About us

The ACT Companion Dog Club – the first dog training club in Canberra – was established in 1958 and it has served the local community for more than 60 years.

You can read more about its early days in Fyshwick and its move to its current grounds in 1983 below.

WHO WE ARE

Our management

The Club is managed by a volunteer Committee elected from the general membership in August each year. The Committee meets on the last Tuesday of each month (except December). There are also several Sub-Committees that support the work of the Main Committee – especially in the management of the Club’s dog sports.

If you are actively involved in the Club’s training activities, please consider volunteering to help run the Club. There is something to suit every skill and interest.

Talk to existing members of the Club’s Committee or Sub-Committees to learn more about the Club’s management or email the Club Office with your name, contact details and areas of interest.

The Club employs two staff – a part-time office manager and a junior shop assistant.

The Club is an incorporated association and its members are governed by a Constitution, Club Rules and a range of policy and planning documents.

The Club is also affiliated with the Australian Flyball Association and Dogs ACT, the peak body that sanctions the conduct of dog sports trials in Canberra.

Our CommitteeRead ConstitutionRead RulesDogs ACTAustralian Flyball AssociationEmail us

WHO WE ARE

Our instructors

Our skilled and experienced instructors give their time voluntarily to help fellow members learn to train their dogs. Each instructor has completed an in-house training course to meet the Club’s instructing requirements, and some instructors deliver classes across several activities. If you are interested in giving back to the Club and would like to study to become an instructor please email the Club Office with your contact details. We usually run a training course to develop new Behaviour Training instructors once a year, while our dog sports offer their own courses on a periodic basis.

Some Club instructors also have nationally-recognised vocational qualifications in dog behaviour and training and are certified professional dog trainers affiliated with the Delta Institute, Karen Pryor Academy, Pet Professional Guild Australia and Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia. If you would like to know more about vocational education courses and certifying bodies aligned with the Club’s rewards-based force-free training ethos please contact the Club.

WHO WE ARE

Main Committee

Office Bearers

President
Anne Robertson
Work Health and Safety / Magazine Editor / Annual Awards

Senior Vice-President
Lesley Pothan
Behaviour Training Convenor / DBP Oversight / Dogs As Therapy

Junior Vice-President
Neale Prescott
Grounds / Office IT Oversight

Treasurer
Annette Neuendorf
Insurance

Secretary
Heather McPherson
Public Officer / Grants / Membership Register Oversight

Main Committee Members

Barbara Gough
Events & Promotion

Simone Hey
Obedience Trialling & Rally Liaison

Vacant

Security / Business Recycling Program

Vanessa March​
Social Media / Website / Flyball Convenor

Katrina Morton
Shop / Housekeeping / Maintenance

Maxine Robinson
Tracking & Scentwork Liaison

Wendy Stewart
Agility Convenor

Marcelo Munoz
Dances with Dogs & Trick Dog Liaison

WHO WE ARE

Sub-Committees

Behaviour Training

Convener Lesley Pothan
Members Natalie Aked, Sharon Haines, Jill Howlett,
Jess McNamara–Rice, Anne Robertson, Jess Strain, Jackie Trotter, Julie Whitmore, Julie Young

Obedience Trialling & Rally

Convener Simone Hey
Members Judith Barlow, Laraine Frawley, Wendy Hathaway, Jeanette Johnson, Catherine Perry, Lara Sedgmen, Anne Walkington, Geoff Woodman, Patricia Woodman

Agility

Convener Wendy Stewart
Members Natasha Davies, Cheyne Fischer, Karen Hobson, Sarah Mills, Dana Simonsen, Kylie White, Steph Windsor

Flyball

Convener Vanessa March
Members Justin Allen,
Angharad Lodwick, Cathy Vaughan

Tracking

Convener Jake Blight
Members Joanne Hagan, Sandra Hassett

Dances with Dogs & Trick Dog

Convener Marcelo Munoz
Members Lesley Pothan, H
olly Rieger, Jenny Scott, Raelene Stewart, Claire Weekes

Scent Work

Convener Maxine Robinson
Members Wendy Hathaway, Naarilla Hirsch, Claire Weekes

Photography

Images on the ACT CDC website courtesy of:
Photography By Susan  |  Lesli Cameron  |  Mark Corbould  |  Maelyn Draper  |  Joanne Hagan Photography  |  Carmen Kong  |  Anna Mayberry  |  Lara Sedgmen  |  Cathy Vaughan  |  Claire Weekes  |  Sportz Fotos