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Class
Instructors
Diana M. Barber,
Ph. D.
ACE Training Director
I received my undergraduate degree in psychology from Dartmouth College
and focused on the behavior of mammals for my doctorial research at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I have been in
charge of the Education Department at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic
Garden since 2000. I have also taught a variety of audiences
over the last 15 years including undergraduate classes at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of
Southern Indiana, basic dog training, operant conditioning, and agility
classes. I have written several articles for Clean Run, a
training journal for agility trainers and enthusiasts, and taught
several sessions at the 2008 Clean Run Instructor Conference.
I am the Director of Training for the Agility Club of Evansville and am
on the Board of Governors for the Standard Schnauzer Club of
America. I have had the pleasure of living with standard
schnauzers for 17 years and have enjoyed agility with all of my
dogs. I also enjoy herding sheep, showing in conformation,
and dabbling in obedience. I currently share my home with
Nico (a.k.a. Katon's Domenico Dolce CD RN AX AXJ MXP MJP NFP JHD-s OAC
O-NAC NJC TN-O TG-N), my newest agility partner Ziggy (a.k.a. Ch.
Pepper Tree Zero Gravity PT AX OAJ OF NAC NJC), and two very
disgruntled cats (a.ka. Renfield and Kwan Yin).
Mary Mullen
My husband, Rick, and I have been members of Agility Club of Evansville
since 1999. We currently train and compete with our five shetland
sheepdogs in a variety of sports in multiple registries. For the past 8
years, I have taught public obedience and rally classes for Evansville
Obedience Club as well as public agility classes for Agility Club of
Evansville.
Rick and I
together hosted the monthly obedience C-matches for Evansville
Obedience Club from 1999-2002 and have hosted C-matches for other local
clubs. I have given rally seminars to local clubs who were interested
in getting started in the sport. Rick and I judge 4-H dog
obedience and agility trials throughout local southern Indiana
counties. I am also an AKC agility judge.
I sit on the board of directors of Evansville Obedience Club, Agility
Club of Evansville, and Lincoln Trail Belgian Shepherd Club.
I still
have my first obedience dog, Jake (13), and I am currently
competing with my 4 year old sheltie, Indie. My dogs have
earned titles in obedience, rally and agility in multiple registries.
In AKC, my sheltie, Indie, is OTCH and MACH pointed.
My
training philosophy is simple. I believe in being fair and honest with
your dog. I believe in motivational training using positive
reinforcement with mild correction. I am neither a purely positive
trainer nor do I believe in correcting a dog who is confused or
frightened.
Trainers
who have influenced me and whose seminars I've attended include Connie
Cleveland, Adele Yunck, Diane Bauman, Stuart and Pati Mah and Web
Anderson.
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