2018 Agility Camp
July 28-29
Sugar Bush Farm, Stephentown NY
Camp Instructor Biographies
Terri Cesarek
Terri
became addicted to agility after
experiencing the confidence it gave her All-American Mandy, a rescue dog found
wandering on a highway. Wanting to help her shy pup, Terri began obedience
classes in search of a way to help Mandy overcome her fears. This was the
beginning of a perpetual interest in canine behavior that has developed through
experience and a natural gift in reading dogs. In 1993 while competing at an
obedience match Terri and Mandy were introduced to agility when a local group
presented a demo. Afterward the group let spectators try some of the equipment.
That was it, they were immediately hooked! Together Terri and Mandy learned how
much fun the sport of agility could be. It was the start of an amazing journey.
Since
then she has trained three other dogs – Chase!, Shine and Rise to their USDAA
Agility Dog Championships along with competing with them nationally.
Each of them has taught Terri about consistency and
good foundation training.
The journey has continued with her youngest dog,
Crest who will ultimately be her best teacher as she learns to look outside of
the box to help Crest deal with life.
“Crest is an
amazing athlete and can perform so well in some environments, but the
competition environment is not yet always a good one for him.
He is not a one size fits all kind of dog as far as
training methods go and I am grateful for all he teaches me every day.
He has pushed me to look outside of the box in my
training which has greatly enhanced my teaching.
They say you get the dog you need... I needed a
little bit of magic in my life.”
Terri’s dogs all are wonderful teachers constantly
reminding her how important the relationship between dog and handler is not just
for agility, but for life.
It is a key element in her training, as she helps
her students realize the joy of training their own canine companions.
Her approach to training is not a cookie-cutter
method as she will evaluate each team looking to bring out their very best.
She enjoys helping each dog and handler strengthen
their relationship by learning to work as a team going on to achieve success at
whatever level they wish to pursue.
Whether an individual wants to compete at the
national level or play in their backyard, her focus is on a solid foundation
which is a building block necessary for great teamwork.
Coaching people on finding a clear, consistent
handling method to provide the best connection with their dog on course is
Terri’s goal in working with each dog and handler.
She keeps training fun for both the handlers and
their dogs establishing an environment that cultivates learning.
Lori has been competing in agility since the late 1990s at the
local, regional and national levels.
Her dogs have taught her lessons on being a good observer of body language and
to think outside the box when it comes to accomplishing goals.
Success comes from trying new things and
building the dog's drive and focus through play.
She is known for running quirky dogs or dogs with “issues” and has experience
dealing with reactivity and aggression as well as ring nerves and dogs with less
drive, or over the top drive. Lori has
demonstrated the ability to compete successfully and win with the moderate to
slow speed dog, the reactive dog and the fearful dog by focusing on each
animal’s strengths and using that to full advantage.
She is a follower of Susan Garrett and the Say Yes philosophy of dog training
and Handling 360 system.