ABF PLANS ON INCLUDING TRAINING ASSISTANCE WITH ADOPTIONS OF ABF KIDS  

     Hello! My name is Melinda Murphy.   Animals Best Friends has asked for my assistance to help with some of their adoptions.  So I would like to tell you something about myself.   I started training and competing with my own dogs in 1976. In 1981 I began giving private and group instruction which has allowed me to work with more than a thousand dogs over the years.

      My experience lies in many areas of dog training: obedience; field; tracking; agility; lure coursing; conformation; freestyle (dancing with your dog!); and rally. Over the years I have worked with most of the breeds recognized by AKC and a vast variety of mix breeds. I have been attending dog training seminars given by top trainers from around the country.  This has kept me informed about newly devised training techniques.  I continue to attend classes given by talented local trainers and am always on the look out to learn something new.  I compete with my own dogs, and we have many titles to our credit. I have trained assistance dogs for a national organization for almost eleven years and am currently the obedience class instructor for a local veterinary clinic.

      I am also a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)  and of the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI)  Both have endorsed me to teach Puppy and Novice classes. Through Paws With A Cause, I am a Certified Assistance Dog Trainer.  I have experience with both Temperament Testing, Behavior Evaluation, and I am a certified Canine Good Citizen test evaluator for AKC.  

      In the past few months, ABF has asked me to contact a few clients who were in the process of adopting a dog but were experiencing some behavior difficulties.  ABF felt that some of the adopters needed training assistance to help them help the dog adjust to it’s new environment.  They asked me to assess the situation and help them determine if the problem could be worked out, saving the relationship, or if the adoption process should be terminated.   ABF has expressed a desire to continue the use of my services.  I am most pleased to comply! All shelter dogs come with “baggage”, but not all of these dogs are at risk of losing their new home.  Most can be trained. 

      Many members of ABF have a working knowledge of dog behavior and can help new owners work through many issues that arise with a trans- planted dog.  I will be assisting at those times when more training expertise is needed.   I will conduct a “wants and needs” assessment as their troubleshooter.

     While I cannot offer training advice outside of a scheduled session, feel free to inquire about private obedience training for you and your dog. You may contact me at murfhound@earthlink.net or visit my web pages at: http://home.earthlink.net/~murfhound.

    Melinda Murphy will be dancing with her dog at the KC Pet Expo on April 19th.  She is a member of the Rhythm Rovers and they will have a booth at the Expo.