CPT Agility Trainer Wins National Championship

December 17, 2006

Comprehensive Pet Therapy (CPT) is pleased to inform that on December 3, 2006, CPT Agility Trainer Sierra Schmidt, of Alpharetta, won the 8-inch height class in the inaugural American Kennel Club (AKC) Agility Invitational held in Long Beach, California. Sierra and her Bichon Frise, Balto, defeated 80 elite competitors, including a former world team member, to achieve their first place finish.

The competition was available by invitation only to the top five ranked agility dogs within each recognized AKC breed as well as top international teams. Sierra and Balto, (formal name: MACH Senna’s Baltinator) were in second place after the first day of the two day contest. However, Sierra and Balto saved their best performances for the second day and vaulted to the championship pedestal. An excerpt of the Animal Planet broadcast of Sierra’s winning run is available by clicking the following link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBS96kEM95A.

Animal Planet broadcast the competition on February 11, 15 and 18 at 8pm.

Sierra began her agility career five years ago as a CPT obedience student in our pet program. While progressing from beginner to intermediate to advanced obedience, Sierra became figuratively intoxicated with dog training, especially competitive agility training. She began competing just three years ago and has accumulated numerous laudatory accomplishments. Sierra and Balto have earned 32 titles, including the prestigious Masters Agility Championship (MACH). They have qualified for six national events, placed second in the 2004 Eastern Regional of the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge (shown on ESPN), and were asked to perform a demonstration on Late Night with David Letterman. Nevertheless, her recent victory at the AKC National Invitational is the most significant achievement of her burgeoning agility career.

Moreover, Sierra’s accomplishments do not stop at the gates of the agility ring. Sierra is ranked number one in her senior class at North Springs High School. She has received a score of 2340 (out of a possible 2400) on her SAT’s and achieved two perfect AP scores. In addition, she was one of very few high school students in the entire state accepted for admission into the Governor’s Honors Program.

We will miss Sierra’s instructing abilities when she moves on to her chosen university. She is presently considering amongst Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and Duke amongst others. Fortunately, CPT will maintain Sierra’s mother, Holly, as our head Agility Trainer. By the way, Holly and her Toy Poodle, Pippin, came in third in the 2003 AKC Nationals. Regardless of whether Sierra’s recent results are more a factor of nature, nurture, or good ol’ hard work, we are proud to have her as a member of our agility staff.

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.