Penny has been involved with showing and training dogs for more than 30 years. She and her husband, Dale McElrath, breed Flat-Coated Retrievers and Border Collies. Their Flat-Coats have been among the top ranked dogs in the breed and multiple group placers & winners. They also enjoy multiple performance sports with all their dogs, including mixed-breeds. Penny is a lifelong dog lover who began training the family dogs as a young girl and won ribbons at the county fair. She grew up with a Dalmatian, Boxer and a Keeshond.
Penny began competing in agility in 1994, and her first agility dog, a Bearded Collie, became the first of her breed to earn the AKC AX and MX (pre-MACH program!). She and her All American Dog, Cameo, have earned many agility honors, including 5 championship titles in 4 venues. They have made the finals of the AKC National Agility Championship, USDAA Nationals, and the UKI US Open, at which they won the UKI National Championship for their height division. She and her Border Collie, Venus, have placed in the Top 10 at 2 AKC National Rally Championships.
She also competes in obedience, scent work, dock diving, flyball and more. She and Dale currently have one of the top distance dock diving dogs of all breeds in NADD, ranked #7, and with a personal best of 31’9’’.
Penny joined the DKC about a year and a half ago, but has been involved in the club’s events and classes for many years. She loves the fact that the DKC embraces performance sports and offers so many events and activities for its members and the community.