South Mountain Dog Training Center
4785 South Mountain Drive - Emmaus, PA 18049 610-966-4447
Head Trainer Pat Wotring
with Zena & Storm
Pat Wotring's Bio
Teaches: Puppy Pre-School, Beginner & Advanced Obedience, Agility, Rally & Private Lessons, Certified AKC S.T.A.R., CGC, CGCA & CGCU Evaluator.
I have been teaching Obedience for over 30 years. My previous German Shepherds have held CD, CDX & Utility titles, as well as, having the honor of being Therapy dogs who offered support & comfort to those devastated by the events of 911.
Currently, I have 2 German Shepherds, Storm (11 yrs) & Magic (6 yrs). Storm is retired & Magic is my demonstration dog for classes at South Mountain. Both the girls hold their S.T.A.R. & CGC Titles. Magic also holds her CGCA, Utility & Rally Novice titles. She won a gold & bronze medal in the USDAA Regional Agility Trials, as well. Both dogs are a pleasure to work with & enjoy meeting people.
There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the improvement in the dog/handler teams as they progress through the classes. The joy you get as a handler, watching your dog improve because of your efforts is amazing. The bond that forms, regardless of the discipline you're working towards, is wonderful.
Head Trainer Jackie Woerle
Jackie Woerle's Bio
Teaches: Puppy Pre-School, Beginner and Advanced Obedience
My love of dogs started when I was very young. Growing up, we always had a dog in our home. I knew early on that it was important for our dogs to be well mannered & tried, in my own way, to make that happen. Later in life, I realized just how far you could go with continued training & the benefit of structured classes.
My first trainer was my inspiration & opened the door to all the different venues available for handlers & their dogs. I have titled in obedience, rally, agility, herding, breed, farm dog, CGC, CGCA & therapy dog. I was an evaluator for therapy dogs for 8 years. Me & my Golden Retriever Indy served in NYC, after the 9/11 attacks to comfort the families of the victims.
I have had mixed breed dogs, purebreds, rescues & dogs from breeders. My heart settled on the Belgian Tervuren, as my breed of choice. Three of my Tervurens were regular blood donors & also therapy dogs.
My training experience started over 25 years ago in an assisting role & progressed into head trainer positions with South Mountain Dog Training Center & other dog training organizations.
have instructed classes from puppy through advanced obedience. As I took pride in training all my own dogs over the years, I also enjoy helping others experience the satisfaction of bonding with their dog & reaching their goals.
Head Trainer Krista Stayer
Krista Stayer's Bio
Teaches: Puppy Per-School, Beginner & Advanced Obedience, Rally & Private Lessons, Certified AKC S.T.A.R., CGC, CGCA & CGCU Evaluator.
After a professional career working with animals for over 25 years, I left the work force & I have focused on dogs for about the last 10.
I started taking Puppy Preschool class at South Mountain in 2016 with my Cattle Dog. I was hooked! With some encouragement, I started training Fred in Rally. I did my first show in 2017. Fred was working on his Rally Masters title but had to retire. He also holds his CGC & Tricks titles. My other dog, Slim Shady, is an American Mix whose job is to be a farm dog, but she has come a long way as my training partner when Fred retired. I am very proud of her.
I started teaching at South Mountain in the beginning of 2019 & the best part is watching my students' bond with their dogs & earn their titles. I completed an internship program with the UBSPCA in 2024 related to the intake & socialization of rescue dogs & cats to help them successfully rehome.
Training & teaching have helped me become a more outgoing, confident person. I have met some of the most encouraging & kind people.
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
Immanuel Kant
Dog Trainer Julia Rose
Julia Rose's Bio
I started working with dogs in 2021 when I adopted my first dog, Ira. She was severely under socialized, leading her to be shy & nervous. She was also battling heartworm disease. We started taking training classes as a way to strengthen our relationship & boost her confidence. I watched with excitement as our hard work in & out of class reduced Ira’s anxiety. It also helped her become a more comfortable & playful pup.
In 2024 my husband and I started classes at South Mountain when we brought home our Borzoi, Eddie. I was so excited to be back in training classes because I loved working with my dogs & watching them grow.
Eddie now participates in agility training & trials and Ira has earned both her CGC and CGCA. Outside of helping people train their dogs in Obedience & Agility.
I work full time as a high school Art Teacher. I am also a ceramic artist. When I can find extra time in my schedule, I love to bake, read, & sew clothes. I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with dogs & their owners on their journey of companionship.
Assistant Trainer Cindy Sandt
Cindy Sandt's Bio
I have been a student at South Mountain since 1999 with various dogs I have owned. I have always had smaller breeds including Miniature Dachshunds, Maltese, Lhasa Apso & now a Papillon.
My current dog Rupert, a Papillon, & a number of my previous dogs have been therapy dogs. Rupert also has earned CGC & Beginner Tricks titles.
Rupert is 11 pounds of pure energy and this led me to return to South Mountain for Puppy Preschool, Beginner & Advanced Obedience. It may have taken more than one try, but he really came along nicely.
During this time, I was asked to become an Assistant Trainer. I have really enjoyed the opportunity
Continued socialization through classes & various environments is a great way to ensure your dogs become friendly, confident adults. I strongly believe that the little ones like mine really learn to shine when they train with dogs of any size, even when they may be the smallest pup in the room.
"Little dogs can have big personalities, size doesn’t matter"
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