Maggie
Maggie acquired her first dog, Blue, an Australian Shepherd, when she was eleven. She studied the Shepherd’s Guide Book by John Holmes while learning to train Blue to help her with her small flock of sheep. At age thirteen she apprenticed with stock dog trainers Pat Welsh and Dave Jenkins and subsequently trained numerous Border Collies as livestock herding and geese control dogs. From 1990 to 1997, she raised, trained and raced her own mid-distance sled-dog team with her late father Richard Barker as her assistant, based out Upper Peninsula Michigan. She trained her sled-dogs using motivational methods rather than coercion and the result was a competitive team who placed out of the top three only once in seven years of racing. She twice received the Cooley Challenge Humanitarian Award, awarded to the team who received the best husbandry during the race. In Montana, she learned to skijor from German Olympic skier, Michaela Endler-Probst, and raced in Alberta, British Columbia, and Montana. She currently skijore when she’s able to with her German Shorthaired Pointer, Skipper.
She was employed by Guide Dog for The Blind (in Boring, Oregon) completed the Assistance Dog Institute (six week seminar) and the High Schooled Assistance DogProgram, working with at-risk youth in the training of assistance dogs under Dr Bonnie Bergin in Santa Rosa, CA. She received her Dip.PDT ( Professional Dog Trainer) 2019 and Dip. CPDT 2021 (Canine Behavior Science and Technology) from Dr James O’Heare, Companion Animal Science Institute where she graduated with honors.
Training Philosophy
Maggie’s training philosophy is based on science-backed methods and focuses on positive reinforcement and motivation. She emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for training and creating a positive relationship between the dog and owner.
Services
- Puppy raising
- Basic obedience training
- Behavior modification for issues such as biting, house soiling, socialization, home alone training, leash walking, coming when called, impulse control, jumping on people, pulling on leash, object stealing, barking, lunging at dogs while walking on a leash, food bowl and toy guarding, and fearful dogs.
- One-on-one coaching
- In-home training
- Virtual training
Certifications
Maggie is a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a member of Pet Professional’s Guild. She is CPDT-KA through The Certification Cousin for Professional Dog Trainers. She holds a Dip.PDT ( Professional Dog Trainer) and Dip. CPDT (Canine Behavior Science and Technology) from Dr James O’Heare, Companion Animal Science Institute.
Specializations
Maggie specializes in puppy raising, basic obedience training, and behavior modification for a wide range of issues. She has experience working with sled dogs, assistance dogs, and livestock herding dogs.
Training Methods
Maggie uses force-free, science-backed training methods that focus on positive reinforcement and motivation. She emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation for training and creating a positive relationship between the dog and owner.
Media Appearances
Maggie was featured in Mother Earth News in September/October 1987 for her work training Border Collies as livestock herding and geese control dogs.
