Melanie Lesko

For Dogs Only is owned by me, Melanie Lesko.

I’ve enjoyed dog training for almost 30 years. As a young girl I dreamed of training animals, and read every book in the library about horses and dogs. But, it wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I finally got a puppy and could begin obedience training. I was hooked almost immediately, but Francie was a mixed breed rescue, and there was no opportunity for competition. My next dog was Scenari, an American Cocker Spaniel. I showed her in both conformation and obedience, achieving an AKC obedience Companion Dog (CD).

Over the next 18 years I was busy raising my human family and a few Cockers, and working on my career as a chemist, so I had little opportunity for further showing or training. In my next foray into the dog world I chose a Labrador Retriever, Bobbi. The summer after acquiring Bobbi, I went to the Astroworld Series of Dog Shows and discovered the sport of agility. I was hooked again, but before Bobbi began her ability career, I showed her in obedience to a CD, then my daughter Lisa, Bobbi, and I started learning agility.

I now have four Labs (Bobbi, Sami, Jemi and Ferret) and one Aussie (Ria), all of whom have multiple agility titles. I still work full time, and do as much agility as I can find time for in AKC, USDAA, ASCA, and CPE.

For Dogs Only is the realization of a dream, and my passion is to provide quality facilities and equipment for dog sports and training in my area, Galveston County and southeast Houston. I would love to hear from you...your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Please email me! melanie@dogsneedajob.com

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JoAnn Hoffpauir

I have had dogs all of my life and love having them as my companions. I have two grown daughters who experienced having pets through their childhood and now my nine grandchildren are enjoying their pets. The saying” a house is not a home without a dog” is so true.

I have trained my dogs in competitive obedience and agility for the past 22 years. In January of 2005 Rally was  introduced and my dogs are enjoying performing and are titling in this new venue. Smokee earned his RAE in December 2005.  Though the years my dogs and I have participated in AKC, UKC and NADAC events and have earned 66  titles. They have won many placements, Dog World Awards, and high in trials (HIT). My Breed Champion Beau won a 4th place in the 1998 Pupperoni Agility Classic in his 16 “ jump height. In 2003 Smokee earned the Keeshond Club of America Obedience Hall of Fame award and was invited to the 2003 AKC Obedience Invitational. For five years Smokee has been one of the top obedience Keeshond in the country. Some of my dogs have been therapy dogs though the years and all of them are Canine Good Citizens.

In 2006 Rockee was rated the number 3 Keeshond in obedience by AKC and by the Keeshond Club of America. He earned his RAE in Rally in 2007. Sally earned her CDX in 2006. Smokee has 9 legs and needs 1 more for his UDX title. Smokee was on AKC's December 2006 Obedience Invitational list as one of the top Keeshonden in the country.

I have instructed obedience, agility and puppy classes with a variety of breeds. For many years, I worked with Keeshond rescue. Working with rescue allowed me to work with behavior problems, rehabilitate, train, and place 80 dogs into loving homes. I have four Keeshonden: Smokee, Sally, Misty and Rockee. All of my present dogs are rescues that live with my husband and me.

Besides teaching classes, I will be available to instruct private lessons, made by appointment. If you are interested in instruction  and need help with a problem, contact me.
Jo Ann Hoffpauir
18 Kenny Court., Alvin, TX 77511
281-581-9151 or 281-393-1143
Email address: musikkee@wt.net or musikkee@gmail.com

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Kathy Dudley-Scott

My name is Kathy Dudley-Scott. I teach Physics Lab at A&M and have thought at the High school level for 16 years. Growing up in Maine, I was an avid horse rider and trainer. My parents were cat people so I did not have a dog until I was away at college. My first dog was a Lab mix Zorro who was very forgiving to me as I was a novice dog owner.

When I came to school in Galveston at Texas A&M I supplemented my income as a horse-drawn carriage driver. One afternoon a street person offered me a puppy for $5. She is now gone at 17 and was the best barn dog ever. Nine years ago my husband decided that he wanted a female Border Collie with a full white collar. I was working at a pet store for the summer and a woman offered some BC puppies to the shop on consignment. I went to her house and picked out Buddy. My husband said he wanted a female so I brought home Sally from the same breeder. While I was gone Andy had decided that Buddy was his dog. So Sally became my girl. I trained them in the basics: sit, down, shake, stay, come and fetch.

When they were about 2 years old Buddy and I went to the Kwik Kar for an oil change and we ran into Melanie (who had taught me Organic Chemistry at A&M.) We of course started talking about dogs. She wanted to start giving agility classes and my dogs needed a job. So off I went to class with two border collies and no clue. I was hooked. I trained for a year or so and then went to my first NADAC trial. What an experience! I did not realize that you had to be fast and do it all correctly.

After that trial we got much better at competing. I also started looking for a top notch agility BC. I was an ignorant buyer when I bought Buddy and Sally and did not know about blood lines and health issues; they both have a tendency for seizures. Through research and luck I found Henery in Idaho and had him shipped to me on a goat transport. He is my top dog now and we are becoming a brilliant team earning titles in CPE, AKC, ASCA, NADAC and USDAA. Along the way I rescued Amy as she had mange but she only does agility at home, and Grady was given to me by a person who could not handle his high drive. He is now competing in CPE, AKC, ASCA, USDAA, and NADAC and holds titles in all venues. The newest addition is Teagan. She is a red BC rescue from BARC and has the potential to be a top dog.

Sally and Henery and I spent a summer in Maine where we were introduced to CPE while we were on the 2^nd and 3^rd place teams in the Canadian/American games. We enjoyed the venue so much that we brought it back to Texas with us as A!WOOF (Agility with our other friends.) With Melanie’s help and support we now hold CPE trials at her For Dogs Only training facility. Sally and Henery are both working on their CPE Agility Trial Champion- C-ATCH titles.

Buddy competes with a Junior handler in CPE and he has stage credits of Toto in the Wizard of Oz musical at the high school and in The Houston Grand Operas Production of A Mid Summers Night Dream 2009. Sally also only competes in CPE.

My current students have become successful competitively in both AKC and CPE venues. I enjoy training all breeds especially those dogs that are “not supposed to do Agility.” What a blast to see them Qualify in competition. I am happy to teach children to play Agility with their dogs. One of my young students competes also with my dog Buddy.

I use my personal dogs as demo dogs to show a handling skill or to have a handler practice a skill with an experienced dog. All of my classes are designed to build the relationship between dog and handler using positive reinforcement.

The agility dog world has opened up a whole new range of interests and introduced me to numerous interesting like-minded people filling the hole in my social life. What better way to spend a weekend than with friends and your dogs at the agility trial cheering, commiserating and analyzing your performance. There is always something new to learn. I am a member of NADFA, an AKC club, NHASC, a NADAC/ASCA club, DASH, a USDAA club, and A!WOOF a CPE club. I teach or attend agility classes 4 nights a week currently. I own 6 Border Collies and a Blue healer, who all have jobs. I am still striving to become a fluent team with my competitive dogs. When it does click it is like walking on clouds. What more can I say….Agility Rocks!

keds8@aol.com
281-534-4288 (h) or 281-455-0500 (c)

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