Training Staff Bio

Member since: September, 2007

In 1996, Angie Evans started training dogs in obedience and conformation, and began agility in 1998. Angie came to TCKC in 2006 after adopting Payton, her rescued West Highland White Terrier, and began competing with him in agility and rally. Angie Evans began teaching agility classes at TCKC in January 2012.

Having earned several titles with Payton in AKC & TDAA Agility and AKC & WCRL Rally, Angie and Payton’s highlight was competing at the 2009 TDAA Nationals. Following in Payton’s pawprints, Duke – Angie’s rescued Doberman Pinscher, earned multiple titles in AKC Agility, AKC & WCRL Rally, and BHA Barn Hunt. Angie has also enjoyed therapy work with both Payton and Duke as certified Therapy Dogs by Alliance of Therapy Dogs Inc. Currently Angie is competing in AKC Agility & BHA Barn Hunt with Zeva, her Boxer – who is soon to start her therapy career as well, and beginning a TDAA & AKC Agility career with Indy, her young West Highland White Terrier.

Angie believes that as our dog’s life-long companions, it is our responsibility to enrich their lives with lots of fun and activities to deepen that bond.

Member since: January, 1985

Deb Evans has been a trainer with TCKC since 1987. Most of that time she was involved in the obedience training program, and in recent years has been primarily an agility instructor. She has supported TCKC as a long-time board member, organized events and participated in many club functions. Deb’s entrance into dog sports was with Cocker Spaniels, Sherman and later Mocha. Both dogs earned AKC and UKC obedience titles. Deb then trained her Papillon, Splash, earning titles in AKC obedience, rally and agility, including AKC’s MACH. Splash also competed and titled in UKC obedience and agility, and TDAA agility (Teacup Dogs), including TDAA’s TACH. Deb’s second Papillon, Bizzie, is currently running in AKC agility and recently earned the MACH2 title. Deb has been working with dogs for over half her lifetime and bases training on the aspect of making it fun and rewarding for the dog. Her work ethic revolves around continual practice, being creative, trying new methods, and learning from others via seminars and workshops. Deb enjoys teaching at TCKC and strives to share helpful knowledge, techniques and ideas with TCKC students.

Dawn became a member of TCKC in February 2008. She and her westie, Einstein, participate in several dog sports. Dawn says, “We have a lot of fun and really enjoy spending time together.” Dawn has been an agility helper and then an assistant for several years, saying “I really enjoyed seeing dogs evolve and learn the sport from the beginning. I felt it was a natural progression to get into the apprentice program (even if it did take me quite a while to realize it), and as a trainer I will be able to help build relationships with handlers and their dogs as well as work on my own leadership skills.”

Einstein and Dawn have ran in TDAA for several years and have earned multiple titles in the venue, including multiple TACHs. Dawn has also been the TDAA trial chair for several trials at TCKC, and is co-chair for the agility fun runs as well. They also run at the Master level for AKC agility and recently started running in CPE agility. Einstein and Dawn also enjoy Barn Hunt and currently run at the Senior level. “My dog is a huge part of my life, and I do a lot with him but once a week I do bowl in a league with friends, we also used to bowl competitively and travel a lot with bowling (as children have changed many people’s lives, my dog has changed me. I now spend most of my weekends at agility or barn hunt trials-but I would never change a thing because I love it!).”

“I am really excited and looking forward to teaching agility classes as a Trainer. Thanks to all the current training staff for the support and encouragement they have given me throughout the apprentice process. The membership has also been awesome and this is a family I am very happy to continue to be part of!”

Member since: April, 1996

Kathy joined TCKC in 1996, became an apprentice soon after, and qualified as a full trainer in 2000. She enjoys teaching Life Skills Classes from Puppy through Advanced, assisting with the Competition Classes and has been instrumental in helping to develop the current Life Skills 3 / CGC curriculum. She has been a part of the Board of Directors in various roles throughout her membership, including President and Director of Training.

Kathy has competed in Conformation, Obedience and Rally with her own dogs in various venues: AKC, UKC, CDSP and APDT. She has earned numerous titles with her dogs through the years and enjoys being involved in the trials offered at TCKC. Kathy is also a registered CGC Evaluator and is co-coordiator of the CGC Testing offered at TCKC 4x a year. She was a former member of Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Inc. and took her TDi Golden Retriever to nursing homes, hospital visits, ISU Stress Relief Days, Family Science Day and to a reading program for children at a local library.

Kathy believes it is advantageous to put your dogs in training as early as possible. Let young puppies learn to behave from the start instead of trying to correct developed, bad habits with an older dog. Whether you have a pet dog that you dearly love - or one that you plan to compete with - developing a good working relationship early helps to build the bond of love and respect between handler and dog.

