Desiree Snelleman, Master Agility Trainer, Founding CNWI
Desiree Snelleman, Competition Agility instructor
Desiree started her dog training career in 2002 when she decided to bring home 2 Siberian Husky sibling puppies T’ai and Chi. Training the puppies was an intriguing and rewarding adventure and she realized quickly that her passion for working with dogs was just as fulfilling as her passion for training people.
In 2003, Desiree decided to make a career change. She went from being a Director of Training in the Health & Fitness Industry to launching her own pet care business called Fido’N Friends in Motion. As her puppies and business grew, Desiree delved deeper into dog training and completed an extensive 2.5 year internship with Terry Long, she attended 2 Bob Bailey Chicken Camp workshops and received her Counseling Certificate from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers with Jean Donaldson. In addition, Desiree is one of the first instructors to complete the apprenticeship and certification program in K9 Nose Work. She is a Founding Certified K9 Nose Work Instructor (CNWI) under the National Association of Canine Nose Work. Her initial 4 years of training was with the 3 founders of the sport.
Desiree has had the enjoyment of working with a variety of breeds, from Terriers to Malamutes. She currently has 5 dogs of her own, 1 Siberian Husky, Chi and 4 Border Collies, Stinger, Daim, Pace and Cru. 4 out of the 5 dogs compete in Agility, Obedience, Rally and Canine Nose Work. Her dogs have earned a number of titles and awards in the various venues.
NAC2 MACH3 Tempo in Motion MXG, MJC, MXF,T2B/ADCh aka. PACE – Border Collie (DOB 03/15/09)
2015 – USDAA Cynosport World Games, Dog Agility Steeplechase National Champion 26″
2015 – FCI Agility World Championship Bronze Medalist, Team Agility, Large
2015 – FCI European Open Championship 5th place large TEAM
2015 – USDAA Northwest Regional Biathlon 26” winners
2015 – Selected as a representative of Team AKC/USA FCI AWC in Bologna, Italy. (October 8-11, 2015)
2015 – Selected as a representative of Team AKC/USA European Open in Reiden, Germany. (July 24-26, 2015)
2015 – IFCS World Agility Championship Silver Medalist, TEAM and 5th place in Individual All Around, Maxi.
2015 – AKC National Agility Champion, 26 inch class (Repeat). (Round 1 – JWW 2nd place, round 2 – Std. 2nd place, round 3 – Hybrid 5th place, Finals, 1st place.)
2015 – Selected as the AKC/USA representative to compete at CRUFTS 2015 in the International Agility Class. They will also compete at CRUFTS in the British Open Final.
2015 – Selected as a representative of Team USDAA/USA at the 2015 IFCS World Agility Championship in Milan, Italy (April 8 – 12). Medalist spot.
2014 FCI Agility World Championship Bronze Medalist, Individual Combined, Large
http://youtu.be/8B3HjxZCwVc?list=UUDvsqZN0jR5aHmcaHu0CHNQ
http://youtu.be/KO1IznpwSdU?list=UUDvsqZN0jR5aHmcaHu0CHNQ
2014 FCI Agility World Championship, 4th. place in Team Jumping, Large
2014 International Agility Festival, Rockingham Castle, England. 2nd place/runner up in the UK British Open, which earned them an invitation to CRUFTS 2015. (Repeat from 2013.)
http://youtu.be/hAxeOVE975w?list=UUDvsqZN0jR5aHmcaHu0CHNQ
2014 IFCS World Agility Championship Gold Medalist, Biathlon, Maxi
2014 IFCS World Agility Championship Gold Medalist, Individual Jumping, Maxi
2014 IFCS World Agility Championship 4th. place, Individual All Around, Maxi
Member of the 2014 AKC/USA AWC Team going to the 2014 FCI Agility World Championships in Luxembourg (September 11-14). Win-on spot (top placement points in all 4 rounds of competition in the 26″ class) from the 2014 AKC Agility International Team Tryouts.
