Barbara DeJong
I was raised in Arizona in both Pheonix and Scottsdale. Along with dogs and cats, our family had an open door for animals both domestic and wild, ranging in size from horses all the way down to small desert kangaroo rats. We enjoyed caring for and training our domestic pets and rescuing injured or abandoned animals from the wild. The agreement with our parents was that we could rescue wild animals only if we learned how to re-acclimate them back into their natural habitat. As agreed during my years growing up alongside two brothers, I gained an extensive experience with animals: rescuing, training, rehabilitating, re-acclimatizing and returning them back to the wild.
I had a special love for horses and dogs. I trained my first horse when I was 9 years old and I trained my first dog, an Irish Setter named Alex, when I was 12. After owning Border Collies, Collies, Great Danes, and Greyhounds, I acquired my first Golden Retriever in 1987. I have never looked back.
I fell so in love with Golden Retrievers that I cannot imagine life without them. Over 22 years, I have been a member (in good standing) of several “All-breed Dog Training Clubs,” the National Golden Retriever Club of America, and the Golden Retriever Club of Atlanta. I’ve participated in club events, dog shows, seminars, and foundations to educate and inform. As a trainer, I conducted public all-breed training classes- Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. I also conducted private, in-home training classes.
Pueblo Goldens
My dogs have trained in or have performed in:
- Canine Good Citizen
- Therapy Dogs International
- Conformation Show Ring
- Obedience Ring
- Agility Ring
- Tracking
