Sharlene Lugiai with Bella and Bailey

When I first started in February of 2009 with Bella as a puppy, I never thought I would be competing at trials.  I just wanted something fun to do with my dog. Well now my Bella is competing and is usually the only rottie in the bunch!  While she will
probably never be as fast as the border collies, with Cheryl’s patience, kindness, and dedication to her students we are trialing and even more important HAVING FUN!

Bella & I love everyone at Fundoggers, they are just a great bunch
of people.  These are people I would have never met and could never have called my friends without Cheryl bringing us together.

I now run both my Bella and my sister, Barb Bruce’s dog Bailey – a golden retriever and have now even started beginner agility with my sister’s other dog Izzie who I’m sure will be a great Agility dog in another year or so.

Thanks again to Cheryl!

Rally Obedience Classes with Ron Bidstrup starts up August 24 at 7:30 PM

Tuesday, September 14th … Good Puppy at 6 PM

Friday, September 17th … Super Basic Obedience with Becky Ingersoll at 6 PM and Super Puppy Obedience at 7:15 PM

Beginner Agility Thursday, September 23rdat 8 PM and Saturday, October 9th at 8 AM

Drop-In Conformation Classes Tuesdays 8:30PM  -  This class continues on a drop-in basis so you can get an idea of what it’s like. Gail Marschak leads the class.

Experienced dog and handler teams may come to a class for evaluation to see if your abilities and the content of the class are a good fit.

Click here for the class registration form.

Click here for the Class Registration Form.

Rally Obedience Classes with Ron Bidstrup starts up August 24 at 7:30 PM

Tuesday, September 14th … Good Puppy at 6 PM

Friday, September 17th … Super Basic Obedience with Becky Ingersoll at 6 PM and Super Puppy Obedience at 7:15 PM

Beginner Agility Thursday, September 23rdat 8 PM and Saturday, October 9th at 8 AM

Drop-In Conformation Classes Tuesdays 8:30PM  -  This class continues on a drop-in basis so you can get an idea of what it’s like. Gail Marschak leads the class.

We hope you’ll join in the fun and take another step toward building that bond with your canine companion!

Obstacle sequencing (doing a few obstacles in a row) are introduced midway through the course and the owners begin to learn to “read” their dogs and learn how their own body language affects the dog.

Handling techniques – including various crosses and more – are introduced. This solid foundation is critical for those owners who are bit by the “Agility Bug” and want to continue training with the goal of eventually competing with their dog.

Beginner class is also great for those dogs with confidence problems. Not only are they encouraged to run and jump and climb and play, they also build confidence every time they master an obstacle.

Instructors: Jane Connors-Geddes, Arlene Soderlund

Instructors: Cheryl Carter, Arlene Soderlund, Dr. Carrie Emrickson

Instructors: Cheryl Carter, Arlene Soderlund, Dr. Carrie Emrickson

If you are a current student and would like to add your dog’s picture & story to the site, click on ‘Register’ down on the right in the Tech Corner.  Sign up for an account and post your story!

Click on an instructor’s name to learn more about their background, their specialties, and their dogs.

In 1992 Cheryl Carter was looking for something fun to do with her mixed breed dog Wishes. Back then most dog sports (Obedience, Tracking, etc.) were for purebred dogs only. That’s when Cheryl found the sport of agility. And from then on she was hooked!

Cheryl has trained several different breeds of dogs and has helped her dogs achieve many titles. The dog that started it all, Wishes, was retired in 2000 and now waits at the Rainbow Bridge. With Cheryl by his side Wishes attained several titles in his lifetime.

Since Wishes, Cheryl has trained many BC’s, including Shamus, quite a fun loving dog, who passed away in January of 2009.

Willow the Wisp of Narnia, now 12 ½ , yet another extreme BC, retired from agility to pursue her love of herding and obedience (currently still going strong with Rally).

Willow’s daughter, Hijacker’s Air Express, (aka Pandy) who earned her NATCH on Cheryl’s birthday … How’s THAT for a birthday present? Pandy lives for agility and loves every minute of it, sometimes to the extreme. Cheryl has taught her incredible distance and problem solving that she has learned from Sharon Nelson and Becky Woodruff of NADAC.

Her up and coming agility prospects are the Three Pupsketeers, 6 month old Frost, Magick and Swift. They have all started agility training under Amanda Nelson’s programs, all are clicker trained, and are progressing by leaps and bounds. Cheryl is handling Magick, Swifty is with his new found teammate Karen Pederson since Kai’s passing in April 2009, Swifty is Kai’s brother so keepin it all in the family! and Frosty with his special girl Madeline and junior handler who also runs an awesome Shih-Tzu name Hercules.

Besides agility, Cheryl is currently active with the rest of her pack in Herding, Flyball and Obedience with a bit of trick training mixed in.

“I love to get into the dog’s minds and love to see that light bulb turn on in both the dog and handler. Watching my students grow and learn is the greatest gift I could ever ask for.”