Our Instructors

Sandie Handlon

Agility all levels; Mondays
Bio: Sandie has been in the sport of agility and other dog sports for 25 years with her Border Collies. Her methods are based in science and positive reinforcement techniques . Being a lifelong learner, she continues to learn from some of the best teachers in behavior and agility. Her passion is helping students become the best teammates for each other.
Erin Schaefer

Agility all levels Tuesdays & Fridays
Bio: Erin Schaefer is a top International and National competitor. Beginning 2001,Shetland Sheepdog Jag and Erin represented the United States in International competition for 5 consecutive years. Read More

She and Jag were the first American team to win an Individual Gold medal at the World Championships in Dortmund Germany, 2002. At the 2001 World Championships in Porto Portugal, they finished sixth Individually. They were also members of both Silver medal-winning mini Teams in Dortmund and in Porto. Jag also won individual rounds in the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 World Championships. Erin was also a member of the US Agility team at the European Open with Jag and Shadow, owned by Sharon Fortune. They competed in Italy and Germany in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Nationally, Jag was the 1999 USDAA Steeplechase Champion, and has won numerous Steeplechase qualifiers, as well as Grand Prix qualifiers. Since 1999, Jag has been rated in USDAA Top Ten in all categories, and is on the USDAA Lifetime Achievement list as a Top Dog. Erin and Jag have been finalists in USDAA, NADAC and AKC Championships. Jag was rated the top Shetland sheepdog in AKC agility in 2000, and was the 2000 AKC 16” National Champion. The pair won double gold at the 2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games in Lake Placid New York. In 2005, they won the Eastern Regional of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge and were the NADAC 12” Weavers Champions. They have also won multiple AKC/Iams International classes held throughout the US. They also won their spot on the 2002 and 2005 World Team by winning the Word Team Invitational tryouts. Jag has a USDAA championship title (ADCH), five AKC Championship titles (MACH5), and most recently completed his Outstanding NADAC Versatility Championship title (O- VersNATCH). Not to be forgotten, Erin began her agility career with her American Eskimo, Stasch. A rescue with many behavioral problems, the two of them went on to become finalists in USDAA, NADAC and AKC National Championships. Additionally, Stasch was listed in USDAA Top Ten in all categories up until his retirement in 1999. Stasch has a USDAA Championship title (ADCH), and a NADAC Championship title (NATCH). He was the first American Eskimo to earn such distinctions. Erin and Jag have appeared on many television shows, including, The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, David Letterman, and most recently The Caroline Rhea Show. Erin and her dogs have also been featured in numerous publications, including Clean Run Magazine, Dog and Handler, The USDAA Bullletin, the Sheltie Pacesetter as well as several newspaper articles. In 2008 Erin decided to become an AKC agility judge and later a UKI judge in order to round out her knowledge in the sport of agility and to give back to the sport as well. Erin’s current Sheltie Kitt moved up to Excellent level competition at the age of 17 months. Her other Sheltie Boom moved up to Excellent level competition at the age of 16 months. Both have already qualified for national events. Erin has conducted seminars all over Canada and the United States. Many of her students have gone on to National and International competition and have made it to many finals and invitationals over the years. She is very proud of all her students and their accomplishments
Andy Winther

Agility all levels Thursdays
Bio: Andy Winther’s journey from a dairy farm in Denmark to becoming a successful dog trainer in the United States is marked by a deep-seated passion for animal training and a diverse range of experiences: Read More

