In 1977, Kathy Lang started her dog training business on a part-time basis. In the mid-1980's, Kathy left her full time career in corporate communications to pursue her love of dogs full-time as an instructor for King County Parks and other community centers in the area. Kathy opened Family Dog Training Center's main office and training center in 1995. 

In addition to teaching a variety of classes and private lessons, Kathy is the Training Director and President of FDTC. She is an internationally recognized author, seminar leader, trainer and exhibitor. Kathy's personal accomplishments include multiple High Scoring Dog in Trial awards, numerous breed championships and group placements, Utility Dog and Utility Dog Excellent titles in Canada as well the United States with her German Shepherd Dogs, Belgian Sheepdogs and Schipperke. 

Click here to contact Kathy Lang.

A personal note from Kathy: It's hard to believe that I've been training dogs & teaching people for a quarter of a century! Over the years I've helped thousands & thousands of people train their dogs. It's particularly rewarding when returning students tell me that they remember coming to class as a kid, with their parents & their family pet, & then they introduce me to their children & four-legged family members! I've accomplished a lot of great things with my own dogs over the years, earning breed championships, obedience titles & national awards, but the most rewarding part of my involvement with dogs comes from the teaching side. I truly love helping people better understand their canine companions. That understanding allows handler & dog to develop a unique relationship that in turn can lead to the achievement of many wonderful personal goals. I also want to acknowledge the outstanding group of folks who comprise the Family Dog staff. They are a delight to work with & I'm so very proud to have them be part of the Family Dog family!

A long time member of the dog fancy, Cathy has a diverse "dog career."  She spent many years working with 4-H groups including Dog Gone Dawgs where she volunteered as an obedience instructor and adult mentor for the kids.  Cathy is approved to judge events for 4-H as well as the Mixed Breed Dog Club of Washington, another organization to which she belongs and donates a great deal of time. 

As a Senior Instructor for Family Dog, Cathy specializes in home obedience and agility classes, as well as private lessons and problem solving.   Her 25+ years of experience training dogs and teaching people makes her an ideal mentor to help families train their dogs to be better pets and companions.  Cathy's own pack includes two Belgian Sheepdogs, a German Shepherd and a Mixed Breed dog.   In her spare time Cathy trains and competes with her own dogs in obedience, agility and herding.  

Click here to contact Cathy Horrocks.

Katrina teaches all levels of classes and programs at Family Dog, and offers Ten Minute Ticker practice run-throughs in agility, competition obedience and conformation handling. Katrina also keeps the business running smoothly, managing the Family Dog web sites and data bases, processing registrations, dealing with much of our student correspondence and helping resolve behavior problems through private lessons.   

Katrina's canine household Khaos, also an 10-year old Dalmatian/Lab mix adopted from a private home when she was 18 months old, and Khruiz, an 18 month old Belgian Sheepdog. Kharma, a Norwegian Elkhound/German Shepherd mix adopted from the Tacoma Humane Society as a puppy, sadly passed away in the summer of 2009 at 12 1/2 years old.

Two cats, Kaa and Khalamity, also share the house with Katrina and her dogs.  Everyone lives together in harmony and it's not uncommon to see a dog and cat curled up together taking a nap.   Katrina enjoys competing in performance sports with her dogs (competition obedience, herding, agility and flyball).  She also finds her therapy work with the dogs extremely rewarding and they have a lot of fun showing off their myriad of tricks.  But most importantly, she just enjoys spending time with all her animals.

Click here to contact Katrina Tustin.

Cheryl has been actively training dogs for most of her life.   Her passion for animals led her to a career in the field of veterinary medicine.   She is currently a licensed veterinary technician for a 24-hour emergency practice in the Tacoma area, as well as a senior instructor for Family Dog.  Cheryl specializes in behavior problem solving, puppy manners and all levels of home obedience instruction.  

Click here to contact Cheryl Bednar.

Laurie has been involved with dogs most of her adult life.  She is an active member of the Delta Society's Pet Partners and R.E.A.D. programs with her two therapy dogs, Cisco and Mocha.  Laurie is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the American Rottweiler Club.  She is also an approved American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.  In 2002 Laurie and her two Rottweilers won two national awards for their volunteer work in the Seattle area.  Laurie teaches all levels of puppy and home obedience classes at family dog, with special emphasis in therapy dog training.   Prior to beginning her second career "in dogs" Laurie was a public school teacher.

Click here to contact Laurie Cottier.

Marcia joined the FDTC staff in 1998 after returning to the Pacific Northwest from Pennsylvania where she was active in the east coast dog community.  Marcia is very active in the local dog community, serving on the boards dog clubs, chairing obedience and agility trials and more.  Formerly a public school teacher, Marcia has earned multiple UD, UDX, agility, tracking and hunting titles on her High Scoring Golden Retrievers. Her Border Collie, Robbie, is currently competing at the Excellent level of agility.  She is also a certified Delta Society Pet Partner therapy dog handler.

In addition to teaching home obedience classes, Marcia also instructs therapy dog and tracking classes at Family Dog.   In her spare time she competes with her own dogs in agility, obedience, tracking and field work. 

Julene cannot remember a time in her life when she didn't have a dog (or two!).  Her childhood involvement with dogs evolved into adulthood, with Julene spending 19 years as a parent / leader for local 4-H programs.   Now retired from the Human Resources staff at The Boeing Company,  Julene recently became a member of the Therapy Dog International, Inc Program with her Shetland Sheepdog, Rumor and her Boston Terrier, Stitch and is pursuing getting Rumor and Stitch into the R.E.A.D. program.  She is looking forward to getting back to doing visitations with Rumor and Stitch. Julene was a member of the Delta Society Pet Partners Program and the R.E.A.D. Program with her Shetland Sheepdog, Eli until he lost his hearing this past year.  Julene and Eli were also part of Overlake Hospital's new Animal Assisted Healing Program. 

Julene is an American Kennel Club approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator.  Julene joined Family Dog in 2000 as a student and apprentice instructor.  She is now the senior instructor at Fido’s Farm in Olympia as well as teaching at Family Dog in Kent.  Julene's current household includes her husband and four dogs (two Shelties, a Boston Terrier and a Border Collie).

Click here to contact Julene Cooper.