- Nancy Dougan
- Casey Dunnagan
- Justine Espinoza
- Linda Hause
- Leslie Heckathorn
- Lee James
- Janice McCarthy
- Laurie Rubin
- Angela Silvestri
- Debbie Stoner
Nancy Dougan, Instructor
Nancy Dougan teaches Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Obedience, and Tricks.
Nancy Dougan is a CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer), a professional member of the APDT (Association of Pet Dog Trainers), Member of the CWDTC (County Wide Dog Training Club), and WASOC (Western Australian Shepherd Obedience Club).
Nancy’s goal in training dogs is to create a better relationship between owner and canine companion through positive reinforcement and strong leadership, by developing good communication and enjoyment between dog and owner.
Nancy has over 15 years experience working with dogs of all breeds, ages, and temperaments. She has completed the comprehensive 6-month Canine Instructor Training Academy course given by renowned trainer and behaviorist Trish King of Marin Humane Society. This course covers learning theory for canine behavior, canine body language, diagnosing and treating dog aggression, clicker training, and much more. She is dedicated to staying current on the latest breakthroughs in behavior and training by attending educational courses and seminars that are offered throughout the year. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from UC Davis.
Credentials:
- Certified Professional Dog Trainer — (CPDT)
- Professional member, Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
- CITA I & II, Canine Behavior and Training Academy, Marin Humane Society
- Vice President, Norcal Australian Shepherd Rescue, 2003-2007
- BS Animal Science, University of California, Davis
Dog Competition Titles:
Obedience trials: 5 CDs, 4 CDXs, 1 UD, and multiple HITs through AKC, ASCA,
Agility titles: Multiple titles with 5 dogs. Orgs: AKC, ASCA, NADAC, USDAA
Casey Dunnagan, Instructor
Casey Dunnagan teaches Rally-1, Rally-2 and Rally Drop-in classes
Casey has been involved in training dogs since 1974 when he got his first German Shepherd Dog (Lady). Before 1974 he trained a Rough Collie. Casey has always been interested in Obedience training and in showing dogs. In the 1970’s he joined Sonoma County Dog Training club. At that time he taught Beginning and Advanced Obedience. He later went on to be President of Sonoma County Dog Training Club (1979-80).
Casey has always showed German Shepherd Dogs (GSD), He has put a UD on two dogs. In recent years he has become very interested in Rally and has take his current GSD dog (Tea Rose) to the following degrees; Rally Novice, Rally Advanced, and two legs towards her Rally Excellence, all by the age of two years. Casey has achieved the follow degrees on dogs: CD, CDX,UD, RN, RA, CGC.
Casey has lived in Santa Rosa all his life and is currently retired. He attended Humbolt State University and Graduated with a BS. He is married to Kathy and they currently live with their GSD dog “Rosie”. They have three grown daughters.
Justine Espinoza, Instructor
Justine Espinoza teaches Conformation Drop-In sessions and our specialty Conformation class.
Justine has worked with dogs since 1970, starting out with work at a grooming shop when she was in high school. She started showing dogs in 1989 and has finished many Champion and Grand Champions since then along with titling dogs in Rally, Traditional Obedience and in Field Competitions. Justine attended classes with County-Wide Dog Training Club, eventually becoming an instructor with the club. She owns Basset Hounds, Mini Wirehaired Dachsunds, a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen and a Standard Poodle. Justine’s love of dogs has brought her to where she is today.
Linda Hause, Training Director and Instructor
Linda Hause is the Training Director for County-Wide Dog Training Club.
Linda teaches Beginning classes and several of our specialty classes such as Jump Training, Open/Utility Proofing, Clicker Training, Fronts, Focus and Finishes, Attention, Heeling and Stays, Rally-1, Rally-2 and Rally Drop-in classes
Linda has been involved in the sport of obedience as an exhibitor and instructor since 1974, as an AKC obedience judge since 1991 and as a rally judge since 2009. Her first training effort was with Siren, her in-law’s 6 month old red Doberman puppy. Linda did basic obedience training earning her first CD with Siren in 1974. Linda’s primary breed is the Siberian Husky although she has also owned and trained a black Labrador Retriever and a Finnish Spitz.