2014 AKC National Agility Championships – 3rd. place in the 26 inch class. (Round 1 – JWW 1st. place, round 2 – Std. 2nd. place, round 3 – Hybrid 2nd. place and in the Finals, 3rd. place.)
In October 2013, Pace earned a win-on spot (highest number of Team Selection Points in the 26″ class) from the USDAA Cynosport World Games to be a representative of Team USA in the 2014 IFCS World Agility Championships in The Netherlands. In the same event, he also became the USDAA Dog Agility Steeplechase National Champion in the 26″ class. (Repeat from 2011). In addition, he earned a third place in the USDAA Biathlon. In August, Pace attended the 2013 International Agility Festival in Rockingham Palace, UK, where he earned an invitation to compete at the prestigious CRUFTS event in 2014, after placing 2nd. (Runner Up), in the KC British Open out of 440 large dogs. In March, Pace became the 2013 AKC National Agility Champion in the 26 inch division. He took 1st. place in 5 out of 6 runs. (Time 2 Beat, Jumpers, Hybrid, Challenger Round and the Finals). He was selected to represent the AKC/USA in the 2013 European Open, held in Belgium. Last year, Pace attended his first international agility competition when he travelled to Sweden for the 2012 European Open. While there, he also competed in a local trial and became a Swedish Agility Champion in both the Standard and Jumpers class. In the 2011 USDAA Cynosport World Games, Pace, at 2.5 years old, became the Dog Agility Steeplechase National Champion in the 26″ class.
MACH 8 What’s the Buzz RA, MXC2, MJS3, MXF, MFB/ADCH, LAA Bronze aka. STINGER. – Border Collie – (DOB 02/19/05)
Stinger, her oldest Border Collie, has a long history of success in agility. In the 2011 USDAA Cynosport World Games, Stinger became the National Relay and National DAM Team Champion. Stinger competed both in the 2009 and 2010 AKC Agility Invitational as one of the top 5 Border Collies. Both Stinger and Pace have also competed at several AKC World Team Tryouts, with great success.
MACH8 T’AI CDX, RE, MXS3, MJS4, MXF, TQX, T2B – Siberian Husky (04/10/02 – 05/26/13) 
In May of 2013 Desiree lost her Siberian Husky, T’ai, Chi’s brother, to cancer. Besides being a great family companion, he was an amazing ambassador for his breed. He was such an active dog and excelled in anything that he did. T’ai is still ranked the second highest All-Time Siberian Husky in the country for AKC. He is ranked the highest All-Time Siberian Husky for USDAA – Performance class. Many of his records still stand. In 2012 T’ai made it in to the finals at the AKC National Agility Championship and took 3rd. place in the 24″ class; one week before his 10th. birthday. T’ai earned an invitation to attend the AKC Agility Invitational seven years in a row. In 2009 he made it into the finals and took 3rd place in the 24″ class. In 2007, T’ai took HIT at the Siberian Husky Club of America National Specialty, in Sonoma, CA. Desiree credits T’ai for giving her the skills,motivation and inspiration it requires to be a good dog trainer.
Special Blend Grand CRU OA, OAJ, OF – Border Collie (DOB 05/30/2013)
Puppy in training! :))
Desiree believes that dogs should be mentally and physically stimulated every day. “I love the fact that our students seek our training expertise at IADW to help improve their own dog training and communication skills and therefore ultimately enhance the relationship with their dog(s).” Some of the best dog training advice Desiree received when starting with her own dogs, was to make sure that dogs are having fun while learning, and to be consistent with your criteria. The clearer you are in your communication, the faster they will learn and the new behavior will “stick”. Training and learning is a process; not just a short term commitment.
Dogs are amazing creatures; they are smart, adaptive, flexible and forgiving. Dogs simply make us better humans.
*Teaching and Coaching Credentials from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
*Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Degree from San Diego State University
