Instructor Bios

Polly Pierce

I got my first dog, an Alaskan Malamute in 1972, which sent me on an incredible 45 year journey. I raised, trained and ran a team of Mals for several years. I raised 2 guide dog puppies, both of which became working guides. I switched to Aussies around 1984 and have been hooked ever since. I put an obedience title on one Mal, and a Championship on another. I put an obedience title on my first Aussie and dabbled in agility before it was agility. In 2000, I started serious agility with my 2nd Aussie and put several advanced titles on her in several venues. My third and current Aussie has numerous agility titles and rally obedience titles . I started teaching agility 10 years ago and several of my students are now the master.

Kris Brown

Kris moved to St. George from Washington state in 2014 where she previously began agility training. She currently has Pepper a Border/Aussie who obtained his NADAC NATCH (NADAC Agility Trial Champion) and Luke, a McNab, currently competing in AKC and NADAC agility trials, having multiple titles in both venues. They have competed successfully in an AKC trial in Klamath Falls, Oregon, as well as trials in California, Arizona and Colorado. Her Australian Cattle Dog enjoys nosework and she has also titled one of the BCs in Rally. She attends classes and seminars in Las Vegas to learn new training techniques to include distance handling and more. Kris spent 25 years in the race horse industry training Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, racing throughout the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. She also enjoys hiking with her dogs. When not working with the dogs, she works as a medical and legal transcriptionist.

Nancy Hansen-Cobb

Nancy Hansen has been working with dogs all her life, attending dog training classes and shows with her older sisters. At 15, she was able to have her very own dog, an Irish Setter. Together they earned a CD(Companion Dog) and a CDX(Companion Dog Excellent) degree. In 1975 She started teaching Obedience classes for the City of Montebello, Ca. She continued teaching classes for the city while attending the University of Southern California. After graduation, Nancy became a trainer at a personal protection/guard dog kennel while she did substitute teaching for Los Angeles County. In 1982 she moved to West Seattle and started her own business, The Puppy Perfectors Dog Training School. Over the years she did in home training, taught large group classes through the YMCA, Community Centers, as well as small group classes in a local park and school gymnasium. She would board and train dogs in her own home as well. In 2009, Nancy opened a training facility in White Center, Wa. After a couple of years she expanded her facility to a much larger facility, The Puppy Perfectors Dog Training and Agility Center LLC. In 2017, she sold the business but continued to teach and mentor for a couple more years. She fully retired and moved to Saint George, Ut 2020. Nancy has personally owned many different breeds from the working group, sporting group, hound group, terrier group, toy group, and herding group. She currently shares her home with two Cattle Dogs. She trains and shows them on a regular basis in Obedience, Rally O, Agility, Herding, and Conformation.

Crissy Crismon

Currently my spouse and I live with a German Shorthair Pointer, a Border Terrier and Bart the Cat, who actually rules the household. I’ve had many mixed and purebred pups throughout my lifetime. I know each dog is different and each dog enjoys different activities. I have to admit, the two we have now are our favorite breeds. I’ve been training and competing in Dock Diving, Rally, Obedience, ScentWork, Hunt Trials, Tracking, Agility, Barn Hunt and dabbling in FastCat over the years. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences that I’ve learned through my dogs.

Maggie Probst

I was captivated by the sport of agility watching Westminster and thought it would be a great way to create a strong connection with my young puppy. Over the years, I’ve trained with several accomplished agility coaches and began competing 5 years ago. I’ve continued to learn the latest agility teaching methods from Susan Garret, multiple gold medalist at both National and World Agility events, as a member of Handling360 and Agility Nation. I have assisted in teaching Agility at SUDS and look forward to helping dogs and their owners learn to love the sport. Contact Maggie at (801) 550-2659 or email maggieprobst@earthlink.net.

Dawna Drake

My name is Dawna Drake and I am one of the original members of SUDS. A small group of us in So. Utah actually began training, showing and traveling together in about ‘81 and formally organized SUDS in the early ‘90’s. I was instrumental in securing the training field for club use and have served the club in various capacities. I have put numerous titles on my dogs in conformation, obedience, flyball, agility, dock diving and scent work. I also did therapy dog visits. I am currently owned by a 2 1⁄2 year old Aussie named Ellie. After several years of limited involvement with SUDS I am looking forward to the future of what SUDS has to offer its members.

