Betsy's History

Inspired by my Grandfather, one of the first professional dog handlers at the famed Westminster Kennel Club Shows in Madison Square Garden, NY, I began showing dogs in Obedience and Conformation as a Junior Handler in 1968. I have been involved with dogs on a professional and personal level ever since. From 1968 through 1995, I showed dogs throughout the United States.In the early 80’s I earned the Top Obedience Handler award from the Penobscot Valley Kennel Club of Maine. At the time, my personal breed was Golden Retrievers.

In the early 80’s, I opened a boarding and training kennel in Dixmont, Maine (Golden Glow Farm Kennel) where I also offered full service grooming.I began offering group obedience classes, group handling classes and private personal gun dog training. At the time I was a member of NAVHDA (North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association) where I began my career as a breeder and handler of Vizslas, which I still own today.

  Continuing to teach classes in Dixmont, Pittsfield, Waterville and Winslow, by the mid 80’s I had added the duties of Animal Control Officer for Dixmont.  My three year commitment there ultimately inspired me to turn half of my commercial kennel over into a shelter where I rehabilitated aggressive dogs for adoption. 

By the late 80’s I added Marshaling at Field Trials and judging Obedience and Conformation at Match Shows in ME, NH and MA to my resume. In 1990 I left Maine to teach classes in California in association with Dr. Fred Miller and Brighton Greens Veterinary Hospital.At the time, we were the first facility to offer medical and behavioral consultation under “one roof”. In CA I taught over 13 classes/week from Basic – Advanced Obedience, Show Handling and Agility. I averaged over 700 students per year for nearly ten consecutive years. Due to the popularity of my classes, I had to retire from the show ring due to time constraints. In my career in the ring I had earned 7 – CD and 3 – CDX titles in the US as well as 3 Canadian CD titles. I had earned 3 Breed Championships on my own dogs finishing one with group placements from the Bred By Exhibitor class in both the AKC and the IKC (International Kennel Club). Additionally I put multiple wins on multiple client dogs in both Conformation and Obedience.

After returning to Maine in 2000, I again started classes, this time in association with Moosehead Trail Veterinary Hospital.I maintained a very low key schedule, training about 200 students per year. During 2005 -2006 I stopped training to once again follow the national dog show circuit working some of the most prestigious shows in our country including Westminster, the Eukanuba Invitational, West Palm Beach, the Philidelphia shows, Portland Oregon and Christmas in Cleveland to mention a few.

As I embrace 2010, I find myself enjoying showing my new dog "Luke" (see "trainer accomplishments") and a new aspect of my knowledge of dogs as a columnist ("K-9 Korner") featured weekly in four local Maine newspapers.  Additionally I co-own and manage Moosehead Trail Boarding Kennel with my daughter Ashley where I also offer professional all breed grooming.  I am pleased to be back in Maine where I can once again offer my training expertise in the form of weekly basic through advanced obedience and competition training classes to dog owners in Newport, Pittsfield, Machias, Jonesport and Houlton.