Victoria Swiger is a certified Tellington TTouch Practitioner I and a
    retired certified Veterinarian Assistant.  She has been working with
    and training animals for over 20 years. For 38 years she has been a
    music teacher with a strong passion for all animals. The money she
    earned from her music profession has allowed her to pursue her
    childhood dream of working with animals. She began by working with
    dogs in basic obedience training. This was so much fun for her that she
    wanted to find more ways to work with animals. In 2001 she became a
    Certified Veterinary Assistant and became involved in companion
    animal rescue. She welcomed a wide variety of animals into her home
    including, rats, hamsters, a ferret, and many birds. Animal rescue was
    a very rewarding experience for Victoria, but brought to light a lot of
    new challenges. She wanted to find better ways to work with the dogs
    and cats that were coming to her with a variety of issues that
    obedience training alone wasn't able to help. This is when she looked
    further into the Tellington TTouch Method. Two rescued dogs
    presented her with some new challenges and she asked a TTouch
    Practitioner for help. The work was so impressive that she decided to
    get the training, and in 2003, she became a Tellington TTouch
    Practitioner I. Currently she is pursuing certification in animal nutrition.
Meet the Trainers
Cherie helps families teach their dogs to be well-behaved members of the family.  She teaches effective and humane
methods for basic obedience and a wide variety of other types of classes including Agility For Fun, Rally Obedience,
Helping the Cautious Canine, Feisty Fido and more.  Ms. Maitland also offers classes to help people prepare to take
and pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. Cherie is now also an approved AKC CGC evaluator. Cherie also
helps with more serious problems including fearfulness, anxiety, aggression towards people, dogs and cats, nuisance
barking, and safety with kids and dogs.  She hails more from the new school of training, incorporating learning theory
and understanding canine psychology (see Philosophy & Methods) to teach people to be great dog owners, handlers
and leaders. When needed, other approaches are incorporated, because she believes that there is often something
valuable to learn from most approaches and that flexibility and tailoring methods to a specific owner, dog and situation
is crucial. Cherie's instincts about what people and their dogs need to be a better team, combined with her practical
knowledge and step-by-step teaching style is extremely effective.

She now lives in the Sierra Foothills with her beloved 4 dogs - 3 of whom are Registered Therapy Dogs, 9 cats, and
her horse, a mustang lives on a nearby ranch.  Contact her to discuss your dog(s) and your training needs and get
started on an educational and satisfying experience with Our Furry Friends.
Our
Furry
Friends
Cherie Inherited Some of Her Connection With Animals From Her Mom
Cherie Maitland
Owner, Head Trainer &
Behavior Specialist
Judy Gamet of
Dogs Can Dance
Canine Freestyle Classes
MEET THE OTHER TRAINERS and
INSTRUCTORS

AT OUR FURRY FRIENDS TRAINING CENTER
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    Marcia Barkley has been working with dogs in one capacity or
    another for about ten years, from training her own Border Collie,
    Starr, in agility and rally, to volunteering with the Sacramento SPCA
    as dog socializer, adoption counselor, and assistant trainer in basic
    obedience.  Marcia has been studying canine freestyle under Judy
    Gamet, and is a member of the Canine Freestyle Federation. In 2009
    Marcia  began Music Plus Dogs! specifically to share canine
    freestyle with others.

    She writes: “This is a wonderful combination of creativity and
    precision, and offers a challenge unlike anything else in the world of
    dog sports.  Seeing my students discover the joys of freestyle is
    every bit as much fun as working with my own dog to create and
    master a new routine.”  

    For more information about Marcia and Music Plus Dogs! visit
    www.musicplusdogs.com
Cherie Maitland, an animal lover and educator from way back, moved to California from Vermont in
1984.  Her varied work background includes personal coaching and counseling, small business
management, accounting, teaching and running kids after-school and summer camp programs.  
Cherie began working with dogs at the SPCA as a volunteer in the 1980's on the California Coast.  
In the early 1990's she was introduced to the world of humane horse handling and Natural
Horsemanship.  It made so much sense to Cherie to train and guide a horse by understanding their
point-of-view, that she sought out people who were doing the same thing with dogs.  She assisted
with dog training classes, behavior problem appointments and went back to the shelter as a
volunteer adoption counselor and dog handler.  She studied and trained with a variety of other
trainers from a wide range of philosophies. After adopting a "problem" dog, (who is now the
wonderful registered therapy dog you may know as Pepper,) Cherie needed the behavioral
expertise of several local, prominent trainers. After years of studying with and assisting other
trainers, and working with dogs at the shelter, Our Furry Friends was born in 1999 in Santa Cruz
Victoria Swiger
TTouch Practitioner I

















Photo by Sheri Van Wert Photography
Ttouch Body Wrap
    Fostering homeless and "problem" dogs for 16 years, and another
    6 1/2 years professionally teaching people to get better cooperation
    from their pets in group and private classes has given Alan an
    "inside" perspective on problem behaviors and their resolution.
    With a faith-based passion for helping, an abiding love for dogs,
    and a gift for modeling their inner life, Alan empowers pet owners to
    get the cooperative pets they dream of, by understanding and
    meeting the needs of their "pack." With his prize-winning Louisiana
    Catahoula Leopard Dog, Ch El Dorado's Whoa Nellie, Alan is
    active in Champion Class conformation competition in the United
    Kennel Club (UKC), as well as conformation and ranch trials in the
    National Association of Louisiana Catahoulas (NALC), and is a
    Certified AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. He has served as
    Judge for conformation and obedience competition in the NALC, is
    currently training Nellie for obedience and weight-pull competition,
    and is ALWAYS alert for opportunities to work her with cattle and
    hogs for the ranch trials. Alan lives in Citrus Heights, CA with his
    dog Nellie.
Alan St. Andrew

Puppy Nursery School, Tricks,
Obedience, My Dog - My Helper,
and Shaping Clinic Classes
    Judy Gamet, BS in Dance Education has been coaching and
    choreographing canine freestyle teams since 2002.  Her unique
    approach of presenting Canine Freestyle through the eyes of your
    dog makes her workshops a wonderful cross training tool for use
    in all dog sports. Judy also completed teaching a National Tour in
    2009 and is currently the dog dance choreographer for the movie
    "Doggie Boogie"

    Judy feels Blessed to have the opportunity to be associated with
    Our Furry Friends and Cherie's impressive staff.  
Training With Respect & Understanding