Meet our instructors
Sharon Nelson has been involved in the sport of dog agility since its inception in the United States . She is internationally renowned for her training seminars throughout the USA, Canada, Australia and Japan. Known for her intuitive and innovative training methods, Sharon’s training philosophy is all about having the dog mentally strong with a great connection between handler and dog through understanding and confidence from both the handler and dog. A behavioral consultant since the mid1980’s, Sharon has demonstrated an innate ability to be able to "read" a dog/handler team and offer practical solutions to behavior problems.
Sharon became involved in dog agility in 1985 with the NCDA until USDAA started in 1986. After being on the board of directors for USDAA for four years and a USA World Team member in 1991, Sharon became the founder and President of the North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) in 1993. With her vision, knowledge and insight, NADAC has grown to be one of the leading agility organizations in the world.
Considered by her peers to be one of the top dog agility handlers of all time and Sharon has achieved titles on 50+ dogs from 15 different breeds, including the terrier, toy, hound, herding, sporting and working groups. These dogs have been large, small and of mixed heritage.
Many agility enthusiasts were privileged to witness Sharon and her dog Lucky 'set the bar' when it came to distance handling, teamwork, and the skills required to create the ultimate connection between handler and dog. This awesome team earned six of NADAC’s top awards; three Purple Achievement Cups and three Purple Versatility Achievement Cups, the highest NADAC award possible, and which is a performance yet to be surpassed. Sharon also competed with her McNab, Busi, who is the second dog in NADAC history to ever earn three Purple Achievement Cups and two Purple Versatility Achievement Cups, with Lucky being the first ever dog with those accolades. Sharon has won the Stakes division of the NADAC Championships six times with three different dogs, Lucky, Busi, and Impulse. She has become the most accomplished distance handler in the world with a focus on teamwork between dog and handler. Her goal is create teams that work 'together' even though they are at great distances and not rely on just verbal commands to the dog.
Sharon's training goals are focused on creating a "team" between dog and handler. The team feeling is from mutual trust and confidence without the use of bribes or ploys such as toys and treats. The bond that is created from honest touch and praise between dog and handler is the ultimate training goal that Sharon is always working for with each dog.
Sharon has trained dogs across a number of disciplines, including personal protection, obedience and herding as well as achieving success in the breed ring with Belgian Malinois and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Growing up with horses, she has participated in a variety of equine sports from training race horses for 14 years(and holding an apprentice jockeys license) and to competing with show horses in English Pleasure, Hunter/Jumpers, Western Pleasure and Working Cow horse. At the present time, a number of cutting and retired ranch horses call Sharon’s Oregon ranch their home.
In 2017, NADAC will be turned over to Sharon's children, Chris and Amanda, while Sharon is involved with the continuation of In Sync Canine training and the development of the Canine Trail Companion courses and competitions for teams that wish to challenge their versatility and all around skills in a variety of classes.
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Sharon became involved in dog agility in 1985 with the NCDA until USDAA started in 1986. After being on the board of directors for USDAA for four years and a USA World Team member in 1991, Sharon became the founder and President of the North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) in 1993. With her vision, knowledge and insight, NADAC has grown to be one of the leading agility organizations in the world.
Considered by her peers to be one of the top dog agility handlers of all time and Sharon has achieved titles on 50+ dogs from 15 different breeds, including the terrier, toy, hound, herding, sporting and working groups. These dogs have been large, small and of mixed heritage.
Many agility enthusiasts were privileged to witness Sharon and her dog Lucky 'set the bar' when it came to distance handling, teamwork, and the skills required to create the ultimate connection between handler and dog. This awesome team earned six of NADAC’s top awards; three Purple Achievement Cups and three Purple Versatility Achievement Cups, the highest NADAC award possible, and which is a performance yet to be surpassed. Sharon also competed with her McNab, Busi, who is the second dog in NADAC history to ever earn three Purple Achievement Cups and two Purple Versatility Achievement Cups, with Lucky being the first ever dog with those accolades. Sharon has won the Stakes division of the NADAC Championships six times with three different dogs, Lucky, Busi, and Impulse. She has become the most accomplished distance handler in the world with a focus on teamwork between dog and handler. Her goal is create teams that work 'together' even though they are at great distances and not rely on just verbal commands to the dog.
Sharon's training goals are focused on creating a "team" between dog and handler. The team feeling is from mutual trust and confidence without the use of bribes or ploys such as toys and treats. The bond that is created from honest touch and praise between dog and handler is the ultimate training goal that Sharon is always working for with each dog.
Sharon has trained dogs across a number of disciplines, including personal protection, obedience and herding as well as achieving success in the breed ring with Belgian Malinois and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Growing up with horses, she has participated in a variety of equine sports from training race horses for 14 years(and holding an apprentice jockeys license) and to competing with show horses in English Pleasure, Hunter/Jumpers, Western Pleasure and Working Cow horse. At the present time, a number of cutting and retired ranch horses call Sharon’s Oregon ranch their home.
