Our Team

Our Team @ Telling Tails

ROBIN CROCKER:

Robin is the Owner and Manager of Telling Tails and also of Yellow Snow Dog Gear. Prior to Telling Tails, Robin owned a pet friendly Inn for 20 years. She has been teaching dog obedience for 8 years. Most of Robin's experience comes from raising and training service dogs which she has done for over 12 years. Robin attended the Volhard Training Camp and Instructors Course and has had training in a wide variety of clinics and seminars. She is a volunteer for NEADS, Dogs For Disabled Americans, and she is a trainer and member of the Board for ACTS, Assistance Canine Training Services. She is a member of APDT as well as the Carroll County Kennel Club. She is also a CGC tester and serves as a Mentor Trainer for Animal Behavior College. Robin has competed in AKC Rally Obedience and her CD (Companion Dog) title with her own dog and is currently training for Open Obedience. She lives with three dogs, three horses, and one cat. Robin will be teaching pet dog classes including Puppy Head Start.

MARIANNE FINNEY:

Marianne is a graduate of Animal Behavior College, which is an extensive program that focuses on animal behavior and problem solving. In addition to teaching group classes she also offers private lessons to those who prefer one on one training, or to those whose dog's behavioral problems are not addressed in a class setting. She spent several years volunteering at the Conway Area Humane Society where she helped to train the less adoptable dogs become more adoptable. She worked at German Shepard rescue, which is an organization that took in dogs that would otherwise be euthanized due to behavioral problems. That facility no longer takes in animals. She is a volunteer and board member at Loki Clan Wolf Refuge, which rescues abused, unwanted, neglected and abandoned wolves and wolf dogs. Marianne is teaching Clicker Training 101 and Reactive Dog Class.

MALLORY HATTIE:

Mallory has been training people to train their dogs since 1999. A Maine native, she learned her trade in New York, assisting classes at Happy Tails in Brooklyn, and at St. Hubert's Dog Training School in Madison, NJ while attending numerous seminars with Patricia McConnell, Jean Donaldson, and many more experts in the field. From 2000 to 2002 Mallory and her dog, Fender, were a therapy dog team at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. Mallory became a certified, professional dog trainer in 2003. She gave in-home lessons in New York City until 2004, when she returned to Maine. Since then she continues to give in-home lessons to clients in southern Maine and teaches classes at the Planet Dog store in Portland and in Gorham through the Recreation Department. Mallory is dedicated to positive reinforcement training. Besides teaching Pet Dog 101, 102 and Canine Good Citizen classes, Mallory is also the scheduling director for Telling Tails.

NANCI HAYES:

Nanci has always had Dalmatians. Influenced by her grandparents who had a Dalmatian, she got her first in 1976. In 1992 she got her second Dalmatian, Max, and became involved in competitive obedience. Max and Nanci earned their CD in 1994. In 2000 Nanci purchased her third Dalmatian, Lucky. Lucky and Nanci competed and earned their CD in 2003. Lucky was working toward her CDX when her life tragically ended. Fortunately, Lucky's first litter of puppies included two Dalmatians that Nanci kept. Blizzard and Dancer started their training immediately and were competing in Rally Obedience by the age of one. Both Blizzard and Dancer have received their CD's, and both have their Rally RAE titles. When Dancer received her Rally RAE title she was one of only ten Dalmatians in the country to finish that title. In 2010 Dancer was recognized by the Dalmatian Club of America Top Spot by placing in the top 10 highest scoring Dalmatians in the country for open obedience. Four of her Dalmatians received their Therapy Dog certifications and did therapy work. Nanci trains under Pat Scribner, Sherry Briton, Kris Thober, and Judge Donna Cassista. Nanci has been teaching Rally Obedience for three years and has attended several Rally-O seminars. Nanci is a member of Saccappa Obedience Club, The Dalmatian Club of America, The Dalmatian Club of Southern New England, and The Carroll County Kennel Club. Nanci is the owner of Yankee Appraisals and enjoys skiing, snowmobiling, and time on Sebago Lake. Nanci will be teaching AKC Rally Obedience and Intro to Competitive Obedience. In April 2011, Nanci was approved to Judge Rally Novice, Advanced and Excellent.

KATHY COSSETTE:

Kathy started dog training over 10 years ago with her Bloodhound, Windsor. Kathy trained in Breed Handling and Competition Obedience at that time with a number of different trainers. She and Windsor competed in obedience and completed his CD (Champion Dog) with 2 placements out of three legs. Kathy competed with Windsor in Breed and received his championship as well as several group placements, including a Group 1. Kathy has also done tracking and mantrailing with her Bloodhound, Windsor and Basset Hound, Sally. Windsor has his Mantrailing Title and Sally has just started to do some tracking. Windsor is now retired as a therapy dog and Sally is a TDI certified Therapy Dog. Kathy has also raised and trained 5 service dogs for NEADS, Dogs For Disabled Americans and 21 service dog for ACTS, Assistance Canine Training Services. Currently, Kathy has 2 service dogs in training, Chilly a black lab and Cutter a standard poodle. Most recently, Kathy has been competing in Rally Obedience with her Basset Hound, Sally and her Black Lab, Moxie. Sally & Moxie have completed their RE (Rally Excellent) title. Moxie has a CD (Champion Dog) in obedience, is working on her CDX, has been doing agility work and is a Demonstration Dog for ACTS, Assistance Canine Training Services. Kathy is a member of the American Bloodhound Club, has assisted in a number of obedience classes, has done some private consultations, and has attended a variety of clinics and seminars. Kathy lives with her husband, 5 dogs and 2 cats. She assists in our Pet Dog 101 and 102 classes.

