Katrina from Connected Performance Dog Training has been training and competing with her Australian Shepherds since 2000, mainly in agility, but also in rally and herding. She focuses on agility training but also offers rally obedience and sport puppy classes. Her approach emphasizes building a strong dog-handler connection, breaking skills into small steps to boost confidence and prevent frustration. Many of her students compete, but others simply enjoy the mental and physical engagement for both them and their dog(s). She has developed a supportive community of students through her long-term training philosophy.

Katrina with Pearl and Cameo

Katrina believes that training and competing with a dog creates a strong bond and teamwork that surpasses that of an average pet. While not all dogs need a job to live fulfilling lives, her primary focus is agility, which highlights teamwork in a fast-paced way. Her Sport Puppy class starts from puppyhood, emphasizing socialization, body awareness, and learning to work with their handler. She also recommends rally as a fun, teamwork-oriented sport before progressing to agility. Her foundation classes progressively build skills for both dogs and handlers, aiming to boost confidence, ensure fun, and prevent frustration.

Katrina started training in agility in 2000 with her young Aussie named Patty. The sport quickly drew me in and within a few years my mom, Aunt Sue, and cousin Heather joined me with their Aussies. Thus began our agility addiction. I added rally and herding to the dog sports that I have done with my dogs. I am currently on my 5-7th generation of agility dogs. I started teaching at a local club about 2007 for a few years before teaching family, friends and puppy buyers on my own. I took a break for several years when I did not have a location and all my dogs were retired. I bought a house in Spanish Springs and had two young dogs to start. I started Spanish Springs Agility in 2018. I gradually build up the business while I cut hours at my main job. I quickly outgrew the Spanish Springs location and purchased 15 acres a little out of Silver Knolls in the North Valleys of Reno. I retired from my other job to train full time in 2022. avatar Katrina began training in agility in 2000 with her Australian Shepherd Patty, which sparked her passion for the sport. Over the years, her family and friends also joined her in agility, becoming a shared addiction. She expanded her dog sports to include rally and herding and is now on her 5th to 7th generation of agility dogs from Patty. She started teaching around 2007 at a local club, then in her own sessions for family, friends, and puppy buyers. After a break, she started Spanish Springs Agility in 2018 in Spanish Springs. As her business grew, she moved to a larger location on 15 acres near Silver Knolls, Reno, and in 2022, she retired from her other job to focus on full-time dog training.