dog club

The local club for Lochaber & District

Officers and Committee Members

Ann Winning - Chairman
Janet Robertson - Treasurer
Christine Cameron - Secretary
Sharon Donald - Breed Show Secretary
Victoria Richardson
Ann Maxwell
Vicki-ann Tompkins
Nan MacLeod
Lorna Ungoed-Thomas
Janet Robertson
Jackie MacDonald
Irene Alderson
Heather Turner
Jillian Bruce
Lesley Stewart
Morag Mackell

The Trainers/Instructors

Puppy Classes - Morag & Christine

Ringcraft - Nan McLeod, Lorna Ungoed-Thomas

Intermediate Classes - Ann Maxwell & Ann Winning

Good Citizen Class - Vicky-ann Tompkins - Tel: 01397 701704

Agility - Jackie MacDonald, Lesley Stewart, Gail Wilson, Lynn MacCallum

Flyball - Jackie MacDonald, Lesley Stewart, Gail Wilson, Lynn MacCallum

Lure Coursing - Vicky-ann Tompkins

A Bit About the Trainers/Instructors

Morag - Puppy Classes (Tel: 01397 772369, email: neil@mackell.wanadoo.co.uk)
I have had dogs all my life.  It started with Cairns when I was a child and then a cocker and a yorkie. We then got an English Springer Spaniel and I suppose that was the start of my 'doggy' involvement. He was shown quite a bit and got 2 Res CCs plus a lot of Open Show wins, we also had a black cocker bitch, also a winner at open shows. She had one litter of 7. At the time I was going to training classes in Inverness and was also Secretary of the Highland Canine Association. When my children were little we had a couple of springers, a cocker and a Yorkie (no time for extras like dusting!) They were followed by a Pug and my first Saluki, this was the breed I had wanted for many years. She was followed by a Deerhound and then came Sophie and Willow. I have also had both of my daughter's whippets to babysit since they were babies. All in all I have had a lot of different breeds, they all came at around 8 weeks and all lived a good long lifetime and were never a problem. At present Sophie is almost 12 and Willow 5 as is the Whippet, Finn. All have been to training classes, with Sophie going through all the Good Citizen tests. She is quite a sociable soul and loved her lessons, and the tasty treats that went with them. I love puppies, whatever the breed, and  hope any input  I can give is helpful to their owners.

Vicky-ann Tompkins - Good Citizens Class & Lure Coursing
Despite wanting a dog for as long as I can remember, I was never allowed one at home, so since moving out I have been making up for lost time! I aquired my first dog, a collie X greyhound  called Simba in 1995 and immediately started attending the club. We had a very special bond and he was the ideal first dog who taught me so much about all things doggy. We did agility and flyball, and through him I became involved in competitive obedience, winning through the lower classes in short order and being asked to join the scottish team competing at Crufts in 1999 and 2000. I also became an instructor and was the secretary for the obedience show for several years. Unfortunately Simba had to be put to sleep at only 6 years of age due to kidney failure and I have not had the heart to do competitive work since. I still feel it is very important to develop the skills and potential of all our dogs and so I am involved in the Kennel Club Good Citizen Scheme and also run the Lure Coursing. I started in breed showing with a whippet, and now salukis are my breed of choice. I currently own three, my champion dog who was chosen to represent the breed in the latest edition of the Kennel Club book of breed standards, and also two bitches. I started my judging career about three years ago and recently judged at a saluki club show. I have also taken in several other dogs from less than ideal circumstances, re-habilitated and then re-homed them, these include a beardie cross whose owner died, a small border collie type who had been kept locked in a bathroom and a lurcher found abandoned and tied up.
 
My main goal when instructing is to help people get the very best out of their dogs, and to encourage them to spend quality time in teaching, training and generally having fun with their dogs. Dogs are fascinating creatures and we can learn so much from them.