About Us > Staff & Trainer Bios
Sue Barnes, Owner/Trainer
In the early 1990's Sue got her first "very own dog", a rottweiler named Bria. This dog was the beginning of a journey and passion that drove Sue to want to learn all she could about the art and skill of dog training. Sue sought out every possible opportunity to attend classes, read books or pick trainers brains. And so the story began......
Sue sought out trainers to spend time with and apprenticed with with both pet and hunting dog (pointing dog) trainers in the Dubuque area. A social worker by trade, she appreciated the common importance of consistency, boundaries and communication that are a cornerstone to success in both fields and built on the knowledge and experience she gained to apply it in her dog training.
Sue taught many owners and their dogs in both individual and group class settings at local veterinarian offices, local pet stores and independent locations. Researching and learning all that she could about the different training tools and techniques, she focused on being a trainer with a balanced approach and making owners successful in training and communicating with their dogs.
In 1999, she was selected as the Animal Control Officer for the City of Dubuque, which brought her even closer to her love of animals and working with people. The opportunity to combine her two worlds, that of Social Work (working with People) and Animal Control (working with dogs and their owners) was a perfect blend to build on her passion and utilize her knowledge of dog behavior and training.
In 2000, Sue took the suggestion of a fellow trainer to attend a Fred Hassen Remote Collar seminar. After two short days at this seminar, Sue's whole view of dog training changed. She embraced an approach that focused on using this tool to communicate in a new way, a way that was fair, humane and clear to a dog when teaching/helping the dog was the focus. The struggle to handle the out of control dog, the run away, the barker.... could all be dealt with much less struggle and without the need for the owner vs dog problems so often encountered in classes. This tool and the information that she gained at this seminar was the beginning of the journey to becoming a true professional dog trainer.
In 2003, Sue began working for That's My Dog!® in a part-time capacity. As a TMD! employee she taught basics and group classes as well as assisted with public demonstrations and promotions. Sue had the the opportunity to instruct trainers from across the country that were attending the No Limitations School and the That's My Dog® E-cademy, during their observation and participation in her classes. She also taught agility classes held at TMD! and has done several agility seminars in Iowa, Wisconsin and New Jersey.
In 2005, Sue and her dog Tanner got their dream of competing in a DockDogs® event when it came to Dubuque for a Regional Championship. After that event, she and Tanner were hooked. Though they did not compete again until 2006, they were passionate about the sport and dedicated to becoming a successful team. Success shined on them in the 2006 season and they had a resume full of placements, personal records and being placed in the National DockDogs® rankings as the #1 GSP and the #25 dog overall. They adapted a TEAM approach and utilized the skills of business partner, Kris Rose, as the performance/handling coach and Teri Rose as the "Paw Crew" Chief™. This successful team now offers Dock Jumping classes, a TEAM MYTDOG™ jumping program which trains and coaches on all levels to be successful teams, and the opportunity to train on the regulation TEAM MYTDOG™ dock at a private pond.
In April 2006, Sue launched MYTDOG™ on a full time basis in the Des Moines, IA Area. MYTDOG™ currently serves clients as far away as Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Kamrar, Coon Rapids, Kansas City and the Quad City area. MYTDOG™ is a full service dog training company dedicated to helping owners in all areas of training, whether pet or competition dog.
Some of Sue's memberships, trainings, experience and accomplishments include:
- Certified Remote Collar Specialist, No Limitations School for Remote Collar Training, Midwest Branch (Now called the That's My Dog!® E-cademy).
- E-collar seminar presenter (agility), class instructor and trainer in Agility, AKC Obedience, Pet Obedience, and Advanced E-collar skills.
- Experienced presenter and educator. She has presented Dog Bite Prevention Programs to hundreds of children and done Responsible Dog Owner Education for people of all ages for the past 7 years.
- Trainer and Handler for 2007 Dockdogs® (Double) National Champion, Tanner
- Nominee for National Dockdogs® Sportsperson of the Year, 2007
- Nationally Certified Animal Control Officer.
- Completed the Level I, II and III National Animal Control Academy.
- Member of NACA, the National Animal Control Association.
- Trained and experienced in the handling and management of aggressive behavior in dogs.
- Member of HSUS, The Humane Society of the United States.
- Professional Member of International Assoc. of Canine Professionals (IACP)
- Member of ADOA, American Dog Owners Association.
- Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.
Kris Rose, MYTDOG™ Business Partner, Team MYTDOG™ Performance Coach
Kris came from a small town in Iowa, where she grew up on a farm around a variety of animals from cows to rabbits. Kris loved animals but had not experienced the passion and fanaticism that today's dog owners have until she met Sue and Tanner in 2003.
Kris quickly saw the passion and fun in the time Sue had with her dogs and began to join in, going to seminars, training events, classes and DockDogs competitions. Not long after, Kris was a part of MYTDOG™ and was a big contributor to making the IOWA DockDogs® club, Club 3D™--Des Moines DockDogs, become a reality.
Kris quickly became an integral part of the MYTDOG™ organization as well as the TEAM MYTDOG™ Dock diving team. Where most Dock diving teams are made up of the dog and handler on the dock, Kris is seen as our "secret weapon" in the crowd. He knowledge of human-animal communication, attention to details and ability to analyze and identify weaknesses in the team work on the dock, has brought a level of consistency and success for Tanner and Sue. She has been the consistent eyes of this team and is a huge reason why they are continuing to finish in the top each weekend with jump distances growing to distance we never thought possible for this veteran dog!
Kris even had a chance to handle Tanner for the first time and put her knowledge of this dog to the test while in Terre Haute, IN. She and Tanner worked as a well-oiled machine and put up jumps that would have qualified her for the Outdoor Channel Championships had Sue and Tanner not qualified... and this was their first time on the dock together.
Kris can always be seen with her gold TEAM MYTDOG™ shirt at the edge of the pool watching, analyzing and cheering and bringing back feedback to this team to make every moment on the dock its best for them and the crowd. Kris has also lent her dynamic personality to the microphone of our Club 3D™ events where she keeps things rolling and the crowd involved and excited!
Kris contributions can also be felt at MYTDOG™ agility seminars! Her strong communication skills make her not only a huge asset, but also quite the motivating presenter that keeps attendees having fun and entertained! The addition of Kris as an instructor/trainer has made the MYTDOG™ Agility seminars even stronger and ones you definitely don't want to miss!
Kris' main focus with MYTDOG™ is running the business side of things but we try to keep her involved doing the fun stuff too, when she can!
