I grew up in the Cleveland area and have always had a love for and a special rapport with animals. During my youth I had Golden Retrievers and trained and showed horses. I graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Psychology, specializing in the learning process, behavior modification and child development. After college, I worked as a paralegal for 12 years while at the same time involved in various dog training programs and studying well known training methods.
I began The Canine Tutor, Inc. training business in 1992. The business was primarily private in-home training for families with new pups, rescue dogs and dogs with behavior issues. I conducted beginning obedience and Canine Good Citizen classes for area community education programs. I also conducted animal care and safety classes for pre-school and elementary schools. This led me to do pet therapy with my Delta Society and Therapy Dog International dogs for special needs children at local schools as well as Cleveland area nursing homes.
As a parent, trainer and breeder, I have a wide understanding of the many day-to-day facets that impact a dog’s behavior and how to positively and effectively deal with them. I tailor the private in-home training to specifically address the owner’s and dog’s needs and have the goal for the dog to be the family’s “Best Friend.” I use a very effective positive motivational training method. Private training is conveniently arranged around the client’s schedule. I have worked with thousands of dogs/clients during the past 18 years, all ages and all breeds.
I expanded my training business in 1999 into a permanent training facility, Canine University of Ohio. We have several fabulous instructors and assistant instructors. These classes are designed to instruct owners on how to establish a leadership position with their dog while still being best friends. The classes are fun classes for individual owners, families, children and their dogs. We train approximately 200 dogs per week at the facility.
Some of my personal canine accomplishments are: TDI evaluator since 2000; pointed Labrador Retrievers in Conformation; Rally Obedience and Agility titles; personal trainer for dogs in the movie Miracle Dogs (Animal Planet movie); and, most importantly have saved many dogs from being euthanized via my personal training.
Biography Coming Soon…
I have been an Equestrian my entire life in the discipline of Dressage competing at the International Level which has helped me understand and train my dogs. I started taking agility lessons at Canine University in 2001 and have never stopped. At present I have three Golden Retrievers.
Skylar – 9 1/2 years of age – Retired (1st performance dog)
Titles: NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ, AX, AXJ, MX, MXJ – Agility
CD, CDX – Obedience
In 2002, she was listed in the top ten for her breed in Agility.
Hytree Strike Up the Band – Piccolo (6 years of age)
Titles: MACH 5
Agility Dog Hall of Fame which he achieved at 2 1/2 years of Age
Master Fast Title, Rally Novice Title
Piccolo has been in the top ten AKC National Standings for Agility 3 years in a row.
Zonkers Great Rings of Fire – Bocci (3 years of age)
Titles: MACH, XF
Agility Dog Hall of Fame
Bocci got his ADHF and his MACH before the age of 3. We are now working on MACH 2
Debbie Sacerich’s true passion is dog training, especially agility. Since 2000, she has been an instructor for all levels of agility classes at Canine University. Since 1994 she has been the Agility Training Director and Instructor for Cleveland All Breed training club. Her skill as an instructor is well evidenced by the tremendous success of her own dogs as well as her students. She has a particular fondness for distance work and Gamblers and Snookers are her favorite classes.
Two of her dogs have achieved their USDAA ADCH and she is working on her third. Debbie presents agility seminars on many topics. Debbie has a special place in her heart for rescues. She’s enjoyed the challenges faced with all her rescues– issues ranging from fear aggression, hyperactivity and timidness. She is especially proud of her two most recent rescues and what they have overcome, MACH 2 ADCH Quick CDX XF G-Ch and Bright MX MXJ XF PD2, both Belgian Malinois. The results speak for themselves…Quick was the #1 Malinois in Front and Finish for both Standard and JWW for 2005, two of her dogs have achieved the Agility Dog Champion title in USDAA and she was invited to the 2006, 7 and 2008 AKC Agility Invitational.
She has competed at the AKC Nationals almost every year since they started. Debbie’s past dogs include ADCH Buddy MX MXJ (German Shepherd), Jewel AmUDT CanUD, a Standard Poodle, and Ch Dare CDX TD (PWelsh Corgi), the only non-rescue in the group. Debbie has written a variety of agility training articles for Clean Run magazine over the years. Here is a link to one of her articles that originally appeared in the February 2007 issue of Clean Run. This article gives you a sense of her dog training philosophy and also let’s you meet her 2 Malinois.
My goal in teaching is that every student leave my class better friends with their dog than when they started. My perspective is that competitive success is a direct result of a strong relationship with your canine teammate, so that is what I emphasize in the classes that I teach. Safety is my paramount concern in all my classes, and my students have made me proud many times by making decisions in their dogs’ best interest. My classes are challenging and fun.
I love to work with all dogs and people and have never turned away a student. My human students have run the gamut from teenagers to the over-60 crowd, male and female. My dog students range from puppies to over 10 years old, any breed and any size (Chihuahua to Mastiff, so far). I am happy to teach any dog/human team as long as they are willing to work towards a positive attitude, have a sense of humor and the dog is sound enough to comfortably perform the tasks requested. I truly love a challenge and enjoy the problem solving that training involves.
I trained both of my dogs at Canine University for approximately six years prior to beginning to teach. I have been teaching agility classes from the most basic introduction to equipment up to beginning competition level at Canine University in Bedford Heights since 2007. Several of my students have competed in CPE, AKC, and Teacup Agility trials and several have titled at various levels of competition.
As a lifelong dog and cat owner, and horse owner for over 10 years with a background in engineering, yoga, Reiki, dressage and jumping (horse sports), I bring my total portfolio of experience into the building when I teach my classes. Dog agility is far more than just dogs performing obstacles – it’s exercise, leadership training, body awareness, communication skills, geometry, personal development and…it’s fun!
Carol Peter has always loved dogs, but discovered her passion for training dogs as a shelter volunteer. There, she saw countless dogs surrendered by their humans due to behavioral issues that could be easily addressed through proactive training and positive reinforcement techniques. Carol became one
of the inaugural trainers in Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village’s hallmark Homeward Bound program, which has helped thousands of dogs find — and stay in — loving new forever homes by modifying problem behaviors.
Her commitment to compassionate, positive training methods led her to achieve accreditation as Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed. She has honed her skills through continuing education and practical hands-on work with dogs that have complex behavioral issues such as
separation anxiety, fear, reactivity, aggression and destructive behaviors. Carol adheres to the highest standards of the dog training profession and maintains professional membership in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
I have always had dogs and/or horses in my life. I started working with Amy Gutmann when she began dog training in the early 1990′s. At Canine University I have been an assistant and/or instructor for Puppy Kindergarten, Household Obedience, Canine Good Citizen, and Pre-Agility classes. I also do private training.
Kids are of special interest to me and I enjoy working with the children who come to classes at K9U with their parents. I have been breeding Labrador Retrievers for the past 18 years and have raised many puppies. I currently have two dogs.
Biography Coming Soon…
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