Early Career in Equestrian Training:
Andy started gaining experience in animal training at a young age, focusing on equestrian handling and horse training skills.
By the age of 20, Andy was hired as a rider at Blue Hors Dressage, Denmark’s largest Dressage facility, where he worked with prestigious horses, riders, and trainers across Europe.
Move to the United States and Transition to Dog Training:
Andy moved to the US to further his career in training, initially in New Hampshire and later in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Unfortunately, a riding accident cut short Andy’s equestrian career, prompting a shift in focus towards new horizons.
Education and Development in Dog Training:
Andy pursued higher education, obtaining three degrees while continuing to nurture his passion for animal training.
In 2010, Andy adopted a Whippet, sparking an interest in adapting his equestrian training techniques to dogs.
Career Focus on Dog Training:
Andy’s dedication to understanding K9 motivation and teaching dogs to think led to his specialization in dog agility sports and continuous improvement in training methods.
In 2012, Andy acquired a border collie to further enhance his skills and sensitivity in dog training.
Achievements in Dog Agility:
Andy has achieved notable success in dog agility competitions, including being an alternate on two world teams: the World Agility Open and the FCI Agility World Championship.
He also secured significant placements in prestigious competitions like the AKC National Final and the Premier Cup.
Philosophy in Training:
Andy emphasizes that the foundation of any impressive animal behavior lies in simple and enjoyable beginnings for the animals themselves.
His background as a dressage rider has provided him with invaluable insights into effective and humane training practices for both horses and dogs.
Andy Winther’s journey exemplifies resilience, passion, and a commitment to excellence in animal training, transcending from horses to dogs while continually pushing the boundaries of his skills and knowledge

Betty Belliveau

Private agility lessons
Email: bettybell1@verizon.net
Bio: Betty has been happily involved in the sport of dogs for over 20 years. Read More

She started out showing in obedience, followed closely by conformation. In more recent years, she has added agility and herding, as well as teaching others to enjoy these sports.Betty and her dogs have achieved multiple High in Trials in obedience and many 1st placements in agility. Her dogs have consistently qualified for the USDAA Grand Prix and Steeplechase finals and AKC Nationals. She is also an Authorized Mentor Trainer through Animal Behavior College and a mentor to other dog trainers.

Sam King

Pre-agility Wednesdays
Bio: Sam is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, AKC Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog Evaluator

Jess Harris

Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Obedience Saturdays
Bio: Jess has been training dogs professionally for 5 years, teaching everyday manners and beginner competition Rally and Obedience using positive reinforcement-based methods. Read More

Their journey in dog sports began 7 years ago when they purchased Havoc, their older Rottweiler. As Havoc came into adolescence, his genetic stranger danger reactivity became apparent, and Jess deep dived into learning about dog behavior, reactivity, and what sports they could still do. Now, Jess has Havoc and Frenzy, their younger Rottweiler, whom they compete and train with in various sports, including Rally, Obedience, Scentwork, and Agility. Jess has taken Karen Pryor seminars, mentored under multiple trainers (including Sam King at Collinswood!), and strives to learn more and do better in dog training always.

Marsha Clamp

Breed Handling Wednesdays
Marsha showed her first dog (Siberian Husky) in the early 70’s; at the time, she had no idea which end of the dog the leash went on! Read More

Thanks to lots of help from handling instructors through a club she joined, she did learn the finer points of showing a dog. She have shown all her own dogs over the years; they included Airedale Terriers, Siberian Huskies, Lhasas, and for the last 25 years Briards, and Chinese Cresteds. She became interested in showing for others as she just love to show the dogs, and many of her friends didn’t want to or just could not show their own dogs. Over the years of showing she has learned much from the different dogs she has handled as well as the many judges she has shown to. She put on handling clinics at the Briard Nationals to help out people who need that extra TLC before being brave enough to go in the ring themselves She loves to watch any and all breeds being shown, and some of the bigger professional handlers have also helped her learn through the years. One of her favorite things to do is to judge Junior Showmanship, as she believes these kids are the future of the sport of dog shows!

Our Kennel Care Team:

Kim Stelmach

Kim has owned corgi’s for almost 20 years but has also had rottweilers in her past. She now also has her own Collinswood Aussie, Savina. Her dogs have trained in rally, obedience, and agility. Kim enjoys getting to meet all different types of dogs and their owners at the kennel and can always be found keeping everything clean!

Amy Lavoie

Amy has been caring for the dogs at Collinswood for a long time and has worked with dogs and horses her whole life. She treats every dog staying at Collinswood as if they were her own and feels that because she spends so much time with them they become part of her life too. Amy will be sure your dog is happy and having fun while they are here with her!

Christina

Christina has been a great help to all behind the scenes at Collinswood. She loves getting to play with all the daycare dogs. In her free time, she trains her own dogs in agility and participates in a marching band!

Welcome to Collinswood K-9

"Its all about the dogs!"

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