dogs in tracking, hunting, and rally. She became an AKC approved obedience judge in 1991, and is now approved to judge all obedience and rally classes. She is also the author of the Dog Writers Association of America's award winning book "Social Graces." For 8 years, she wrote "The Pet Class" column for Front and Finish, and a column for the quarterly magazine FORWARD. She is past President of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors and is currently the Training Director for the Springfield, MO Dog Training Club. Margery teaches Home Manners, Public Manners, Obedience/Rally Skills, Novice, Open, Utility, and Rally as well as the occasional "special" class for SMDTC.

Like many people, Valeri came to her first Obedience class when she adopted what she thought was an unmanageable German Shepherd in 1991. Although she had lived with dogs her whole life, she fell in love with dog training and found a new way to relate to and live with her dogs. Since then she has trained and competed with her dogs in Obedience, Rally Obedience, Agility, Retrieving and Dock Diving. In 1994, she became an instructor at SMDTC and has taught Puppy, Home Manners, Public Manners, Obedience and Rally Skills, Novice and Advanced Rally Competition and all levels of Agility Classes. She has served as Agility Chairman and as Trial Chairman and/or Trial Secretary for many SMDTC Agility trials. Valeri is also a member of Pet Therapy of the Ozarks, making monthly visits with her five dogs for more than fifteen years. She served on the PTO Board for 6 years, five of those as President. She has been a member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers for eight years and is a charter member of the Greater Ozarks Agility League. She is also owner and lead instructor at Paws Express Agility and has been since 1999.