Penny's life began for her when her family moved to the country and she started tromping fields with dogs. She naturally fell in love with tracking at first sight. When she asked how people got dogs to do that, she was told “you just use hot dogs!” Always questioning training techniques, she managed to read several books on tracking, but usually fell asleep. When her first dog showed her he could track backwards and forwards and still follow track 24 hours old, she decided to learn from dogs instead.  The dogs were eager to share so Penny earned her first TDX in 1992 and VST/ CT in 2000 with a miniature poodle. By 2014, she had trained and handled dogs to 46 titles (20 TD, 18X, 8 VST & CT) in 82 tests.

Penny has worked with dogs from toy to giant and claims she never met a dog not capable of obtaining a champion tracking title. While the nose is at one end of the line, the brain should be at the other, and the bond one forms with a tracking dog is truly symbiotic. Helping people learn the handling and training techniques to prepare for the scenting pitfalls of advanced tracking and form that special bond is her goal in this camp.  Penny believes her science background helps by bringing an analytical perspective to training and wants to pass that along to all camp participants. Penny really hates to see good dogs flunk!   

Sandy is a retired cardiac research and rehabilitation nurse who survived “terminal” endometrial cancer to find her dream job; breeding, training and exhibiting Labrador Retrievers under the kennel name Dutch Hollow. Since life-saving surgery in 2002, she has rescued and rehomed approximately 350 dogs, mostly Labradors. She has also raised thirty litters of Labradors some of which have been trained and shown in the all-breed and specialty rings, tracking and hunt test fields and obedience rings. Her dogs have earned more than 100 titles and awards, including multiple specialty wins and placements, breed championships, tracking championship, rally and obedience titles and tons of hunt test titles that has included Master Hunters (MH) and the rare combination of GCH/MH and CH/MH.

Sandy has been an AKC tracking judge, judging more than 50 TD and TDX events since 2004. She is also an AKC Breeder of Merit who has an interest in puppy enrichment programs and the careful selection of dogs for breeding based on health clearances, conformation and performance. Sandy has been a member of Capitol Canine Training Club of Springfield since 1986, where she has served as editor of the club newsletter, Director of Training, Chair and Secretary of the club’s tracking tests and an obedience class instructor. She is also a member of the Labrador Retriever Club (LRC) serving as the Chair of the club’s National event twice and serving on the LRC Rescue and Versatile Producer of Merit Committees. She is presently keeping busy with her current pack and training dogs for pet owners and hunters. She sleeps well.