Biographical Information
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Clarissa Bergeman — Rally instructor & competitor ARCHEX UCD Wakefield Adventure Anny CD TD RL1X3 RL2X2 RL3X RLV RE Schutzhund BH TDIA CGC — Demos George Bergeman — Video production Contact: |
Clarissa Bergeman —
Clarissa is an enthusiastic rally competitor and instructor. She and her corgi, Anny, have earned numerous rally titles including the ARCHEX from APDT and the RE from the AKC. Clarissa and Anny have also earned traditional obedience titles, a tracking title, a therapy dog title, and Shutzhund BH title.
As a retired special-education teacher, Clarissa does not come to her approach to APDT rally instruction by accident. For over twenty years she taught students with moderate retardation using a variety of positive reinforcement techniques. Her dedication and creative approach resulted in her being named Virginia Teacher of the Year by the Virginia Association for Retarded Citizens.
Prior to teaching special education in Virginia, Clarissa taught special education in Iowa, taught elementary school for two fascinating years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia, West Africa, and taught English as a second language in Virginia .
Since her retirement from teaching in 1997, Clarissa has focused on dog training and has enjoyed offering instruction in both rally and basic obedience. As was the case with her school students, she is particularly interested in positive techniques and has endeavored to communicate the rationale, techniques, and joy of positive dog training that enhances the bond between dogs and their humans.
Clarissa was honored to receive the 2006 Good Sportsman award from her training club. National recognition includes an article profiling her in the September/October, 2009 issue of The Chronicle of the Dog published by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.
Anny Bergeman —
ARCHEX UCD Wakefield Adventure Anny CD TD RL1X3 RL2X2 RL3X RLV RE Schutzhund BH TDIA CGC.
Anny is a ten-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi who has been a wonderful rally partner. She enjoys working on her rally skills both for the reinforcement (especially treats) and for the opportunity to be a working, active dog sharing and communicating with her human collaborator.
In 2006 Anny and Clarissa were the 14th ranked team nationally in overall points in APDT Rally competition, and in 2007 they were ranked in the top 20 for teams earning the ARCHEX title.
In addition to competition, Anny has also partnered with Clarissa to give volunteer trick shows at senior-citizen venues, the local animal shelter, town events and in other settings. Her website (www.annyb.com) provides a look at her competition and trick-show endeavors and also shows one of her paintings. Sales of her paintings have gone to benefit corgi rescue efforts.
George Bergeman —
George is a frequent member of the pit crew in support of Clarissa and Anny at their various performance events, and he handled the video taping, editing and production on this project as well as creation of the Ready to Rally! website.
Like Clarissa, his professional career began in instruction. As a Peace Corps volunteer, he taught math and physics at a small college in West Africa from 1973 to 1975, and he continued teaching at a community college outside of Washington, D.C. after he and Clarissa returned to the states.
In the early 1980s, George began developing instructional software for collegiate mathematics and eventually transitioned to full-time software development as an independent developer/author.
Happily, some of these software projects also involved video and editing components, and, thus, the collaboration with Clarissa and Anny on the Ready to Rally! project was a natural extension of both professional and (more importantly!) family interests.
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clarissa@bergeman.com — Ready to Rally! video content, rally instruction and workshops, basic dog training
george@bergeman.com — Video production and this website
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