Instructors

Dog Day Afternoon is privileged to have some of the most highly experienced and certified trainers in the Northern Virginia area providing instruction. Dog Day Afternoon is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Sandy Sproull Kowalski

Sandy has been breeding and showing Golden Retrievers in Conformation and Obedience since 1978. Her dogs have obtained titles as Champions, Best of Breed, Utility Degree, Obedience Trial Champion, Canine Good Citizen, Therapy Dog as well as hunting titles.

Sandy has served as an instructor for Solid Gold Obedience Academy, Dulles Gateway Obedience Training Club as well as community education programs and 4 H groups.

Sandy has done extensive work with Canine Companions for Independence and other service dog groups helping people with special needs. She has worked with rescue groups and shelters providing evaluations and programs for behavioral modification.

Sandy regularly attends seminars staying current with the latest concepts in dog training. She is an active member of the Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Club, the Golden Retriever Club of America and the American Dog Owners Association that lobbies for pet legislation. She is a licensed UKC Conformation and Obedience Judge and is an AKC certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She volunteers her time to judge Conformation and Obedience matches for local breed and obedience clubs.

Her philosophy –“There are very few bad dogs, only owners that need a little training.”

 

Laurie Dourmaux

Laurie has been showing dogs in confirmation, obedience and field events for over 40 years, having many top winning Golden retrievers in the US. She is a member of the Golden Retriever Club of America's educational committee, Mattaport Kennel Club and does judge's educational seminars as well as breed seminars across the US and Canada. She is a world renown AKC judge and we are lucky to have her doing confirmation classes at our facility.

Laurie loves teaching - so people new to confirmation and children wanting to learn to show in Junior Showmanship are always welcome.

 

Rhonda May

Rhonda has had dogs all her life but got hooked on putting titles on her dogs and taking training classes 17 years ago. She is involved in Obedience, Canine Good Citizen & Therapy Dog events, Flyball, Herding and Agility. She's put multiple titles on her dogs including herding titles on Bravo and Flyball ONYX titles on 2 of her 4 Australian Shepherds. Rhonda is a member of the Australian Shepherd Club of America, Dulles Gateway Obedience Training Club, the American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, the North American Flyball Association as well as the International Association of Canine Professionals and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She recently attended the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference and regularly attends seminars on Obedience Training, Sheep Herding and Flyball.

She not only volunteers her time at A Click Above to teach people Flyball with their dogs, but also with Dulles Gateway Obedience Training Club and in local elementary schools to teach responsible pet ownership.

Rhonda recently appeared in Dog Fancy magazine and watch for her in future magazine articles on flyball and obedience training. Her breed is the high energy Australian Shepherd and you will find her most weekends at flyball tournaments.

Rhonda is a certified Canine Good Citizen evaluator through the AKC and has had much success with aggressive and socially challenged dogs.

Her philosophy – “Dogs need exercise both mind and body. A busy dog is a good dog - the best companion.”

 

Deb Matthews

Deb has been around dogs her entire life and started teaching training classes in 2005. She started with Dog Day Afternoon as a trainer for our Day School program. Currently she is responsible for our popular Puppy Kindergarten group classes introducing new dog owners to the world of owning a puppy. She prides herself on making sure each owner understands how to communicate with their new additions while teaching both dog and human the ins and outs of basic obedience. Deb and her Shiloh Shepherds, Chase & Rock, volunteer in the community with the Loudoun County Volunteer Rescue Squad and the local pet therapy program.

Deb and Chase compete in confirmation and Chase has earned her Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog certifications. She is competing in obedience for her CD. Deb is a member of the Shiloh Shepherds Club of America as well as the International Association of Canine Professionals and the Association of Pet Dog trainers.

Phil Lassiter

Phil is a certified Dog Trainer from the Animal Behavioral College. Dogs have been a big part of his world all of his life. In fact it would be difficult for anyone that knows Phil, to think of him without associating him with his dogs. Phil joined our elite group of Trainers at the Dog Day Afternoon in 2008.

Phil and his wife own three dogs and a cat and they are very import members of their family/pack. Phil is currently training one of his German Shepherds in the sport of Schutzhund. He is working towards a Schutzhund I Title.

Phil’s Philosophy of dog training is based on the “pack leader” school of thought.  He states that “Confident, stable and assertive pack leaders will produce stable and trusting followers. On the other hand, dogs are great manipulators, and with a happy tail wag, a lick on the face, and a head tilt to the side, dogs can train their masters to do whatever they want. The world we create with our dogs is based on our energy, our consistency, and our ability to create and enforce boundaries. With dogs, love when it’s appropriate, give correction when it’s needed and lead always”.