In 2017, NADAC will be turned over to Sharon's children, Chris and Amanda, while Sharon is involved with the continuation of In Sync Canine training and the development of the Canine Trail Companion courses and competitions for teams that wish to challenge their versatility and all around skills in a variety of classes.
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Becky Woodruff grew up with a love of animals. She spent a great deal of her childhood with her best friend Freckles, a beagle mix and throughout adolescence and young adulthood with horses. Horses and dogs, what more could a girl ask for! Teaching Freckles to do tricks and raising, training and showing Ginger her mare, gave Becky, at a young age, great insight and understanding into the human/animal bond and what can be accomplished.
Becky’s passion for dogs led her to dog obedience, where she became a trainer and a familiar figure on the California dog obedience circuit. Her Labrador Retrievers were consistently placed at trials and ranked highly in the yearly obedience awards. Becky taught at a large obedience school, where she particularly enjoyed teaching the Beginner and Advanced Utility classes. Becky also ventured into field dog/ retriever training and tracking events.
Her fascination with training dogs and her love of working with people led her to the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Hearing Dog Program. Becky was the Training Supervisor for 8 years, overseeing the selection, care, training and placement of shelter dogs for the deaf and hearing impaired.
In the late 1980’s, obedience colleagues introduced Becky to dog agility and she "jumped right in!" Becky and her business partner at the time, began to introduce and promote agility through teaching classes, giving demonstrations at various events and hosting clinics and competitions.
Becky’s agility accomplishments include training and sharing her life with Haley, the first Australian Shepherd to not only earn an ADCH but the first to become a dual agility champion (ADCH and NATCH). Their talents as a team earned them a trip to Switzerland as a USA World Team member.
In addition, Becky has achieved multiple NATCH’s with a little Corgi/Terrier mix called Zoom, her Border Collies, Chirp, Bug and Mace. Both Chirp and Bug are members of NADAC’s MOD Squad. Chirp was the second dog to earn a distinguished PURPLE Achievement Cup. Becky’s big guy Mace also recently earned an Elite All Around Award. All these dogs are members of NADAC’s Hall of Fame.
There are three new kids on the block; Toss a half Border Collie/ McNab mix and Muzique, a 3/4 McNab/ 1/4 Border Collie, and the newest pup, Keen who is a McNab/Kelpie cross. Becky is enjoying working with them and is excited about their future.
Becky has traveled extensively promoting NADAC in the USA and making a number of trips to represent NADAC in Japan and Australia. She says what she loves best about training and teaching is "working through problems and puzzles and seeing improvements in the understanding between dog and handler teams."
Becky is also involved with the development of the new Canine Trail Companion courses and competitions for teams that wish to challenge their versatility and all around skills in a variety of classes.
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Becky’s passion for dogs led her to dog obedience, where she became a trainer and a familiar figure on the California dog obedience circuit. Her Labrador Retrievers were consistently placed at trials and ranked highly in the yearly obedience awards. Becky taught at a large obedience school, where she particularly enjoyed teaching the Beginner and Advanced Utility classes. Becky also ventured into field dog/ retriever training and tracking events.
Her fascination with training dogs and her love of working with people led her to the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Hearing Dog Program. Becky was the Training Supervisor for 8 years, overseeing the selection, care, training and placement of shelter dogs for the deaf and hearing impaired.
In the late 1980’s, obedience colleagues introduced Becky to dog agility and she "jumped right in!" Becky and her business partner at the time, began to introduce and promote agility through teaching classes, giving demonstrations at various events and hosting clinics and competitions.
Becky’s agility accomplishments include training and sharing her life with Haley, the first Australian Shepherd to not only earn an ADCH but the first to become a dual agility champion (ADCH and NATCH). Their talents as a team earned them a trip to Switzerland as a USA World Team member.
In addition, Becky has achieved multiple NATCH’s with a little Corgi/Terrier mix called Zoom, her Border Collies, Chirp, Bug and Mace. Both Chirp and Bug are members of NADAC’s MOD Squad. Chirp was the second dog to earn a distinguished PURPLE Achievement Cup. Becky’s big guy Mace also recently earned an Elite All Around Award. All these dogs are members of NADAC’s Hall of Fame.
There are three new kids on the block; Toss a half Border Collie/ McNab mix and Muzique, a 3/4 McNab/ 1/4 Border Collie, and the newest pup, Keen who is a McNab/Kelpie cross. Becky is enjoying working with them and is excited about their future.
Becky has traveled extensively promoting NADAC in the USA and making a number of trips to represent NADAC in Japan and Australia. She says what she loves best about training and teaching is "working through problems and puzzles and seeing improvements in the understanding between dog and handler teams."
Becky is also involved with the development of the new Canine Trail Companion courses and competitions for teams that wish to challenge their versatility and all around skills in a variety of classes.
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