I have passed the Fin KC's Obedience Instructor Course, taken part in seminars and other training venues in Finland and England. I belonged to the Fin Team Prep - "training ring" when it was founded in the 90s, but resigned when Fin&Est ObCh "Tristan" got too old.
I have trained 5 dogs to Cl.4 and they are all ObChampions. One of them was Estonian ObCh as well. With two I won a CACIOB (int Ob Certificate) and one res-CACIOB with yet another dog. They have many placings from the Helsinki District Ob.Championships over many years.
I have lots of experience from my own dogs. Although most of them are BCs, they have been very different to each other. I have also trained handlers with different breeds (poodles, terriers, even a samoyed!). I got a Maltese to get a better insight to a totally different breed to any herding dog.
I have given lessons in a dog Club for over 15 years and started my own training lessons in summer 2005 (business name Speaking Bark). I have competed in Ob. since 1990. At the moment my competition dogs are Fin ObCh "Nevada", a Border Collie bitch in Cl.4, and "Nur", a Maltese dog in Cl.2 (both born 2005).
More about my dogs..
- Miss Katja Tamminen, Espoo, Finland
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I love a fast enthusiastic dog who loves to do Ob and to do it with his handler! My training methods are positive, I use toys and titbits. I also use a light lead and collar as an aid. Those I specially teach to the dog. Obedience is like Equestrian Sport, with as little aid as possible from the handler the dog performs difficult tasks. To begin with, I put a lot of enthusiasm into training so that the dog is well motivated. When the dog learns, my aids become more subtle, but the dog is still enthusiastic.
Training dogs is fascinating! Although I have a basic style with what I train, I do adapt it to suite different types of dogs. Many of the methods I use originate from England where they have made art from Obedience! The exercises are different to what we have in FCI-Ob, so I have altered their methods to suite ours. Many a time I have racked my brains and tried with my own dogs what would be the best way to teach a certain thing.
I sometimes use the clicker as a training aid. It can be very helpful when you need something very precise. I use it to teach small parts of an excercise and tricks.
Nevada works - see videoclips..
Here in Finland we have 4 different classes, 1 (beginners), 2 (open) 3 ("winners") and 4 (elite). In Class 4 we have the same exercises as in the FCI international class. When the dog has achieved certain points from a class, it can move to the next class which is always more difficult. When the dog has 3 first prizes (at least 256/320p) from Cl.4 and a "Good" from the breed ring, he becomes Finnish Obedience Champion.
Finlands Obedience Team won World Championships in 2008 so the standard is very high in Finland. Our National Championships attracted 71 dogs to take part, from which 20 best went to the finals (in Cl.4 only).
More about FCI obedience ..
:: e-mail :: :: Phone ::
toko. kt (at) speakingbark. com +358 40 5961624
(take the empty spaces away from the e-mail,
phone during weekdays, no morning calls, please)
I give private lessons, preparation for competition and different courses (courses in Espoo). I can travel around the country for weekend trainings. I have my own dog with me as a demonstration dog. I show the pupils how I train each exercise to the dog. Many have pointed out that seeing it helps them to understand what to do. They then get to train with their own dogs and I supervise that they have gotten it right or if some adaptation should be done.
I have given a weekend course in Belgium (2007), in Czech Republic (2008), and held a camp in CZ in 2009 which was a great success. You are welcomed to invite me to other countries! I like meeting new people and new dogs, whatever the breed.