I guess you could say my interest in dogs and training started when I was very young. If I wasn't doing obedience in 4H with my little black dog Midnight, or AKC junior handler with Rocket our Gordon Setter I was dressing up one of the Springer Spaniels as an indian or a gypsy and entering them in "Dress Your Dog Up" competitions. It's hard to get away from dogs and training when you live with parents who own a dog kennel and train field dogs for a living...trust me I tried!
Believe it or not when I was in college I didn't want anything to do with dogs...I had my fill at home. But when I was done school and got my own place I realized that I couldn't live without a dog. In 2005 I got Sofia my GSD mix and became interested in Schutzhund. Together we visited clubs, learned some German commands and laid some scent pads and small tracks. Then Sofia told me that what she really liked to do was go on walks and lay on the couch with me...rather than all this "work". I decided I would have to make room for another dog since I wanted to continue with Schutzhund!
Early in 2006 Chase v. der Zahnburg jumped in my car and we drove home! Shortly after I got Chase I found Mid-Atlantic Working Dog Club and now here we are! Chase loves to work and he's a great dog for a Schutzhund novice like myself! It also helps when you have the support of a group like Mid-Atlantic. We plan to show for the BH this fall and then continue with the Schutzhund titles.