Tawn

Teaches at West Los Angeles Obedience Training Club

I have been involved in the sport of dogs since I was eight years old and checked out Milo Pearsall’s “Obedience Training Your Dog” from the local public library.  I was enthralled with the visions that the book opened up for me and proceeded to train, not only my family’s own collies and mutts, but every dog in the neighborhood that happened to venture through our backyard. No fences or leash laws in those days in rural Indiana.

While I was a sophomore at UCLA, I acquired a sheltie mix puppy from the pound, snuck him into my “no dogs allowed” apartment and took him to class with me every day.  While passing Stoner Park one evening, I spotted a dog obedience class in session and decided that “Bandit” and I should enroll.  I was hooked and Bandit and I went on to attend classes all the way through Utility.  In those days, there were no formal degrees for mixed breeds, but we were able to get the equivalent of our All American UD by competing in match competition.

In 1974, my husband and I moved to Malibu and I became an assistant trainer for Haleridge Kennels.   Evelyn and Jimmy Hale raised  English and Irish Setters and had raised and trained the Irish that were used in the making of “Big Red”.  I took over the job of training the dogs of their private clients and assisting with the group classes they taught for the Malibu Township Council.  In 1978, the Hales retired to Big Bear and turned their classes over to me. I began teaching for the West Los Angeles Obedience Training Club in 1998 and teach novice, advanced novice, competition obedience, open, utility, and conformation handling classes.

Over the years, my methods of dog training have changed considerably, from the old “never use food, or they won’t obey you unless they’re hungry” philosophy to becoming an avowed enthusiast of clicker training.  Dogs and the people who love and train them are all different.  A method of training which works for one team may not be ideal for another.  As a dog AND people trainer, I believe it is my job to help the owner find and effectively use the method  which works best for them, as long as the results are positive for dog and owner alike.  In my classes, you may well find the dog and handler teams using different methods to accomplish the same goals.  I think this flexibility make for a unique and rewarding group training experience.

My current dogs are all Keeshonden.   I have been breeding, training, and showing Kees in conformation, obedience, agility, and therapy dog work since 1977 under my “Shoreline” kennel prefix.  I have bred 37 conformation champions, 16 CD’s, 5 CDX,s,  1 UD, and numerous agility titles including many MACHs.  Several of my dogs also work as therapy dogs.  I am the President of the Keeshond Club of Southern California and also serve as the Health Committee Chairman for the Keeshond Club of America.  
 
In my non-dog life, I am a graduate of UCLA with a degree in Psychology and worked as a bureaucrat for the State of California, where I was the Southern California Director for Medi-Cal Disability.  I am married to a very patient husband and have a daughter who is also very active in showing dogs and horses.