Who am I?

Hi! My name is Kerri Archer. I have been a dog trainer since 1974 at the ripe old age of 9. (Gosh, I'm old!) My dogs have received numerous awards at the local, state, and national level. One dog, Kerri's Yukon King, was named #1 nationwide in obedience. I have also trained therapy dogs that I used in work at schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. Most of these dogs were my pets, and all of them were loved very, very much!

I remember that first dog obedience class: There were about ten of us, all nervous, freezing our butts off as we took our classes in an old barn in the middle of winter. Our trainer was Stan, a strict disciplinarian who tried, without success, to hide a huge heart. He was an award-winning dog trainer, working with his first group of youth trainees. I'm sure we all caused some sleepless nights, one little girl in particular (I won't name names, but her name started with the letter, 'K'. Ha!) We were a determined little group, one that was excited when the weather turned warmer and we started training at a local churchyard.

I began training other youth when I was a teen. Some might think it a challenge, training my own competition. You would be right about that - but not for the reason you would think. I would lose concentration with my own dogs, focusing instead on the performances of my students, making notes for our next training sessions, rejoicing when my students won awards. (One of my students had a meltdown when she realized that she had placed first in our class. She was 'just sure' I was going to be furious with her for beating me. Imagine her surprise when they announced that she had won, and I ran over to her, whooping and hollering, grabbing her up in a huge hug and spinning her around!) These experiences made me realize just how much I enjoyed teaching. I even went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Education!

Over the years, I have educated countless dog trainers, both youth and adult. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing that 'light bulb moment' when an owner and dog come together. (Hello, my name is Kerri, and I am addicted to training dog trainers.) With the advent of the Internet and social media, I have become the 'go to' person for many of my friends whenever they have a dog training question. It is due to them that I started this blog.

My training methods are a blend of many styles. I was first trained in the W.R. Koehler dog training method, and most of my methods are based on his instruction. I have since continued with a 'give it a try' approach to any other training methods. I won't bash any other training method - to each his own. I have found some alternate routes during my tenure, and I use those as my experience guides me. So, if you are studying The Koehler Method, you will find I go off script. Trust me and stay on the journey, okay?

If you've read this far, let me add this: I have a very weird, very warped sense of humor. It comes from working with dogs and youth. So, if I crack a joke, it is okay to laugh. Go ahead!