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TESTIMONIALS
The
purpose of a testimonial is to help you, the reader, in your decision with
regards to becoming Kris’ student. As you read these you will learn of her
students’ many titles and accomplishments in the sport. You will have to
decide if it is worth the extra 15 minutes drive or the effort in working
it into your schedule. It is my honor to be part of this process in
helping you make this decision. I could list out 101 excellent reasons for
you to RUN to her classes. I will try to distill them down to capture her
essence. Kris is the COMPLETE agility instructor. Credentials, yes!
Titles, yes! Accomplishments, yes! Experience, yes! But there is so much
more to being a COMPLETE agility instructor.
It takes passion, commitment, discipline, creativity, imagination,
flexibility, dog sense, aptitude, talent, knowledge, care, consideration,
skill and style.
Every good
instructor has credentials. Most instructors, however, have earned these
credentials with one breed of dog. Kris has been successful handling and
training a wide variety of breeds among her own dogs, including rescues
with significant baggage. Kris has a gift for working with dogs,
especially independent minded dogs. She helps each student understand how
to read their dogs, minimize stress and anxiety, motivate and manage their
four-legged partners. She is always positive and is very “dog-centric”.
Kris’
handling style is based on what’s best for the dog, not what’s easiest for
the handler. You will never see anyone handle a course as smooth and as
fluid as Kris. When you watch her handle, her dogs never stop short to
change direction, they are never made to endure terrible stresses to their
shoulders. Kris’ dogs get better and faster as they get older.
Kris’
success and that of her students are the result of a carefully considered
training program, not mindless drilling for drilling’s sake. Each exercise
is planned and goal oriented. Each dog progresses on their own time-table.
This is not “cook-book” agility.
Kris is
very creative in helping her students work through difficult exercises.
She uses positive approaches with both dogs and students.
I’ve been
in agility for a while now. I’ve traveled all over the country competing
in all the venues. I’ve taken classes with most of the local instructors.
I’ve been to several seminars. Kris is by far the best instructor I have
encountered. I have been her student for approximately 3 years and I learn
something new in every class. How many people can you say that about?
It is my
pleasure to be her student and more importantly to call her my friend.
Ann Koenig
It’s probably too strong to
call Kris Seiter my muse, but she has had a great impact on my life,
besides teaching me dog agility. Her skills as a trainer of humans and dogs are obvious: She
has a complete understanding of agility, knows the sport as a competitor
as well as a teacher and can communicate extremely well with both dog and
human. She has inordinate patience, even when her students (ok, me) are
exhibiting a lack of ability and even common sense. I’ll never forget one
time when I couldn’t master the simplest of handling moves. She could
have responded with some level of frustration, but instead, slowed the
move down, broke it up into small parts and actually had me mimic her
doing it over and over until I understood the concept. While she may have
wanted to scream, “are there any neurons firing in your brain or are you
in a coma?” she never showed any annoyance. It allowed me the freedom to
learn at my slow pace without feeling stupid.
Kris always makes the sessions fun. Somehow, she is in a good
mood, ready to work and attentive to what everyone is doing. Don’t think
she will ever miss some ugly, awful handling move. Kris has eyes
everywhere, and I’m not even paranoid. And don’t think you can ever get
away with blaming your dog. Kris makes it clear that nearly all mistakes
are from handling errors, even a dog’s lack of motivation.
Kris has an amazing
relationship with all 10 of her dogs. She even has an enviable
relationship with dogs she barely knows. I have seen dogs shun their
owners but want to work with her. While many handlers focus more on
themselves than their dogs and expect their dogs to like the sport and do
it because that is what the handler wants, Kris understands the importance
of establishing a trusting relationship even before any agility training
can begin. Why should any dog, except maybe a border collie, be driven to
concentrate hard on getting through an agility course? Kris teaches that
the dog needs to know his handler will be clear in providing instructions
and expectations; give positive reinforcement only and give it often; be
reliable and trustworthy and fun. And, when you think about it, isn’t
that important for any relationship, dog or human?
Dr. Nancy Lubell, PHD
When Animal Haven opened in Soho last year, I was there for beginner
agility on day one with my 4 year old Miniature Poodle, named Romy.
Romy and I had quite a lot of puppy training, but she was still the boss
and I earned that we had "relationship problems". Who Knew?
In
the beginning, we must have seemed pretty hopeless, Romy went over the
jumps only when she felt like it, but Kris was very patient, inspirational
and gave me an understanding of how to train with with a combination of
practicing and fun. I now have a different dog. She is still
Romy, but she does every piece of equipment except the seesaw and she
loves it.
One additional benefit that I hadn't anticipated is that she is a much
better companion in general. I get compliments about her all the time.
Other instructors teach agility, but Kris teaches you how to communicate
with your dog and the results are rewarding and truly astonishing.
