Training

A dog must be non-aggressive, up to date on all shots (or titer), and meet age and health requirements. Other health and safety restrictions may apply. All classes are conducted in 6-week sessions. Graduation from a previous level may be a prerequisite to advancing to the next.

Please email dawgtraining85@gmail.com to inquire about classes and times. Please download and complete the DAWG Training Application and Waiver.

Focus & Cues

Training focuses on fundamentals such as attention skills, impulse control and verbal/physical cues. The intention is to build a strong bond between the dog and handler via games, play, and positive reinforcement.

DAWG Training Novice Level

Novice

Training focuses on further attention skills and building the dog/handler bond. These objectives will be improved upon via games, working small sequences and learning the obstacles.

DAWG Training Intermediate Level

Intermediate

Dogs learn how to safely and independently perform basic obstacles used in Agility competitions. The handler will learn basic handling skills that will help them guide their dog through the course.

DAWG Training Advanced Level

Advanced Agility

Dog and handler will be introduced to more technical handling skills. Course strategies are explored in more detail.

DAWG Training Master Level

Master Agility

Dog and handler polish their performance for top-level challenges found at the Master level. Must have completed Advanced Agility or be competing successfully at the Advanced level.

Meet Our Coaches

  • TC and Latté

    TC Cappel, Training Director

    TC brings a very unique perspective to training. In addition to being involved with agility for over 25 years, she also trains and competes in flyball, obedience, trick dogs, and freestyle dog dancing. She mentors those working with therapy dogs, and has frequently performed with her dogs at the Great State Fair of Texas! Because of her in-depth background, she adds creativity to DAWG’s Focus and Cues course. She places emphasis on games and making the training process fun. Her pack members include Bazinga, an All-American, and Latté, a miniature Poodle.

  • Bevy Boyer

    Bevy has competed for a number of years with Cocker Spaniels and placed AKC and USDAA championships on her pups. Picabo is Bevy’s current agility partner. She teaches at the Master's level. Being a musician and music teacher, Bevy is ideally suited to teach agility. Agility, after all, is a dance with our dog!

  • Lisa Braxton

    Lisa always had an affinity for dogs, and she caught the training bug over a decade ago. She participated in a six-week internship at a sanctuary in Utah run by a seasoned behaviorist. There she worked hands-on with rescue dogs with a variety of behavior issues. Lisa has a soft spot for dogs and handlers who are working through everything from anxiety to basic puppy issues. Her greatest joy is seeing dogs and handlers learning to communicate with each other. Lisa's goal is to make your relationship with your dog as healthy and happy as possible.

  • Sangie Brooks

    Sangie has competed for over 18 years at the Championship level with Border Collies. She competes in AKC, UKI, and USDAA venues. In addition, she is an AKC agility judge. Consequently, she offers a great deal of experience when teaching Advanced-level teams. Sangie still enjoys working with Novice handlers and teaching Puppy Foundation Skills. She particularly enjoys seeing novice handlers improve as they grasp how to cue their pups to take appropriate lines and make fluid turns.

  • Kathryn Cockerham

    Kathryn coaches at the Master level. Her 16 years of competing at the Championship level in AKC, ASCA, and USDAA offer advanced dog/handler teams a wealth of experience to draw upon. She excels at teaching course strategy since—being one of DAWG’s trial course builders—she sees an abundance of challenges at every level. Her pack consists of Australian Shepherds Harley, Jake and Bandit. She takes a positive and supportive attitude toward each team so they can build upon their existing skills.

  • Matt Flanagan

    Matt enjoys challenging Novice teams to master the obstacles and basic sequence training. He finds that novice students do their best by practicing obstacles in a course environment. He especially enjoys teaching weave poles—one of the most challenging skills an agility team can achieve. Matt has been involved with the game for eight years. His daughter, Grace, trains Murphy, a Great Pyrenees. Matt’s pup, Sox, is retired.

  • Vonda Spinks

    Vonda has competed for over 13 years with English Cocker Spaniels. In addition to agility, she competes in Dock Diving and Fast CAT. Her current pack consists of English Cocker Spaniel Megatron, English Springer Spaniels Brady, and Wasabi. She has earned championship titles from the AKC, ASCA, and UKI. She coaches Novice and Intermediate level teams and enjoys seeing them bond through their training. Her positive approach helps dog/handler teams meet their agility goals.

  • Jennifer Thomas

    Jennifer has been competing since 2001. She participated on the US EO team in 2019 and the US IFCS team in 2014. In 2013, her Rodeo won the individual all-around at the IFCS Agility Championship of America. Her first agility dog was a Jack Russell Terrier, Buddy. Since then she has trained multiple dogs—Jack Russel Roxy and Shelties Rodeo, Cole, and Pitch. Today, she is working with BorderPap Filly.