MEET JEANNINE KERR
Jeannine Kerr launched her dog-training career
for the simplest of reasons: “I had an out-of-control
dog,” she says – a Dalmatian named Black
Pebbles Pride.
Jeannine had had dogs before; in fact, she’d been
around all kinds of animals since she was little.
Jeannine was allowed to ride horses from Rocky
Ridge Ranch who were staying at her grand-
parents’ country home for rest or rehabilitation.
She also mingled freely with the dogs who
were assigned to guard the resident chickens
from predators.
“I learned a lot about dog behavior” in those days,
Jeannine says. She watched the dogs interact
with each other and with chickens, coyotes, and
“little critters.” That experience and insight were
laying the groundwork for her career, though
of course she didn’t know it at the time.
The first time Jeannine came face to face with a problem dog, though, was when the Dalmatian Black Pebbles Pride arrived. Pebbles came along at a time when Jeannine could least afford to have an unruly canine, when she had started a family and had two young children. Pebbles had learned “kid tricks” – sit up, lie down, roll over, bow, and jump through a hula hoop – and would perform all these tricks for a treat. But in the process, she would jump on the children and knock them down.
To solve this family problem, Jeannine signed up for an obedience course, and by the end of the twelve-week class, Pebbles was the top dog in the class. Pebbles went on to earn her CD, CDX, and UD titles in short order, and for ten years was a terrific family companion as well.
New dogs, new directions
Though Jeannine never intended to pursue a career training dogs, events conspired to push her in that direction. As Pebbles neared the
end, having lived a long, full life, Jeannine began to think about getting another Dalmatian. That next dog turned out to be Spec (CH Centurion Special Edition UD TT), who would serve as the foundation bitch for Jeannine’s successful Dalmatian breeding program.
By this time, Jeannine was long past taking classes, and had begun teaching them herself. She started as an instructor at North St. Louis County Obedience Training Club and later at Kennelwood. In time, she added evening classes at Ritenour High School, signed on as a trainer at Judy Strickland’s dog training school in Kirkwood, and began offering classes through the Dalmatian Club. Jeannine began training at Dog Sports at Kim’s almost immediately after the facility opened in 2006.
Jeannine’s pug, OTCH Austins Willow of Watersedge UDX6 OM1 RA AX AXJ, is only the second pug in AKC history to earn the OTCH title. In fact, Jeannine has trained three of her dogs to an OTCH, despite owning breeds – Dalmatians, Pugs, and a Chinese Shar-Pei – that are often described as difficult.
Though Jeannine had never been involved in AKC agility as either a trainer or a participant, when Willow finished her OTCH in January 2009, Jeannine realized they needed a new challenge. At Kim’s urging, Jeannine and Willow started training in agility, where Willow again turned out to be a natural. Willow blazed through the Novice and Open levels, soon secured both Excellent A agility titles and has begun to accumulate points toward her MACH.
Jeannine’s newest dog, Woodwynd’s High Tea at Crossroads, or Tease, is also a Dalmatian.
Though Jeannine didn’t plan a career in dogs, the career that found her has been fulfilling. “It’s very gratifying to see my students do well in the ring,” Jeannine says. “I’m always proud of my students.”
Jeannine’s dogs
CH OTCH Crossroads Wandering Star UDX3
CH Centurion Special Edition UD TT
CH Crossroads Corker CDX
Crossroads Knock 'M Out Cindy UD
CH Crossroads Major Motion CD
OTCH Gaelic Crossroads of Mt. Bryton UDX3 RA
Wedgewood Ligier CDX RA
Chan Yu’s Magic Crossroads UDX2
OTCH Austins Willow of Watersedge UDX6 OM1 RA AX AXJ
