Joan began her dog training career in 1974 with a neighbor's 150 pound Saint Bernard. She taught him obedience and to go down slides, over the see saw and to jump bicycle racks. The love for dog training was known at this young age of 12.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Baker University, she was encouraged by her professor to pursue her love of dog training. She began work for the Lawrence Humane Society and listened to all the reasons people were giving up their pets. She decided there was a true need to help people train their dogs. She started working as a veterinary technician and training obedience classes. Joan opened her own full time training and boarding school in 1986, devoting her skills to educating the public and to solving the bad behaviors causing so many pets to be given away.

Joan began competing in agility in 1993. She is nationally known for the wide variety of breeds and number of dogs that she handles. With over 300 agility titles on dogs ranging from the 8 inch class to the 30 inch class, from the herding, sporting, terrier, nonsporting, toy and hound groups, she has had the experience to work with all breeds and sizes of dogs in the sport.

Joan is also an agility judge for the AKC. She has competed in the National Dog Agility Championships in USDAA annually since 1994, making it to the finals in 16" and 20" divisions. She has also competed in every AKC Agility Championship, finishing in the top ten of the 20" and 24" divisions over the years.

In 2001, Joan had the #2 ranked German Shepherd Dog, the #6 ranked Sheltie, the #2 ranked Beagle, and the #1 (and only) ranked Norfolk Terrier by the American Kennel Club. She was the first to finish a MACH in the state of Kansas with her German Shepherd, Freya.

Joan was a silver medallist at the 2001 Agility World Championship as a member of the USA/AKC team in Portugal with her Sheltie, Dustin. As a member of the 2003 USA/AKC team in France, Joan and Dustin turned in two clean rounds for their team bringing in the second fastest combined clean rounds in the world. They also won 1st place in the 4th Round of Competitions at the AKC Agility National Championships in Denver in 2001 out of approximately 90 of the top 16" dogs in the country.

She was a finalist in the 2002 USDAA Grand Prix and Steeplechase finals and placed 2nd in the 16" division in the Steeplechase Championships.

In 2003, she placed third overall at the Agility World Team Invitational and second at the finals of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in the small dog division. Her team place third in the USDAA DAM Team Championships. Also, she placed third at AKC National Championship in the International Competition.

In 2004, she placed 5th at the Canadian Nationals in the 16 inch Jumpers course. Also, placing 4th and 7th at the USDAA National Championship for Team Gamblers and Team Standard.

In 2005 at the AKC National Championships, she and Dustin finished with a 2nd Place Overall Cumulative in the highly competitive International 18 inch Division. Dustin also placed 4th in the 2nd round of Jumpers in the 16 inch division. At the World Team Tryouts, Dustin place 1st in the Round 1 and Round 2 and finished in 2nd overall. This all was done with a nine-year-old dog. Her young, age 2, sheltie, Neil and her were a finalist at the USDAA nationals in Scottsdale, AZ.

In 2006 at he AKC national championship in Tampa Florida, Neil and Joan, won an overall 1st place in the competitive 14” international class at age 2 ½. He has finished his MACH and MAD, been to world team tryouts, where he finished 3rd cumulatively for 5 rounds. Now what will he do when he turns three? He is a Dustin son. Dustin and Joan were finalists at the 2006 AKC National Championship, at age 10. What a guy

“I love working with all breeds and all people at all levels.  Not all dogs and all people can be trained to do the same things. Everyone has potential of being a great team with the dog they own.”