INSTRUCTORS
Photo CL Photography
Wendy
Buckle has been involved with Dogs all her life. She
taught and competed in Obedience in England. She worked for ten years as a
Veterinary Assistant and has completed the Saint John Ambulance Pet First
aid course. Wendy also is very active in the Therapy program with her Rough
Collie Pal and Border collie Hope.
Wendy has been involved with Agility since 2001 teaching and competing
with all her dogs. She has traveled to take classes in Moncton,
NB at the beginner and advanced levels as well as several handling
courses from John MacKinley of Nova Scotia. Wendy has taken part
in Theresa Rector's Seminar in Halifax in April 2007, as well
as several Jessica Martin's handling seminars in October 2007,
March 2008 & October 2008. She also participated in a Carolyn
Dockrill seminar in May 2008, Justine Davenport in Moncton July 2008,
and Susan Garrett's Say Yes Nationals Pace yourself warm up day workshop in
August 2008. In 2007 Wendy was chosen by Clean Run to critique
new dog agility books and DVD's, this is very exciting as she was only one
of twelve chosen in the US and Canada to do so. In 2006 Wendy and her
"Puppy Mill rescue" Border Collie Hope achieved their Agility Dog
of Canada Title (ADC), and in 2008 Hope added her SAGC- Starters Agility
Games Dog of Canada as well as her AADC - Advanced Agility Dog of Canada
title the team now competes at the Masters Level. Hope and Wendy
qualified for Nationals in 2007 & 2008 earning them the right to
represent NB at this national agility event!
| Marcie & Wendy in Fredericton summer 2003 |
 |
| Casey & Nick - Team Q!! they have both retired- but the Shoutin Shelties were so awesome! |
Marcie
Crawford
first
found her love of agility in 2001 with her late Shetland Sheepdog
Casey. She was one of the founding members of Saint John’s
first dog agility club, and since then has moved forward to
co-founding ARFF K-9 Academy Saint John’s premier dog agility
business where she can be found devoting her time teaching Puppy
classes through to Advanced handling. Marcie is also very busy
within the agility community in New Brunswick, volunteering her time
to do demo’s in agility for children and seniors, volunteering for
the 2008 AAC Nationals in Sussex New Brunswick and serving on the
Agility Association of Canada’s Discipline committee for a term of 3
years.
Marcie
competes and trains regularly in New Brunswick with her Shetland
Sheepdog Libby, who not only qualified for AAC National Championships
in 2008 & 2009 they actually had the opportunity to compete at the
AAC national championships in 2008 which was a dream come true for the
team. They can be found training regularly with World Team
member Theresa Rector (2007, 2010) , Jessica Martin (2007-2009) and
have also trained with Canadian agility professionals Susan Garret
(2008),), Justine Davenport (2008), Carolyn Dockrill (2008), and
several seminars with NB’s Julie Lizotte and Nova Scotia’s John
MacKinley. Marcie is also a certified Therapy dog handler, with
2 of her shelties certified as volunteer therapy dogs. She also
has completed her Saint John Ambulance Pet First Aid course and is
certified in Advanced Coronary Life Support (ACLS) and
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). The Crawford's newest
edition Winston is starting his agility training the summer of 2010,
and he hopes to join his sister Libby on the agility circuit very
soon.
When
not enjoying her passion for agility, Marcie can be found working as a
Registered Nurse for the Horizon Health Network in the Coronary Care
Unit as the units Clinical Coordinator; she lives in Saint John with
her husband Mike and their three Shetland Sheepdogs Libby, Cole and
Winston.
Stacie
Crothers started agility in 2007 when she began taking classes with her
rescued Boxer Tessa. They both were immediately hooked, and early on it was
clear that Stacie & Tessa were the specialist of the class when it came to
weaves. After working very closely with Wendy Buckle to perfect the ARFF K9
Academy preferred weave pole method, Stacie agreed to become our Weave Pole
instructor. She began to teach "the method" and is well known by her students
and peers to be the "Weave Pole Queen".
Stacie has trained with World Team member Theresa Rector (2010), World Team member Jessica Martin (2007-2009) and has also participated in Carolyn Dockrill's handling seminar (2008).
Stacie is currently hard at work training her 2 year old Australian Shepherd Chase for the 2010 trailing season.
Beth
Shaw and her Shelties have participated in all the levels of obedience
with the V.I.P. Training School earning a CDX on Coral with 2 High in Class as
well as a CD on Raja. Beth also assisted with teaching obedience classes.
Raja was handler shown by Beth in the Conformation ring earning his Championship
title with several "Best of Opposites" as well as a "Puppy in
Breed". Beth started training with A.R.F.F. in 2007 with her 9 year old Sheltie
Raja. They worked hard and got there VADC in Fredericton with Raja at 11 years.
At the NB/PEI Regional Championship in 2008 Raja placed 4th in the 10 inch
veterans division. She has participated in several handling seminars
with Jessica Martin. She participated in the Carolyn Dockrill seminar
in May 2008 here in Saint John and attended the Justin Davenport seminar in July
2008. Beth recently started working as an Instructor with ARFFK9
Academy after working for 6mths as a spotter and attending two instructor
Seminars.
Michelle
Boyer started training agility in 2007 with her Greyhound
Rescue Guinness, and now specializes in teaching the weave poles. Michelle is
also very passionate about Greyhound rescue and can be found at many of the
demo's given by Maritime Greyhound Rescue.
Spotters
In order to teach classes properly and ensure safety at all times ARFFK9 Academy
agility instructors have several spotters working within our classes. These
A.R.F.F.
employees use their time to help ensure that everyone who takes a course with
us, is working and practicing in a safe and friendly working environment. Not
only do they spot for contacts they help change jump heights, assist with course
changes, assist with teaching the tunnels and chutes and help teach jumps! They
are also an extra set of eyes and ears to ensure SAFETY in a positive learning
environment. Those interested in teaching agility, start off with spotting as a
basis for their training in instructing the sport. We would like to acknowledge
our Spotters and THANK them for all their hard work! Classes would not be
possible without their ongoing help! Plus...they have tons of FUN and get plenty
of doggie kisses for their efforts!!