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Sara Thurgood Affiliated to the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers - Certificate in Instructional Techniques
Sara is our lead Instructor and is qualified with the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers in both Obedience training
and Agility training. She has had many years experience training dogs of all breeds and has also had training in solving
behavioural problems in our Canine friends. Sara spent 15 years re-homing English Springer Spaniels and has managed
to find “forever” homes for over 300 unwanted dogs. The owner of several dogs herself Sara started showing and
breeding Flat-coated Retrievers 7 years ago. Showing successfully at Crufts each year. She also competes in Agility and
Gun-dog Trials.. Her main aim when training at Club and in Clients homes is to try and make it fun for both handler and
the dogs while still learning.
Debs Colling
Debs is our agility intsructor and is a KCA I member working towards accreditation. Debs began doing agility in
2002 with her Working Sheep Dog, Splash. Initially it was just for fun but she was soon persuaded to have a go at
competition and quickly became hooked! She has been competing since 2003 and now runs Splash (grade 6) in
anysize, Asbo in grade 5 and Ruby in grade 3. Debs has been teaching since 2007 and regularly teaches for 3
local clubs as well as teaching privately from home. She is also a qualified KC agility judge and regulary acts as
secretary for agility shows. Debs and her family regularly travel far and wide to compete at some of the larger
agility shows in the country.
Chris Knox Affiliated to the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers - Certificate in Basic Instructional Techniques
Chris works with Sara in obedience training and is qualified with the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers. She
becamce an instructor after training her naughty labrador and realised how rewarding it can be to have a well trained
dog (and handler!). She has experience of training a wide range of breeds and abilities and like Sara, believes that
training should be fun and geared to the needs of the handler and dog. Chris also participates in agility shows and
dog shows.
Committee
Lapford Dog Club is supported by an indispensable committee who set up and take down often heavy and unwieldy equipment, mop those
little accidents that young and not so young dogs sometimes have, and generally ensure the smooth running of the club.
Trish Mumford Affiliated to the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers - Certificate in Basic Instructional Techniques
Trish works with Chris and Sara and is also qualified with the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers. She has
had a variety of dogs for most of her life which include Dalmatians, a rescue Collie cross and now Flatcoated
Retrievers. She has trained for obedience and heal work to music, but for the last 10 years has concentrated on
agility and gundog work, competing with varying success. She believes that success in training comes with building a
partnership with a dog through reward based methods in a fun environment.
