Sabine Platten

My love affair with dog training began when my husband and I acquired our first Labrador in 1992. Little did I know she would become my first teacher. I learned two lessons from her: to be humble in my partnership with creatures that offer us so much, so freely. And that a sense of humor would be required.

I have competed and titled dogs in conformation, obedience, rally, K9 Nose Work, and agility under several governing bodies (AKC, APDT, NACSW, USDAA), but my passion is puppies. I indulge it by breeding Labrador Retrievers, usually when I’m ready for my next dog; by teaching puppies and their families how to build confidence while developing a relationship based on trust, fairness and positive training.

As a member of the National Association of Canine Scent Work and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), I continue to improve my skills and understanding of behavior and training by attending seminars presented by internationally recognized and cutting-edge educators: Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, Michele Pouliot, Terry Ryan, Dr. Susan Friedman, Bob Bailey, Pat Miller, Sue Sternberg, Karen Pryor and Ken Ramirez to name just a few.

I am currently owned, trained and loved by three generations of home-bred Labradors: Whisper, 9; Whisper's two daughters, Flurry, 6 and Dazzle, 4, and our newest addition, Flurry’s daughter Riley, 15 months. Past dogs continue to influence my training and teaching philosophy - regal Alix; my heart dog, Campbell; sweet, handsome Kes, (the standard by which I judge all Labradors), and most recently, Dreamer, Beatrice and Kiri, joyful companions and working partners for nearly 20 years, and the foundations of my breeding program.