Having the opportunity to train with Kris and to get to know her is a
privilege. She's a champion in the best sense of the word. I
look forward to working with her for a long time.
Susan Wittenberg | NYC Filmmaker
Before I
began taking classes with Kris, I had already taken classes with three
previous agility instructors. My dog and I learned shoddy agility skills
taught in a generalized cookie-cutter way. This was a new sport for me
and I knew we would never compete. It was fun, but we just didn't have
the talent.
Then I joined a class taught by Kris. What a wonderful world
of difference! Kris has a drive, a professionalism, an upbeat
attitude, an enthusiasm and an optimism that is infectious. Our skills
needed to be retrained, and she was there for us. She discerned the many
small things that together had made our teamwork a disaster. With each
class, we got a little better. I was no longer stuck in a rut, practicing
the same old mistakes, but learning new skills each week. I was
developing confidence and hope. It was exciting! Kris took us
further than I ever imagined we could go. I developed a wonderful bond
with my dog, and we went on to compete successfully. I was hooked.
I have always known in my life when I had an exceptional teacher – in
music, in dance, and now in dog agility training. It's a thing
I instinctively know and feel, and it draws me in, stimulates me,
inspires me to excel. Kris is that exceptional teacher. She presents
well-prepared classes, utilizes the newest research on how dogs perceive
handlers signals, and creatively invents situations extemporaneously to
illustrate an idea. Her passion fires her creativity.
Kris and her sister have invented a new and highly successful technique
for teaching weave poles. Teaching my new pup the poles this new way
was a joy compared to the arduous older methods. And when impetuously I
wanted to jump ahead to the next level of training, with kindness but
brutal honesty, she clearly spelled out what skills we were missing, that
would make the
move up a disaster. She was right on.
Kris has great patience for my sometimes retarded ability to integrate
what I know with what I do. (The brain knows what to do, but the body
can't quite cooperate.) She is always positive, encouraging, finding the
good in an effort we make. Despite my physical limitations, she never
makes me feel inadequate, even though at times I can not perform as well
as I want to. She has
suggested techniques I must work on in order to be successful within my
disability.
Kris's keen eye is ever observant. She sees that awkward move, and
demonstrates how to make it fluid. She explains why one thing did not
work, what will work, and why it will. Kris makes it make sense, instead
of causing frustration. She has taught me the nuances of what to and
what not to reward, of how a misplaced reward can teach the wrong lesson,
of how a subtle body cue can change so much.
I am
consistently amazed that even after several years, I am still learning
new things in every class. I love this sport, and I appreciate and value
everything I've learned from Kris. She is a very special person to me. I
feel honored to be her student. I leave class feeling up – mentally and
physically challenged and fulfilled. But most of all, I had fun! And
you got to know, I have jaw-dropping admiration for seeing Kris in action
with her dogs!
They fly with the eagles!
Elsa
Rivers, RN
I
didn't know Kris Seiter from anybody when I first saw her on course, and
by then I had seen hundreds, big names and all. As I watched I knew Kris
had a special understanding of dog agility. Her smooth handling and
precise communications were not only enviable, they were beautiful. I
just walked up to her and said "I want to take lessons!"
Now that I know Kris a little, its truly refreshing to meet someone so
down-to-earth and sincerely in love with dogs, not only for agility but
for being themselves. Her teaching style is informal and yet quite
structured, and her sense of humor reminds me that above all, agility
should be fun. Kris trains the dog, not the breed. She teaches the
individual, not just the student. She has helped me understand how to
guide my dog around the course more efficiently, more clearly, and with a
minimum of wear on her body. As my dog ages I know that I am being
responsible in my handling of her. With my adolescent dog, the
foundation work Kris teaches is surely the basis of her own dogs'
impressive independent and cooperative skills.
I'm sure I'm not an easy student, and yet I always come away from our
lessons feeling good about myself, about my dog, and about my trust in
Kris. She pushes me to give my dog nothing but my best, and shows me that
my limits are usually beyond where I thought they would be. Above all,
this is why I recommend her to anyone who has a dog and a dream.
Devora Locke
What does a city-dweller
and her pug do every Thursday night for the past 18 months? Agility train
with Kris Seiter, of course. It’s true—my now almost 6-year-old pug Farty
and I have trained with Kris at her NYC classes at Animal Haven Soho ever
since the facility opened its doors in 2006. You may not expect that a
world-class trainer like Kris would see a competitive agility dog in my
little pug—but you would be dead wrong. Pug, Pomeranian, Poodle or
Portuguese water dog—Kris is able to find a way to train any breed and
more importantly—any owner. Kris has been my trainer as well—teaching me
to know my dog, watch her behaviors and really understand what it will
take to handle her well so that together we will get better at this sport.
