A Touch Of Golden Class

My name is Kathy. My life has revolved around dogs for decades. I have been breeding and training dogs since 2000, starting in Upstate New York where I bred Golden Retrievers.

This wasn't a business decision; it was a labor of love born from my adoration for the breed. It all started with our first owned family Golden retriever named, Cuervo. Because she was family first, I was incredibly careful with my breeding program. I wanted to keep the line "clean" and healthy. We waited until her third heat to ensure she was mature enough, never bred her back-to-back, and prioritized her health above all else.

Long before "dog trainer" was a common career path, I was already doing the work. I took such pride in the foundation of my litters that many of my puppies were completely housebroken before they even went to their new homes at just 8 weeks old.

In 2013, due to an accident, I had to endure major brain surgery. Before getting discharged from the hospital, I was told that a service dog would be of great value in continuing my recovery and helping me get back to the person I used to be.

My daughter, Caitlin, immediately stepped up. She began researching service dogs, but we hit a wall: nobody would work with me unless I had $30,000 in the bank.

Understanding that we couldn't afford that, Caitlin took hold of my hand and we started the training process ourselves. Caitlin understood something profound: you can't just train the dog. You have to teach both the human and the dog how to communicate. As she helped me train my new puppy, she referred to us as her first "Service Companions."

That experience changed everything. I realized that the bond between a person and a dog is a partnership.

As soon as my brain healed enough, I made a vow: I would ensure no one else had to face the barrier I did. This is why **A Touch of Golden Class** offers a sliding scale. My goal is helping clients and dogs—not just "selling dog training." I don't want people to go without, and I never want to see a dog end up in a shelter simply because quality training was out of reach.

We treat this work with great respect. Whether it is puppy training or specialized tasks for disabilities (like balance support or seizure alerts), we are advocates for your dog.

The hardest decision I ever had to make involved a dog named Boomer, and his story proves that the bond we build creates a relationship that cannot be broken.

Boomer was a massive, all-black German Shepherd imported from Germany. I originally trained him as a commercial guard dog for a client, but later they sold their business and gave Boomer to. So I cross-trained him to be my personal service animal. He is brilliant; he could alert me to a seizure before it happened.

When my seizures stopped, I noticed Boomer's behavior had changed one specific time. I was taking off his vest so he could have his down time. I noticed how absolutely miserable, disappointed and saddened he was. Boomer you have to understand Loves to work. He lives to work for you and I wasn't utilizing him to his potential. I made the heartbreaking choice to give him to a friend John I knew John needed a service companion. I also knew Boomer needed a service companion that I was no longer fulfilling.

Only months later, John and Boomer were in a terrible motorcycle accident. Upon impact, Boomer jumped free from his sidecar, but John was unconscious.

Boomer had not had his safety training reinforced for nearly two years.

Years prior, I had trained him that because he looked intimidating, he should never run up to strangers for help. Instead, he was trained to sit calmly in the middle of the street and wait. Despite the crash, Boomer remembered. He went to the road, sat, waited, and flagged down help to save John's life.

Boomer's story is the heart of what I do. Once we build a strong working relationship, anything is possible. I know personally how strong this bond is.

Our goal is to teach you how to get your dog ready for the real world so that they fit your lifestyle—creating a "Family Pack" founded on love, loyalty, and mutual respect.