CPT Student Earns Prestigious Utility Title

October 23, 2006

Comprehensive Pet Therapy (CPT) is pleased to inform that on October 22, 2006, CPT competition student Christina Shrake, formerly of Marietta, GA, and now residing in Phoenix, AZ, and her Golden Retriever, Dakota, earned the prestigious American Kennel Club (AKC) Utility Dog (UD) title. To earn the UD title, a dog/handler team needs to have titled previously at the Novice and Open levels and to have earned three “legs” (defined as a qualifying score of a minimum 170 out of a possible 200 points) at the Utility level. On Sunday, October 22, outside in the hot Phoenix sun, Christina and Dakota earned their third Utility leg with a first place finish and an excellent score of 189.5. Christina and Dakota will now continue their competition careers in a quest to earn the esteemed Obedience Trial Championship (OTCH) title.

Christina and Dakota started training four years ago as students in CPT’s pet training program. After graduating from beginner and intermediate obedience, Christina enrolled Dakota in CPT’s competition obedience program. They excelled through the novice and open levels with only one non-qualifying score and numerous first place finishes. Utility was more difficult. Nevertheless, Christina and Dakota persevered through several obstacles including relocation from Georgia to Arizona, having to show outdoors in torrid weather, and a temporary aversion to the scent articles.

Very few competition dogs ever earn a utility title. Thus, Christina and Dakota are now amongst rarefied company. CPT is proud of their accomplishments and pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Christina and Dakota over the last four years.

According to Christina, “Achieving the Utility title was both a lot of fun and a lot of hard work over a journey that took several years and crossed two beautiful states. I appreciate my coaches and colleagues at CPT for providing the knowledge and inspiration to succeed at the Utility level and continue onward for Dakota’s OTCH. Without them, I might have just stopped Dakota’s training after my first beginner course and missed the opportunity to further Dakota’s training and form a new hobby that concurrently provides enjoyment while creating a better behaved, happier pet.”

Since its inception in 1992, CPT has trained the dogs of over 35,000 Atlanta area customers. CPT offers group classes at four locations, in-home private lessons throughout the Atlanta metro area, and a unique board training program at 6 locations where customer dogs reside at a trainer’s home as opposed to a kennel. CPT Head Trainers have placed in national competitions, won regional titles, achieved over 150 first place competition finishes, handled dogs in movies, appeared as behavioral experts on television news shows, and performed as expert witnesses in criminal and civil court cases.

For more information, please contact Mark Spivak by phone (770-396-6433) or review CPT’s web address: www.cpt-training.com.