Kris is as dedicated to
her dogs as to their handlers, making sure that we all understand the
respective roles we play in working together to successfully run a course.
I have become a better dog owner because of this and I hope that we will
continue to learn and become the team we need to be to one day compete
together.
While our Thursday night
lesson has become a ritual for both of us, I look forward to more time at
Kris’ home this spring and PCOTC for practice runs too. It is a pleasure
to work with Kris and I can’t believe how lucky we have been to have her
as our trainer and our friend.
Susan Silbermann
| Sr. Vice President | Pfizer Pharmaceuticals
Ever
since Crufts put on the sport’s first exhibition, agility’s popularity has
exploded. Most people enter into the sport for similar reasons, they see
an activity that offers a fun way to train their dog and subsequently
strengthen their relationships.
Agility
is a journey involving assembly of many small puzzle pieces into a
cohesive arrangement of inter-species cooperation. Newcomers see agility
as training a dog to perform the obstacles correctly. Too often, novice
handlers fail to see the challenges agility holds for the human half of
the team. Experienced handlers know that what occurs between the
obstacles, rehearsed teamwork between handler and dog, hold the ultimate
keys to success. Kris is gifted at coaching students through both of
these fundamental aspects of agility.
Taking
into account the handler’s experience and capability, as well as the dog’s
temperament and structure, Kris utilizes her adaptive style to tailor each
team’s instruction. She utilizes her knowledge, experience and humor to
instill a relaxed and fun class atmosphere and convey to handlers how to
teach their dogs the skills and behaviors necessary to be successful.
Although I personally had many titles on my dogs prior to studying with
Kris, it wasn’t until I became her student that I began to strengthen my
analytical skills and embark down a continuing road towards agility
potential.
Many
agility instructors achieve success with one dog or one breed and their
local success and popularity manifest into a teaching position. Kris has
trained and successfully competed, on a national level, a diverse group of
breeds and temperaments including dogs that experienced challenging
upbringings.
Whether
you’re seeking an instructor to guide you from your earliest stages of
training, you’ve realized that you must re-train certain skills or you’re
trying to shave seconds off of what appears to be flawless runs, Kris has
the experience, knowledge and passion to help you realize your goals and
dreams.
I
remember arriving home from one of Kris’ classes and sending her an e-mail
thanking her for “Teaching me something new during each and every class.”
Its years later, I’m having more fun and success than ever and I can still
send that email every week. That’s the best reason to study with Kris!
Stephen McKay
When I first came to PCOTC to
take classes with Kris in 2002, I wasn’t competing in agility and insisted
I was doing agility “just for fun”. But after a few classes with Kris, she
taught me that you can compete and still have fun and treat your dog with
compassion. Kris motivated me to improve with her attention to detail and
patience. She has been an inspiration to me with her work with rescue and
her own success in the competitive world.
Helene F. Rubinstein | Editorial Director | Esquire Magazine
Kris Seiter is a respected and successful competitor in the world of
agility; however, it is her ability to teach that makes her extraordinary.
Kris’ ability to communicate with such unusual clarity is the reason, I
believe, for her success as an instructor, as well as, a handler at the
national level.
Kris has spent hours patiently teaching me invaluable handling skills; but
more importantly, she’s taught me to be the person my dog wants me to be,
needs me to be, the person I want to be when I’m with my dog on and off
the agility course.
Kris is an inspiration to all her students especially those who want to
develop that special relationship with their dog and become successful
handlers.
Nancy Tucci, RN
I
have been training with Kris since 2002. When I started training, I
discovered my dog, a smooth coated collie named Roger, wasn't quite as
thrilled to be doing agility as myself. After months of trying to get
Roger to jump a simple 8" bar, my frustration made me think I was
wasting my time. However, knowing how much desire I had for the sport,
Kris encouraged me to continue by reminding me it was the training
process. I will always remember Kris for teaching me that it's the
set-backs you have to work through which makes you a better trainer and
creates a stronger bond with your dog.
Kris is a
patient, dedicated instructor with a strong emphasis on fundamentals.
Kris is also extremely perceptive of the needs of her K9 athlete/handler
teams and is able to communicate methods of improvement. The results of
this training speaks for itself as today my boy Roger has earned his MXJ
and is half way to his MX. But I think equally as important is the
fact that it's just plain fun to train with Kris. She is easy to get
along with and her tremendous amount of knowledge in the sport makes it
easy to succeed.
Whatever your goal, Kris can help you achieve it and I would highly
recommend her to any aspiring or current dog/handler team of any level.