Jennifer Dawson

I’ve been an animal lover very literally my entire life, and have worked in the animal industry (animal control, dog groomer, vet assistant, shelter manager, equine caretaker & groom etc) for over 35 years. I’ve been training my personal dogs and competing successfully in various sports (flyball, obedience, agility, herding, and protection sport) for over 30 years. I’ve been training family pets professionally for about 10 now. I’m a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals, & a certified NePoPo* trainer/instructor, which means that my classes are about ignition, and motivating dogs to WANT to be cooperative & obedient. I typically attend 2-3 seminars a year, as well as my professional organization’s conference, in order to keep my skills in tune with the latest science etc. I’m very much looking forward to meeting all of you, and helping you to achieve your goals with your dog.

Heidi Folks

I joined SUDS in 2014 with my lively, 10 week old Mini- Aussie, Moki. From the beginning she has been fearless, fast, fun and frustrating. She would run out of the ring at trials in one event, only to turn around and produce a qualifying score in the next. Through the help and support at SUDS, on-line training with Susan Garrett in Recallers, Handling 360 and Agility Nation, and the extensive use of videotaping, we are now competing at the elite level in NADAC and the masters level in USDAA. It is my desire to help other teams develop a great relationship with each other and to grow the confidence of both handler and dog so that they too can experience the joy of agility. To contact Heidi email her at educationisus@gmail.com

Micki Handte

Micki and her husband, Jack, moved to St. George in 2020 from Pittsburgh, PA. She has had Aussies since 1988 and also owned two Collies. Currently she has one 11 month old Aussie named Arnie who will be starting to train in agility and nosework. While in PA, she trained and competed in agility, obedience, Rally and herding. She has titled dogs at the excellent level of AKC agility and has also competed and titled dogs in ASCA and CPE agility. The titles earned in herding are her proudest accomplishments. Micki has taken in person and online courses in various dog training venues from Susan Garrett, Steffi Trott, Cappy Pruett and others.

Debbie Aheimer

I have been a long-distance member of SUDS for maybe 5 years. We have a vacation home in Springdale, Utah and I wanted to be active in a dog club while I’m here in Utah. I have participated in agility demos at the veteran’s home and for Swiss Days. I’ve been training dogs since I was a teenager (a very long time ago). I trained obedience the old-fashioned way. But now it’s a lot more friendly and more fun for the dog and the human too. In 2013 I was introduced to Tricks class. A member of the club I belonged to was an instructor and evaluator with the “Do More With Your Dog” organization. My 3 boys earned their Advanced Trick titles and Jackson went on to become the first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to earn his Champion Tricks title. Jet came along in 2019. Jet has also earned his Advanced Tricks Title with “DMWYD”. My new puppy, Johnny, an English Cocker Spaniel, earned his ‘DMWYD” Master Novice Title as well as the AKC Novice Tricks Title. In October 2022 I decided I would like to become a trick dog instructor/evaluator and took the Do More With Your Dog course. And then I decided to get my AKC evaluator certification. So, In November 2022 I took the test with the AKC and passed.

Pam Downie

I have always loved dogs; in fact you could say they’ve been my passion. They captured my heart and imagination at an early age. I enjoy being with, learning about, observing, practicing, and training dogs and their people. It is who I am. Over the years I have owned and loved dogs in 6 of the 7 groups, working mostly with poodles in Conformation. I mostly utilized Handlers at ringside due to my school, work and family responsibilities. Training Dogs, both my own and others' is like breathing to me. I trained my first dog when I was 12, and have been training ever since. I've got 30+ years of training dogs of all breeds both individually and in small groups (max=10) since owning my ranch in1994. My focus was primarily on training basic obedience manners with the goal of the dog/s becoming good family members. My basic rule is to help with what people need. I have always been interested in dogs in performance, but only recently had the time and opportunity to become involved with competition when I was introduced to Rally in 2020. I loved it, and am competing this year at RCKC. I'm also a Psychologist, so I'm a people person. But dogs own my heart.

Kim Darger

Kim and her best friend (her husband) found their way home to Ivins from northern Utah almost 5 years ago. A lifelong dog lover, she has worked with many animals including horses for 30 years and a wide variety of animals while working as a zookeeper and trainer at Hogle Zoo. She graduated from Weber State with a degree in Zoology and minors in Chemistry and Anthropology. Currently working as a homemaker and teacher for her 2 young boys, she has 2 dogs and a lifelong love of learning. She is new to dog sports and is having a blast and enjoying all the new friends.