I've loved dogs my whole life, growing up with a Sheltie named Dixie, a mixed breed named Lady, and a Dalmatian named Sugar, who was both my sidekick and the town's 'fire dog' because my dad was the captain of the local volunteer fire department.   I found so much joy in training Sugar as a kid, and  even taught her to "stop, drop, and roll" to help teach kids during fire safety talks.  

My first experience with dog sports was in agility with my late Boston Terrier, Bogey. What started as a fun class quickly became a passion, and I've been competing in agility for about 15 years. My proudest moment so far, and I don't know if anything will ever beat it, was earning an Agility Championship with my now-retired 16-year-old Boston Terrier, Finn. When I first adopted him, he was very reactive, and I never imagined we'd make it to the competition ring.  Together though, we turned challenges into triumphs.

I'm currently running my 4-year-old Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Otis, with the goal of reaching the AKC Invitationals next year. I'm also training my 1.5-year-old Griff, Georgie, as well.  They are my first conformation dogs, and both are close to earning their AKC Championships (finding majors in Griffs can be tough!).  I also love training and competing in hunt tests with them, as there's nothing more rewarding than watching a dog excel in what it was bred to do.  Otis is working towards his Senior Hunter and I hope that Georgie will earn her Junior Hunter at DKC's inaugural hunt test in October!

Joining the DKC in 2021 has been a wonderful experience, connecting me with a fantastic community of dog lovers and dog sport enthusiasts. I've recently taken on the role of Treasurer for the club, which has been a great opportunity to get to know everyone better and learn about other sports.