Joan
Fierson | Senior Cadd Designer
I first met Kris at PCOTC while
running my Dad’s dog because my Dad was sidelined medically. It was at
that point she realized that I had a love for the sport. I didn’t know
this yet but somehow she did. She and her sister told me I needed to get
“my own dog’ because eventually my Dad would be returning and then what
would I do. Kris let me know of an opportunity for a Border Collie and
at first I thought she had lost her mind. Her Border Collies were
awesome and so was she but I was nowhere near that. I stunk! I tripped
over my own feet, couldn’t remember obstacle names, walked into my Dad’s
dog and I really hoped that I wasn’t making his dog worse. All I could
think about was how a little black and white speed demon would outsmart
me. In the end I got that Border Collie, Tom, and have worked hard and
have begun to truly understand my love for agility. Seeing the way Kris’
dogs were companions to each other and she was able to love them all
equally aided in my decision to get another Border Collie, Jerry, a half
brother to Tom.
There
are many outstanding characteristics I can share about Kris that every
trainer should possess. She is always patient, brutally honest and will
push you further than you think you could ever go. Kris is an
extraordinary teacher. She takes time to watch, and yes, she sees
EVERYTHING. She always makes training personal and fun even when in a
class of many. In the past two years I have been training with Kris, I
went from tripping over my Dad’s dog to successfully training my own
dogs. It wasn’t easy and I still have a long way to go, but with Kris’
guidance and yes that brutal honesty, I have been able to put her
teaching into practice and now Tom has become a focused well behaved
competitor. Training wasn’t always perfect and there were many bumps in
the road along the way with my feisty Tom, and now learning to take baby
steps and different training approaches with his little brother have
proven to be a challenge. But, somehow, someway Kris is always there to
give advice, some hard to swallow, but always what is best for dog and
handler. You can truly measure her success by not only her own dogs but
those of her students as well.
Michelle
Quinn
I have been taking agility lessons with Kris
Seiter for about five years now. I originally came to Kris with my older
dog who was having fun in agility but perhaps a bit too much fun ! Kris
believes in strong foundation training and was able to help us re-train
and zero in on new handling techniques that over time created more drive
in my dog and definitely built new skills. When I got a new puppy Kris
helped us to build this foundation …thanks to Kris my dog is building
solid skills at a young age. (especially weave poles a skill I surely did
not know how to train !)
Kris is a gifted handler and she is able to
share this talent with her students. She is encouraging but at the same
time pushes for perfection. Her ability to train many different breeds is
evident in her own success with her dogs. It is obvious to her students
that she has a very special love for the sport.
Ellen
Halperin
Working
with Kris Seiter as an agility instructor has been a fantastic
experience. I have been a Veterinary Technician for over 30 years as
well as a professional dog walker and pet sitter for the last 12 years
and know dogs very well. The insight and expertise that Kris teaches you
as you work with her is amazing. She has taught me so much about the
human/dog relationship as far as respect and understanding your dogs
behaviors, how dogs learn from watching each other and the extreme joy
that comes to them when they are working. I can see my dog, Scout, an
active German Short Hair Pointer, as she sails over the jumps and fly's
thru the tire with complete glee; she actually smiles.
Kris not
only teaches you the foundations of agility but teaches you in a way
that teaches you the behaviors of dogs. Her detail in being able to
focus on each individual and their dog is amazing. Kris is a gift to the
agility world and to all of her students who are looking for guidance
and training in the wonderful arena of agility. We can't wait for our
next lesson and I plan to train with Kris for however long she will have
us.
Karen
Haskel | Veterinary Technician | Pet Sitter | NY State Licence # 1020
I sat down to write a testimonial for Kris
and made the mistake of reading the ones already written about her.
They are glowing! What could I possibly add? I agree with them all!
She is an amazing person, “dog advocate” first followed closely by
“people person”. I have never before seen such a patient instructor.
She is also serious, graceful, kind and fun.
I started taking Agility classes with my
daughter’s dog to build our relationship and keep her busy. Here I am
several years later, still taking classes, still with Kris, but now with
my own puppy. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning from Kris; she has
inspired me to do so much more with my dog than I would have ever
imagined. And I do it because it’s fun!
Kris has such a beautiful passion for what
she does, both working with her own dogs and helping others build their
relationship with their dog through agility. I am not afraid of making
a mistake in class because she so readily admits her mistakes and she is
one of the top competitors in the country. She inspires you to want to
be better for your dog; what more can you ask than that?
Go Kris! I am blessed to have had this
time to spend with you.
Susan Barge
We have
been breeding and training Portuguese Water Dogs for over 20 years
,and have known and trained with Kris for over 7 years.
Kris
breaks down the varying components of the sport of Agility and openly
shares her expertise and knowledge with her students. She enables her
students to approach a course from an analytical perspective. Her
students success rates are remarkable.
Both Andy
and I are grateful for the opportunity to continue to train and learn
from Kris.
Angela Kalmanash, | MBA | Andrew Kalmanash | CPA |
Ruff-Wave Portuguese Water Dogs
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