CAROLYN ROSS:

Carolyn is a Certified Pet Dog Trainer and Certified Tellington Touch Practitioner who teaches classes in the greater Portland area and is also available for private consultations, in home private training, and behavioral counseling. She is a Professional Member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, an organization that promotes positive reinforcement methods. Her goal is to help her students better understand and communicate with their dog, so that they can share an active and happy life together. Carolyn enjoys agility, rally-o, hiking & swimming with her own dogs. Carolyn will be teaching Pet Dog 101, Pet Dog 102, and Beginner APDT Rally.

DAWN OSMOND:

Dawn has been involved with dogs since 1987. She began competing with her Sheltie, Kelly and earned a CD. Dawn competed briefly with her next Sheltie, Jesse, until he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. In 2000, a Rough Collie, named Madeline, came into Dawn's life and they both found out what Agility was all about! Dawn trained under Leslie Whitney in Falmouth, ME for many years and was introduced to strong foundation skills as well as obedience work and positive training methods. This training helped bring out the best in Kelly, Jesse and Madeline. In 2006, Madeline earned her AKC Masters titles in agility and has since been semi-retired. Her most recent Sheltie, Bugg, came into Dawn's life and they have been on a high-speed trip ever since. Bugg obtained his AKC MACH title (which involves earning a minimum of 750 championship points, also called speed points, and 20 double qualifying scores obtained from the Excellent B Standard Agility class and the Excellent B Jumpers With Weaves class). In addition Bugg is competing in USDAA at the Masters level when there is time. Dawn has worked with many well known agility handlers including Linda Mecklenburg, Anne Andrle, Nancy Gyes, Leslie Whitney, Mary Ellen Barry, Wendy Pape, Dana Pike, Julie Daniels, Terry Smorch, Kathy Keats, Stuart and Pati Mah, Jen Pinder, Rhonda Carter, Alicia Calhoun, Rachel Sanders and Erin Schaefer. Dawn continues to train under Anne Andrle, 2008 IFCS/USA World Team Member and 2008 IFCS/USA Agility World Championship Bronze Medalist year round. Dawn belongs to the SMARRT Agility Club of So. Maine as well as serving on the Board of the AWSS, Association of Working Shetland Sheepdogs, a national organization. Positive training methods, clickers, toys and treats are primary tools used in Dawn's agility foundation classes and loads of fun sequences, games and skills are introduced in the advanced classes. Dawn wants handlers and their dogs to have fun, learn how to work as a team and create a strong working bond. Whether you plan to compete or just see what agility is all about, Dawn will give you a good foundation as well as help you get out and run with the big dogs if that???s your desire.

SHEILA McDONOUGH:

Sheila has worked for 15 years in the horse industry managing professional dressage barns, teaching and training human and equine students. Working with all types and temperaments of horses and their humans cemented the importance of consistency and patience in handling and training as well as the value in trying to see the world from the animal's point of view. This experience helped when raising her dog Luna, an opinionated but timid mini Aussie. They started doing agility as a way to have fun together. Training in agility with Dawn Osmond has improved Luna's confidence vastly, and now they are addicted! Sheila spends most days on the farm, spinning, weaving, knitting and felting the fiber from her five alpaca geldings. She has even spun yarn from Luna's undercoat, although it took a year's worth of brushing!

MARIE GAGNON:

Marie is the owner of Lazy L Kennel and Wizard Service Dogs. She has been training and competing for over 20 years. Her competition experience includes Obedience, Agility, and Rally. She is a long time member of N.A.D.O.I. (National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors) Marie has owned and competed with a wide variety of breeds including Standard Poodles, Poi Dog, Bouvier, Hounds, and Beagles. In addition to working with her own dogs, she also works with problem dogs and trains mobility and hearing service dogs. She also enjoys the challenge of training other species and has had cats that wave, ducks that retrieve, horses touching targets, and a rat that ran agility courses. Marie will be teaching Open and Utility, Control Unleashed, and Clicker Training For Kids.

KIRSTEN BROWN:
Kirsten is our marketing representative who has been with us since July 2010. She is responsible for our advertising, social media accounts, printed materials, store inventory and facility needs. Kirsten has been doing marketing since the late 80’s when she worked for the hotel industry, then a bank and more recently owned her own retail business. Kirsten loves all types of animals. She has two Belgian Malinois dogs, a cat, two rabbits and 4 ducks. Her daughters love of pigs lead her to start Wiley Mountain Farm and over the past 6 years has raised dozens of pigs for showing, breeding or market. She exhibits her farm animals at the Fryeburg Fair each year with Cliff, her husband of 20 years and two children, Abby 17 and Reilly 7. You might bump into Kirsten at many of the local pet related events running our booth or just out calling on local veterinary offices, groomers or pet shops. Be sure to stop her and say hello, she is thrilled to talk to any dog enthusiast or just someone who loves their dog!