Linda has earned multiple titles on her dogs in obedience, agility, rally and conformation. High points in her show experience include finishing two Utility titles within 10 minutes (one on her Labrador Retriever and one on her Siberian Husky) and finishing the first AKC Agility Excellent title on a Finnish Spitz.
In over 40 years of training and teaching experience Linda has worked with dogs and handlers of every description. She has also attended numerous seminars addressing a variety of topics including (but not limited to): teaching dog training classes, various behavior problems in dogs, working with rescue dogs, clicker training and training for obedience competition.
Linda lives in Santa Rosa with her husband and two Siberian Huskies. She has two grown children. Linda has worked in special education at the high school level since 1983, retiring in 2018. She has taught classes covering basic pet obedience through competitive obedience since 1974 in both Sonoma and Marin Counties, currently teaching obedience classes for County-Wide Dog Training Club.
Titled Dogs:
- Prinz Erik’s Red Siren CD (Doberman)
- Thor’s Midnight Thunder CD (Siberian Husky)
- Kuchada’s Toly Yarki Zarya CD (Siberian Husky)
- Gitana’s Zarniva Keeta UD (Siberian Husky)
- Miss Money Penny UD (Labrador Retriever)
- CH. Kalavala’s Bo D Badman CD, AX, CGC (Finnish Spitz)
- Alcinta’s Fancy Lady CD, RE, OA, NAJ, CGC (Siberian Husky)
- Zarniva’s Going To The Sun RN, CGC (Siberian Husky)
- Zarniva’s Rising Sun RN, CGC (Siberian Husky)
- CH.Debalys Jasper of Zarniva RN, CGC (Siberian Husky)
- Debalys Dyson CGC, CGCA (Siberian Husky)
Total of 7 CD, 2 CDX, 2 UD, 2 NA, 2 OA, 1 AX, 1 NAJ, 4 RN, 1 RA, 1 RE, 6 CGC, 1 CGCA and 2 Breed Champion titles.
Leslie Heckathorn – Class Instructor
Leslie Heckathorn has returned to teach our daytime Puppy Class after being away for other work commitments. Leslie has taught Beginning 1 Classes as well as our Beginning 1 Review Classes (2009-2012). She has been a certified CGC instructor and has facilitated the Star Puppy class in addition to helping with CGC preparation and exam.
Leslie has an A.S. Degree in Assistance Dog Education from the Assistance Dog Institute, May 2007. She also has a Master’s Degree in Human-Canine Life Sciences from Bergin University of Canine Studies, June 2010 in Santa Rosa. Leslie has spent a number of years in private dog training nurturing devotion between dogs and their people. Leslie spent many years volunteering as a K-9 Social Therapy Team visiting with local senior citizens and youth. Leslie has always had an array of animals in her life since she was a young girl. She is particularly fond of dogs, especially golden retrievers.
Along with her spouse Ronni they live with 3 dogs and 4 cats. Their youngest golden is Sampson who has been working through a series of classes that have lead to Sampson’s Novice Rally, Intermdiate Rally and Novice Trick Dog titles.
Lee James, Instructor
Lee James teaches Puppy Kindergarten, Intermediate, and Advanced Drop-In classes.
Lee first started training and showing dogs in AKC obedience at age 8. She started teaching classes in 1977 and she founded HumDog in Arcata. She has taught all levels of classes in Arcada and Fortuna. She founded HOT Dogs in Healdsburg. She taught all levels of classes at the Healdsburg Animal Shelter. She organized dog drill teams for local parades. She has taught all levels of obedience with County-Wide Dog Training Club. She taught Beginning Obedience at Sonoma County Dog Training Club. Lee’s dogs have placed in many Gaines Super Dog competitions and she took High-In-Trial at Golden Gate Kennel Club. Lee has put on scent discrimination demonstrations with vegetables which was broadcast on television.
Lee has attended many training seminars in the 1980′s and has trained one dog through a TDX and many CD, CDX, and UD titles.
Janice McCarthy, Instructor
Janice McCarthy teaches Conformation Drop-In sessions.
