A small team of talented dog owners make up Joyce's instructor group. These folks were chosen to teach with and for Joyce because they show a strong affinity for the "Choose to Heel" leadership training program, and true joy in working with people. People who attend their classes continually rave about what a good time they have, how respectfully they have been treated as they learn to teach their dogs, and how much they have been helped by the knowledge and skills they learn in class.
Dog training is a part of life for Mary Dolan. Her family says she is not happy unless she has an animal to train. She has been training both horses and dogs since high school. Her current training partner is Isaac, a five year old Wire Fox Terrier. She enjoys working with smaller breeds but has had Blue Heelers, Dalmatians and German Shepherds in earlier years.
Training with Joyce's Dog Obedience Services Inc. for the past four years, Isaac has earned his NADAC Novice Standard & Novice Jumpers titles, as well as his Canine Good Citizen Certificate. They are looking forward to pursuing more NADAC agility tittles, and who knows what else!
Mary also designed and manufactures the Wonder Walker™ Body Halter, a positive management tool designed to help the ordinary pet dog from pulling while learning to walk on a loose leash.
Patty Hawley has had a dog by her side since birth. She started taking classes from Joyce in 2003 and learned what a great relationship you can have with your dog - even the challenging ones - when you give them the leadership they are looking for. Besides traiing and studying with Joyce, she has attended two training camps with Dawn Jecs who developed the "Choose to Heel" program. At home, Patty has a husband, three children and two dogs, all very well behaved! Patty and her best friend, Max, have been teaching with Joyce for a year. They have tons of fun working together and getting to know other folks who love dogs. Patty and Max have also recently started running in NADAC Agility.
Two rescued Dalmatians with minds of their own were the impetus for Carol to finally follow her interest in dog behavior and training full time. She received A Dog Trainer and Instructors Certificate from the Animal Behavior Center in New York City, and then returned home to Seattle, where she worked with a number of local dog trainers. Since January 2005, Carol has been part of Joyce's team of trainers. Her favorite part of dog training is "busting myths" about dog behavior, and watching the excitement at the end of a six-week session where the clients – dogs and owner – are full of wags and smiles as they are on their way to truly work as a team.
Corey Thorpe has pretty much had dogs all her life. Her now three & a half year old Aussie Bodie started taking classes with Joyce when he was 10 weeks old. It soon became clear that he was a dog with "special needs" due to extreme & reactive fearfulness, especially with strangers. She's been training him ever since, and now does NADAC agility, a great feat for a fearful dog. Even bigger, he tested for his Canine Good Citizens Test summer of 2006 and passed the first time.
The "Choose to Heel" leadership exercises developed by Dawn Jecs have really enhanced Bodie and Corey's relationship over the last 2+ years. Corey has been teaching for over a year now. She absolutely loves helping people develop a strong and trusting relationship through positive leadership while at the same time helping people and their dogs learn functional skills.
Corey recently added Jasper, a year-old rescue Border Collie to her pack of husband, three daughters, a couple of cats and Bodie. Corey agrees with Joyce that owning a "difficult dog" makes for a better teacher than someone might be who has only owned "easy" dogs. After all, most of the easy dogs don't come to class! And she is also really happy to be working with her new dog Jasper who is a fun loving easy going bundle of Border Collie energy who loves everyone and everything.
John Whitaker began with Joyce's Dogs as a student with his Springer Spaniel puppy Lady, now 6. He has also owned a Toy Poodle, an Afghan Hound, another Springer and a Chow-Springer mix. His current pack includes his wife Miriam, Lady, and a 9-month-old Golden Retriever Mesa.
John has been an active student in all of Joyce's Foundation Classes as well as an active agility student for several years. He participated in the "Choose to Heel" Training Camp with Dawn Jecs winter of 2006.
John is currently assisting two nights a week in all levels of classes. A former pastor, John enjoys working with people of all ages and their dogs. His passion for teaching is in helping people progress in their leadership relationships with their dogs.
Low tides often find John, his wife and their dogs at the beach where the dogs practice their passion for retrieving. When not playing with or training his dogs John enjoys entertaining his grandkids.
He still remembers how struck he was when in his first class with Joyce she stated "I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up." His goal is to retire from his "day job" in a few years so he can spend more time teaching and training dogs too.