Class Instructors
Steve Bettcher
Nose Work: AKC Scent Work, NACSW, SDS and UKC
Steve Bettcher has over 20 years of Bay Area Dog Trainer experience in obedience, agility and Canine Scent Work Training. He is an IACP Certified Dog Trainer. He completed Andrew Ramsey's NoseWork Instructor's Course in 2014. Two of his own dogs have won three National Agility Championships and were awarded The NADAC Agility Trail Championship. Steve has earned the following Nose Work titles from NACSW: 2 - NW1s, NW2, NW3, NW3 Elite, NW3-C, NW3-V, NW3-E, and NW3-I, LC1, LC2, L1I, L2I. AKC Titles: Best in Trial (Novice B) SWN, SCN, SEN, SIN, SBN, SCA, SIA, SEA and SDS Excellent Title with his Beagle, Buddy.
Dawn Bushong
Rally
Dawn became fascinated with training animals at a young age, and taught the family pets (dogs and cats) to do silly tricks for treats, even teaching one cat to jump through a hoop made out of a wire hanger. After she picked up a used book at around age 12 about training dogs to win obedience titles, it was all over. Dawn trained the family dog at the time - a basset hound - many of the basic obedience exercises, but it wasn't until years later when she had gotten her own dogs that she began to actually enter competitions.
Dawn has been training obedience and rally exercises in a purely positive manner since 2001, and competing since 2004, earning many titles along the way, including 3 UDs (one in three straight trials), 3 REs, 1 RAE, 2 RL3s, and 1 ARCHMX. In 2010, she added nose work to the dog sports she trains and competes in and earned the NW3 Elite title with her dog Penny in only four trials. Dawn has also dabbled in agility, parkour (urban agility), rally freestyle (Rally FrEe), tracking, conformation, draft work (carting), dog scootering, therapy dog work, and of course tricks (still including silly cat tricks).
Dawn strives to continue improving her skills by learning as much as she can however she can, especially through online courses and books. She currently lives with Shepherd-mix Freya (6 years), English Shepherd puppy Miles, cats Phoebe (9) and Hairy Pawter (3), one human child, and one very patient husband.
Josette Kimes
K9 Nose Work
Josette is a Certified Nose Work Instructor and has been training with the founders of the National Association for Canine Scent Work (NACSW) for several years and loves working with others training their dogs. This sport teaches dogs how to focus on searching and gain confidence. This sport is fun for you and your dog. She loves that scenting can be done rain or shine, anywhere, and that dogs have fun doing something so natural to them.
On November 6, 2010, Josette and Riley traveled to Arroyo Grande, CA, to trial in Nose Work 1 (NW1). Josette and Riley did well in the Trial. They completed all elements receiving the NW1 title ribbon. They placed first in the vehicle search finding the odor in 17.96 seconds, and were awarded 3rd place over all for completing all 4 four searches in 1 minute and 34 seconds. Elsa trialed in May 2011 and received her NW1 ribbon also.
She has owned several breeds over her life time and says any breed can benefit from this sport and size is not an issue. She currently owns 3 Entlebuchers (1 Male, and 2 breeding females), the smallest of the Swiss Mountain dogs.
She is an accredited obedience dog trainer using positive reinforcement in Fremont. She is a member of the Association for Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, and holds the position of co-event chair for the National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association (NEMDA).
For information on classes or nose work contact, info@noseworkfun.com.
Denise Laberee
Obedience: Puppy, Beginning
Denise Laberee first came to San Lorenzo Dog Training Club when she enrolled her first Guide Dog puppy she was raising as her 4-H project in 1967. And she has been involved with the club ever since. Denise has gone on to raise over 43 puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. She even started her apprentice training under 2 of the clubs founding trainers: Peggy Tokes and Ginger Vallandigham Zuppen. Her veterinary background included working mostly in the Specialty Surgical Practices and in Emergency Care. She spent many years obtaining Obedience and Conformation Titles not only on her own dogs but also those of her clients. Today she can be found teaching Puppy Socialization and Beginning Classes on Tuesday Evenings, but she has extended her experience to include Home Training with emphasis on People and/or Animals with Special Needs. She has also worked closely with rescue agencies during disasters, and has rescued and fostered dogs most recently two from Hurricane Katrina that after a year of fostering have become family members. Come by and see us.
Pam Lister
Conformation
Thanks for joining me in Corformation class and letting me get to know you and your dogs!
I started in this sport in 1984, when I purchased my first Samoyed dog. Since then, I have bred Samoyeds selectively, had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi litter and primarily shown thes 2 breeds in the conformation ring. I have bred 4 champions. I finished the championships on 4 other Sammies, 2 of which a friend sent out to me from Kansas and Wyoming. I believe in owners learning to show their own dogs and have had the opportunity to teach at Del Valle Dog Club in the past and currently with our SLDTC.
I have used my dogs as therapy dogs in my work with inpatient psychiatric care and with chemical dependency recovery. I am just starting out in obedience and appreciating it. I'm currently working on conformation and obedience with my Samoyed male, "R&B". When he was coming home as a puppy, he wouldn't settle down until he heard the radio play rhythm and blues music, hence the name. He is the the sixth generation I have bred from my foundation. My kennel name "Zvyezda" means 'star' in Russian, as the Samoyede people (in Siberia) had the stars and their dogs to gude them in their Nomadic travels.
Susan Solomon, CPDT-KA, ANWI
K9 Nose Work
Originally from New York, Susan is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Associate Nose Work Instructor. She has trained with the founders of the National Association of Canine Scent Work, LLC and has been competing in K9 Nose Work® since 2014 with her mixed breed rescue dogs Niko (big) and Tot (little). In August 2019, Niko earned his NW3 Elite title which was a significant accomplishment requiring three NW3 titles and taking two years to accomplish. Both Niko and Tot received the Harry Award, which is a notable recognition at trial given to the most outstanding rescue dog that demonstrates extraordinary ability and spirit in nose work. Tot passed all three odor recognition tests, earning the ORT and NW1 titles within his first year of training. While following the training methodology of the NACSW™ for K9 Nose Work®, Susan has competed and titled in other dog performance sports including AKC Obedience, Rally and Tricks. Susan is a local shelter volunteer in Alameda and trainer teaching skills classes for Berkeley Humane. She has a curious mind and regularly attends animal conferences, classes, and workshops. She is a member of the APDT and IAABC.