Are you always behind? Do you need to work on trusting your dog to do their job so you can move onto the next obstacle? In this session, we will work on plans to not get behind so we can direct our dogs around the course efficiently.
Are there skills that you need to teach your dog that will help you not be so far behind? We will identify those things that keep you from staying ahead of your dog.
Loretta Mueller (she/her) has been involved in agility since 2003 with her first rescue dog, Ace. Since then she has earned ADCHs with 4 border collies — Zip, Klink, Gator (achieving his ADCH at the age of 2.5 years), Lynn and Gig. Lynn was 2013 Central Regional Grand Prix 22” Champion, as well as being a steeplechase and Grand Prix semi-finalist. She has also put ADCH-Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum titles on her Border Collies
Loretta and her dogs are no strangers to the finals at USDAA World Championships. Since attending her first nationals in 2008, she has competed with one or both dogs in each of the subsequent finals. At the 2012 USDAA World Championships, she had two dogs in EACH of the 3 finals, Grand Prix, steeplechase, and DAM tournament.
In addition to working with her border collies, Loretta was the trainer for the famous little Jack Russell terrier Crackers. Crackers has been on IFCS and WAO teams since he was 2 years old — both Teams every year he competed, winning many medals!
In 2014, Loretta was chosen to be the assistant coach for the IFCS World Team, which competed in the Netherlands. The team was very successful in this competition with many medals won.
After their success, she was asked to be Head Coach of the WAO World Team (USA). She coached Team USA for 4 years before focusing on in person and online coaching.
Outside of agility, Loretta has trained dogs for USBCHA herding, competitive obedience, rally obedience, and service dog work. Today she runs Full Tilt Dog Training in Brainerd, MN, which she founded in 2007, and travels nationally and internationally giving handling seminars.
Loretta has an ability to work with all different breeds of dogs because she believes there is never a “one size fits all” method in training. She is very good at working with each dog and handler as an individual team to help them succeed. One of her specialties is building drive in dogs who otherwise might be a challenge. She has also helped a number of dog-handler teams overcome unwanted stress-based behaviors. She believes it isn’t just about the handling of the courses, but the entire picture that makes a great agility team!
