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New facility aims to stimulate interest in the fast growing pastime

While most women in their 70s are enjoying retirement, Susan Bernhart of Owatonna has been working hard to put the finishing touches on her new and fully equipped professional dog agility center in Owatonna, and she wants to be sure that dog owners in Austin know about it.

“We’re all wagging our tails with excitement,” Bernhardt said, who is CCPDT-tested and certified, and has been training dogs for more than 17 years. “There is nothing even close to this in Southern Minnesota. It’s regulation sized, fully matted, heated, and we have enough agility equipment to lay out custom designed courses for any breed at all levels.  Our nearly 10,000 square foot facility is three times larger than our previous location and opens up a new world of possibilities for classes, events, and special activities.”

Bernhart hopes her expanded location will help stimulate regional interest in what has been described as one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the country. Dog agility’s increasing popularity is evidenced by its growing coverage by both cable and network television.

Bernhart said that over the years she has frequently trained dog owners from Austin.

“At any given time, we usually have a few students who are coming up from Austin to experience this amazing space, both for agility and other forms of training including obedience, aggression and behavioral modification,” she said. “People watch dog agility on TV and they’re fascinated, but they don’t think they can do it themselves. What they don’t realize is that if their dog can sit, stay and come, they’re ready for basic agility. If you still need help with those obedience skills, we can get you there.”

Bernhardt said that with an experienced dog agility trainer, you’ll have more fun than you ever thought you could have with your dog.

“My students come from every life stage you can imagine, from young children to retirees. Many of the dogs actually bark with excitement when they arrive,” she said. “An agility course is to dogs like a playground is to children: They love it and they can’t wait to come back. Susan also says the expanded dog center will give dogs a place where they can run and play during those colder months of winter when going outside may not be an option.”

When Bernhart isn’t teaching, she’s busy competing in agility trials with her poodle throughout the upper Midwest and proudly displays many of the ribbons she has won as a top competitor. One of her dogs, Ninja, competed at the national level and was ranked No. 6 in the entire country among dogs of his size. 

“Being a competitor at that high level gave me the experience, skills and confidence I needed to become a highly effective dog training instructor. But we’re not here for the competition.  We’re here to introduce people to the “fun” side of agility,” Bernhart said. “Before you know it you’ll be guiding your dog through tunnels, over hurdles and across weave poles, while strengthening the loving bond you have with your pet and getting some exercise along the way. It’s a win-win.”

Bernhart’s journey as a dog training instructor began at a time when it was hard to find dog trainers in Owatonna.

She decided to take matters into her own hands, gaining the experience, skills and certifications to teach her own dogs and then offering her expertise to others. Along the way she accumulated regulation dog agility equipment from the top manufacturers in the space.  After years of study, testing, competition, and training more than 1,500 dogs, Bernhart is widely recognized as the go-to dog trainer in south central Minnesota with a training facility that attracts students throughout southern Minnesota.

Bernhart points out there is often a common misconception among those who have never experienced dog training.

“People think I train their dogs. I don’t. I train people to train their dogs. That is a key distinction. If I trained everyone’s dogs, only I would have the dog’s trust and control, but the owners wouldn’t,” she said, adding that it is one of the reasons she decided from the very beginning to offer private classes in order to provide one-on-one highly consultative instruction.

PawsforFun Dog Training is located at 1605 State Avenue, next to the new Steele County Humane Society headquarters that is currently under construction. Inquiries about classes can be directed to Susan Bernhart by email at slb@bernhart.com or phone at 507-363-1781