Instructors

Instructors JAGDog Logo

Current Instructors

Sally Gichner has been active in dog agility for nearly 10 years and is a respected agility judge. Sally has experience with multiple breeds and more importantly, the differences between training big and small dogs. Sally's first agility dog (now retired) is Belgian Malinois who obtained AKC's MX and AXJ. Sally currently runs Shelties MACH Nova and Bridget and she also has a Belgian Malinois, Ami competing in the Excellent levels.

Tinna Brown has been involved in agility since 1999. Her first dog, MACH3 ADCH Calabria was the first Alaskan Malamute in history achieve a MACH, MACH2, MACH3 as well as an ADCH. In December of 2005 after several months battling cancer, Calabria attended the AKC Eukanuba Agility Invitational Championship in Long Beach, California as the top AKC Agility Alaskan Malamute in the country and finished in second place out of 101 dogs. In 2003, Calabria placed first at the All Star Obedience and Agility Championships and placed 3^rd in 2002.

Her second dog, ADCH Speedoggie Stir Crazy “Frazzle” MX, MXJ, TM-S, a Border Collie, is the $10,000 2005 World Cynosport Games 26” National Steeplechase Champion. At the 2005 AKC World Team Invitational, he placed 3^rd in Round 3 and Round 4 in the Maxi Division. In June of 2005, Frazzle was invited to participate in the 2005 Eastern Regional Purina Incredible Dog Agility Challenge were he won gold in the 60 Weave Pole Challenge and bronze in the Head-to-Head Knockout Competition held in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Currently, Frazzle is one Double Q away from finishing his MACH and ranked in 2005 in USDAA Jumpers as well as Snooker. At four and a half, he was retired from competing in agility due to epilepsy. As a result, we (“Friends of Frazzle”) have been heavily involved with raising funds for research for the AKC Canine Health Foundation. To date, we have raised almost $5,000 as well collected hundreds of blood samples to “Seize the Gene.” (http://www.dizzydogs.com/bracelets.htm)

Her young dog, Speedoggie Light My Fire “Stomp” OA NAJ AAD has been completing for a few months and is in masters as well as excellent. All of her dogs have had several television and advertising appearances including the CBS Morning Show, Fox Channel 5 News and ABC’s Good Morning America .

Deborah Patrick Deborah has been involved in agility since 2002. Her first dog, a Canaan, was listed as AKC's No. 3 Canaan dog in 2004, and No. 5 in 2005. For a short time she also ran a rescued All-American in NADAC. She currently runs a Border Collie, MACH2 ADCh Pray, who, in 2005, was the AKC' No. 3 Border Collie. Deborah and Pray had 2 placements in the very competitive 24" class at the 2007 AKC Nationals and finished 4th place overall. Deborah has experience in three venues of agility, AKC, USDAA and NADAC, but is mostly active in AKC. She recently started agility instruction and is ready to share her methods of handling. She lives in Southern New Jersey and trains alone at her home.

Lisa Christman is working at the AKC Excellent level with 2 Chinese Cresteds: Ty and Simon. Hot on their heels is a third crested Scout. She has also trained and shown 3 rescue dogs to the Championship level: a Dalmation, Border Collie MACH Zoey, and a Pug, Otis! Lisa has titles in multiple agility venues and has obedience and flyball titles. Lisa is often running off to TV, Film or Advertising assignments where she oversees and helps train the "tricks" dogs are doing for the shoot.

Carol Mount started training agility in 1992 and is currently showing a Chinese Crested, MACH Louie-Louie ONYX, at the Championship level and her up and coming dog, Fusion the Malinois, in Excellent. Louie is one of the top ranked Chinese Cresteds in Agility, he has attended the AKC National Championships, the AKC Agility Invitationals, has been the #2 Agility crested for several years and is also the #2 Crested in flyball -- and has the flyball ONYX to boot! Always ready to work a challenge, Carol has trained and shown multiple "difficult" dogs to many titles, including rescue Belgian Malinois (MACH Sega CD AD and more), Basenji Strider AX AXJ CDX , Rescue Basenji Ginger CD OA OAJ JC etc., a Powderpuff Crested Theory NA and of course, LOUIE! She also trained the Border Collie, Ch. Quest MX MXJ CD etc, that she and Paul ran. Strider Basenji was the 1st Basenji to get both the AX/AXJ. Sega has placed 4th place two times at the All-Star Agility Tournaments. Carol has titles in multiple agility venues, flyball and in obedience. Carol is an AKC and USDAA Judge.

Kim Seiter Kim has actively been training and competing in the sport of agility for over 7 years with multiple breeds. To date, Kim has titled to the Masters levels, 6 different dogs in 3 different Agility venues. She also has competitive obedience background and and experience showing toy breeds in the conformation ring. Kim's training approach is built on relationship building and the principles of operant conditioning. She trains all foundation behaviors with a clicker and play based methods maximizing the bond between dog and handler.

Joe Coles: Joe is a favorite with students because of his wit and humor - but don't let that fool you! Joe has trained and shown his Golden Retriever Cassie to the AKC MACH2 and they have participated in the AKC Nationals for three years. He also has an up and coming dog , a really fast young border collie Zippy who is now at the Excellent level.

Marisa Capazzo: Marisa has been training dogs for over 6 years. Her first rescue German Shepherd, Schnapps, was trained to competition level but his career was cut short due to cancer and hip dysplasia. Her next 2 dogs were also rescues, Draven, a German Shepherd, and Bandi, a Border Collie. Draven is the first MACH rescue German Shepherd. He won his national specialty in agility in 2003 and has been high scoring rescue 3 years running. Bandi is currently running at the excellent level and placed 2nd in her class at her national specialty in 2002. Her next 2 dogs, Japanese chin, are a father and daughter duo. Tony-O was a finished show chin that needed a job. His job is running agility, showing in obedience, and training in tracking. He currently holds the record for the most titled chin in breed history. His daughter, Kamikaze, is a owner/breeder handled champion. She just stepped into the agility ring this fall and already has her NAJ in 3 trials. Lastly, Marisa's new dog, German Shepherd, "Tang" is a puppy in training. Marisa believes in the clicker training method and focuses on the handler dog relationship.