I have competed in dog obedience for over twenty years and have worked with many different teams to help them achieve their goals. Of the five dogs I have personally competed with in the past, five earned Utility Dog titles, while two earned multiple OTCH titles, Obedience Grand Master (OGM) titles, and are the highest point earners in their respective breeds (German Shepherd Dog and English Springer Spaniel).
My current dogs:
RemE - English Springer Spaniel
MACH3 VinEwood That's Me in the Spotlight UD OM1 MXF MJG XF T2B2
He loves agility and has earned three AKC Master Agility Championships (MACHs) and is working on his fourth.
He easily obtained his Utility Dog title in obedience and is currently working on his OTCH. He has all of his wins and we are plugging away at points.
Zoey - Belgian Malinois
Turick's In With the New CDX AX AXJ XF
She is working on her first MACH and is fast, furious and a little crazy! I have to handle her completely different than RemE and we are learning what works best for her in the ring.
She came out in the Novice obedience ring in May 2024, earning two first places her first weekend out. To top it off, she was in a run off for High in Trial (against RemE) on her very first day in the ring! She finished her CD with another first place and then completed her CDX title over a 3-day weekend in Cheyenne, with two first places, one second place (to RemE) and one High in Trial.
Two legs towards her Utility title with impressive young dog runs. She will be working on her OTCH in 2025.
My past dogs:
Niko - German Shepherd Dog
Niko vom Kolenda UD RE
My Novice A dog, who was happy to put up with my lack of dog training knowledge to earn a chance for his ball. While not a great fit for the obedience ring, he easily obtained his Utility Dog title.
I will always appreciate him turning me onto the sport and introducing me to people who are still in my life today.
Zita - German Shepherd Dog
OTCH Zita Vom Krummenhager See UDX8 OGM VER RN
The dog who built my love for training, problem solving and relationship building.
A consistent performer, who had a wonderful work ethic…the more difficult the location was, the harder she worked.
Top OTCH point earner in the breed, with 818 points. First German Shepherd Dog to earn the OGM title.
Gunner - English Springer Spaniel
OTCH Birchrose's Rocket Man UDX6 OGM VER RAE
What a change from a GSD! Nothing I learned with my first two dogs prepared me for training and showing this non-traditional sporting breed. Despite some issues (including out of sight stays!), Gunner was a wonderful teammate in the ring. We constantly had to tweak and adjust our training to maintain our ring performances, but as long as he got his cookies, Gunner was up for anything!
Highest OTCH point earner in the breed with 737 points. Always a favorite with judges and spectators.
Kazee - English Springer Spaniel
CH VinEwood's Make Mine a Double UD RA MX MXJ OF
Gone too soon, but I'm still glad I had him in my life, despite the issues.
The foundation skills for formal obedience start early and are ongoing throughout the dog’s career. Also problem solving and flexibility is critical in formal obedience, as all dogs (and humans!) learn differently. Together, we will use a motivational approach to teach your dog the required skills to achieve your obedience goals.
Achievements:
- Obedience Trial Championships on two dogs, one earning eight Championships, the other earning nine
- Three Master Agility Championships on one dog, currently working on his fourth MACH
- Multiple parent club awards (GSDCA and ESSFTA) and specialty wins in both obedience and Rally
- Multiple invitations to the National Obedience Invitational with four different dogs
- Over 150 obedience High in Trial and High Combined awards
To book with Shannon:
Phone (voice or text): 904-210-4227
Email: Shannon@CanineConnectionDTC.com