Janice started showing Basset Hounds in 1999. Since then she has shown and earned titles on her dogs in Conformation, Traditional Obedience and in Field Competitions. Janice took classes at County-Wide Dog Training Club eventually becoming an instructor with the club. Janice owns Basset Hounds, Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds and a German Shepherd.
Laurie Rubin, Instructor
AOCNC Representative
Laurie Rubin.
Laurie teaches Obedience Show Prep Drop-In classes.
Laurie has been learning about and practicing musical freestyle since 1999. Her first Aussie, Ebbtide Luna Sea, World Canine Freestyle Organization Freestyle Dog Excellent, was the second dog in California to earn a WCFO musical freestyle title. Luna also earned an AKC UD and an Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) Obedience Trial Championship. As of 2009 young Ebbtide Fennel Hill has earned his WCFO World Freestyle Dog Excellent and World Freestyle Dog Heel-to-Music titles as well as his AKC CD and ASCA CDX. Laurie has trained with Terri Arnold and values having her dogs work with the utmost of joy and enthusiasm.
Angela Silvestri, Instructor
AOCNC Representative
Angela Silvestri, CTDI
Angela teaches A variety of classes but especially enjoys teaching tricks. She is a Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI) through Do More With Your Dog!
Angela has been involved in a variety of dog sports since 1997 when she adopted a Labrador mix from the Sonoma County Humane Society. It started with wanting a well mannered house dog, to a passion for competition, to what some may call an obsession. She started trialing her mixed breed dogs Sasha and Kyrie with the Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America(MBDCA) prior to mix breed eligibility to register with AKC.
Angela has exhibited in Conformation (AKC, UKC, & MBDCA), Obedience (AKC & UKC), Tracking, Rally, Schutzhund, Herding, Nose Work, Agility (AKC, CPE & NADAC), and Barn Hunt and has earned the following titles on her dogs:
- UCD MBCH Sasha MBCD MBRA CGC (Mix)
- Kyrie MBRA CGC (Mix)
- CH. Carousel’s Silver Streak HSAs TD RAE BN PCD NA NAJ NF SCHH1 TR2 NW1 ETD CL4-HSF CL3 TN-N CGC (Belgian Malinois – HSA handled by a friend)
- TDCH GCH Carousel’s Dream of Fire N Ice RA NA NAJ NF HT RATS CL2 CGC (Belgian Malinois – HT handled by a friend)
- TDCH CH Silverthorn’s Dragon Fire RA HT CGC RATN(Belgian Malinois)
- Silverthorn’s Legendary Jewel ATD CGC (Belgian Malinois)
- Silverthorn’s Jewel of the Nile ATD CGC(Belgian Malinois)
Debbie Stoner, CGC Evaluator
Debbie Stoner is our CGC Evaluator.
Debbie is a Life-Time member of County-Wide Dog Training Club. When the AKC first established the Canine Good Citizen test Debbie assisted fellow member Sandy Perez to hold them. When Sandy could not continue running the test, Debbie took over and has been running them ever since. Debbie helped establish the Pet Assisted Therapy program with her friend Sandi Brown for the Sonoma County Humane Society and suggested using the CGC tests at County-Wide to help screen pet therapy prospects for them. Debbie is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Humane Society’s Pet Assisted Therapy program.
Debbie began teaching Agility classes for County-Wide a number of years ago. She now teaches Agility classes at her own school, Wheee Agility. She has been the Trial Chairperson for County-Wide’s Agility trial for more years than she would like to count. She also was the club’s Recording and Corresponding Secretary for several years. She has also been a member of The Bay Team Agility club for many years.
Debbie’s new love and dog sport is K9 Nose Work that she is enjoying very very much with her sweet little Fox. Debbie is now a CNWI (Certified Nose Work Instructor).
Her three performance trained dogs are:
- Golden Retriever: Tristan Stoner
- UD AX CGC EAC EJC OGC Pet Therapy Dog for 13 years
- Papillon: ADCH MACH Matanzas Little Big Man
- MXJP CDX RA EAC EJC OGC CL-4F CL-4H CGC
- Papillon: MACH Matanzas Special Agent Fox
- C-ATCH AAD RA CGC NW1