Bio
I have been training and competing for several decades in a variety of sports including Hunt Tests, Field Trials, Nosework, Agility and Rally. My first love has always been competition obedience. I have been fortunate to win the AKC National Obedience Championship four times with three different dogs. All my dogs have earned placements at Nationals. My dog Tyler won the World Cup and was First-Runner Up. All my current dogs have earned OTCH’s, multiple High-In-Trial and High-Combined awards, wins and placements at Regionals, as well as numerous perfect 200 scores.
I find training endlessly fascinating. Figuring out how to be a better communicator with each of my dogs is a never-ending challenge that I whole heartedly embrace. I love solving training puzzles. It’s what has kept me in the sport for so many years. I especially love the incredible relationship developed with my dogs through training and competition.
Although not currently practicing, I am a Physical Therapist and a Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. These days I’m an instructor at FDSA and own a Boarding Kennel. I’m passionate about teaching and sharing what I have learned over the years. Watching students grow and succeed is incredibly rewarding.
In my spare time I love hiking and playing with the dogs, running, practicing yoga, meditating and spending time with friends. I enjoy writing blogs and working with my friend Laurie on our Canine Connection Podcast.
Current and Upcoming Courses
FF225: Energized Engagement
Engagement is the most challenging skill to achieve in dog training. It’s also easily the most important. An engaged dog is actively involved in the learning process and pushi...
December 1, 2026
OB365: Open Obedience Fun - Putting the Pieces Together
Open IS fun!! In this class, I deconstruct all the exercises into manageable pieces. Each piece is taught and maintained like a trick. This makes the exercises accessible...
December 1, 2026
OB205: Optimizing Arousal for Learning and Competition
Understanding and managing your dog’s drive state/arousal level is a critical component of training and trialing successfully. It is very difficult and uncomfortable for...
February 1, 2027
OB415: Utility Foundation Fun!
Utility has always been my favorite class!! Lots of people call the class “futility” but I think it’s tons of fun. I start teaching the foundation skills when my d...
February 1, 2027
OB480: Train to Trial
How do I get the same performance in training and in the ring? That is one of the most common challenges in competitive sports. It is something everyone struggles ...
February 1, 2027
OB195: Creating Confidence in Your Obedience Dog
Most dogs are not innately confident. Especially when it comes to obedience. A sport that is not inherently self-reinforcing. A sport where dogs must learn to perform complex ...
April 1, 2027
OB405: Open Obedience - Conquering Complexity and Challenges
Once your dog understands behaviors and exercises, the next step is building confidence and resilience. In this class, I will show you how to create thoughtful challenges your...
April 1, 2027
Contact information
Have a question about an upcoming course taught by Petra? Not sure if your dog is suitable for a specific class? We welcome you to contact instructors by email to make sure the course is suitable for you and your dog.