Member since: May, 2001

Barb has been training dogs since 2000, when she began taking classes with her Shih Tzu, Louie. Barb joined the TCKC training staff as an agility instructor in 2007 and as a beginner obedience instructor in 2009.

Barb has competed in obedience, agility, rally obedience, and barn hunt with both small and large dogs, including her three Shih Tzu, a Border Collie and an Irish Terrier. Currently, Barb is training her second Border Collie, named Tucker.

Barb believes that having fun while training encourages learning and strengthens the human/dog relationship. She also believes that all dogs benefit from dog training. An avid runner, she has added canine fitness to her dogs' activities.

Member since: September, 1994

Ron Terven joined TCKC in about 1989, and started his training a few short years later. He actually started training coon dogs at the age of eight, with help from his father and other members of the Illinois Coon Hunters Assoc.

He showed his first Rottweiler, Cinnamon Sue, in obedience. He trained his second Rottweiler, Spice Girl, also. He trained and showed Stormy, his rescue Rottweiler, in obedience and Rally. He is currently training his Golden Retriever, Sandy. Ron is qualified to teach all levels of obedience and is currently teaching K-9 Life Skills 3 obedience/CGC classes.

He supervises the CGC program at TCKC. Ron believes positive obedience training makes for a happy, contented dog and family. It is the best way to bond and have fun with your pet.

Member since: December, 2003

Gail Vlahovich, an obedience and rally trainer at TCKC, trained her first class in 2006. She and her Labrador Retriever, Liberty, started competing in rally in 2005 and have a Rally Excellent title in AKC Rally and a URO3 in UKC Rally. In APDT Rally, Liberty has Championships in Levels 1, 2, and 3, an ARCH, ARCHX, and ARCHEX. Gail and Liberty competed in AKC and CDSP obedience and earned a CD, CD-H and CDX-C. They also have 2 CPE agility titles and a UKC dock jumping title.

Gail and her younger Lab, Echo, have shown in Conformation and earned a UKC Championship and an International and a National Championship and some Rally titles. Gail teaches K9 Life Skills and Rally classes. She believes training your dog should be fun. She emphasizes teamwork between handler and dog, and enjoys helping students build a relationship with their dogs.

Sharla Walstrom began training dogs in 1984 with her first Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier. She became a member of TCKC in 1998. Competitive Obedience and Barn Hunt are Sharla's current interests with her young SCWT, "Rocki."

Previously, Sharla has been involved in Conformation showing, breeding SCWTs and temperament testing puppies (31 litters of various breeds). She has earned 2 CDX Obedience titles, as well as exhibited in several trials toward obtaining the Utility Dog title. Sharla began teaching for TCKC in 2013. She is a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluator and has judged for the McLean County 4H since 2007.

Sharla believes puppies, as well as adult dogs need to be in a relaxed state before they can learn. They need to be "uniquely" motivated to "join up" with their owners to be taught new things. This will ensure a beautiful partnership/relationship between the dog and his person.

Member since: June, 2012

I starting training dogs nineteen years ago when I got my first Golden Retriever, Tonka. When Tonka turned ten, I thought it was time to introduce a new Golden puppy into our family. Harley was so eager to please and such a joy to train – we started taking classes here at TCKC in 2007. Harley quickly moved through the obedience classes and got his CGC title. Harley has a gift; he has a healing spirit that he loves to share with everyone around him. After realizing that I needed to share Harley’s gift, I began working on certifying him as a Therapy dog. Harley and I became a certified Therapy dog team with TDInc. in 2011 and a certified R.E.A.D (Reading Education Assistance Dog) team in 2012 and visit the area nursing homes, colleges and libraries spreading his healing spirit. During the same time, we welcomed a new Golden puppy into our home. I started training Lambeau here at TCKC in 2012 when he was just 9 weeks old. He got his CGC title in September of 2012 at 11 months old. Lambeau is now training in Agility and Nose Work and is a wonderful companion dog. I have recently added another Golden puppy into my pack and have started training K9 Elly (3 mos) for a Search and Rescue (SAR) career in human remains detection work with the K9 Operations Team with the McLean County Emergency Management Agency. Training my own dogs helped me realize that I wanted to help others see the potential in their own dogs. I wanted to become a dog trainer! I worked my way from class helper through the apprentice program here at TCKC and have been a K9 Life Skills 1 trainer as well as a K9 Puppy trainer here at TCKC for the past 6 years.

I believe a good foundation is key to developing a long lasting relationship of love, trust and understanding between you and your dog – which is key to uncovering their true potential.