Jean Owen, Performance Coach

If you want your team to feel confident, connected, and ready to shine, Jean’s workshops make training clear, effective, and fun for both ends of the leash.

Jean Owen brings decades of hands-on experience in dog training, behavior, and performance to every workshop she leads. A nationally ranked competitor in obedience and agility since 1999, Jean has earned 4 OTCHs and 14 MACHs of her own and has coached her students to more than 40 MACH titles. She is known for her ability to troubleshoot, fine-tune, and bring out the best in both dog and handler, combining precision, strategy, and heart.

Jean has been invited to speak at APDT conferences in Atlanta, Ellenville, and Portland and has traveled nationwide helping teams polish their performance and rediscover their joy in obedience and agility. Her workshops focus on clarity, confidence, and connection, making even the most challenging skills feel achievable and fun. Jean’s calm, intuitive teaching style blends technical skill with practical application, creating lightbulb moments for both ends of the leash.

Her commitment to dogs goes far beyond the competition ring. With her therapy dogs Piper and GG, she volunteered daily at the WTC Family Crisis Center from September 2001 through January 2002. She also served as president and training consultant for a 400-member off-leash dog park in lower Manhattan for fourteen years.

Jean and her dogs have been seen on The David Letterman Show, The Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, Animal Planet (multiple shows), Good Morning America, The Today Show, Good Day NY, Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central, Regis and Kathy Lee as well as many other news programs.  She has also been published in over 100 dog agility related articles.  From 1980-1983  Jean was the director of a private animal shelter in upstate NY.  During that time, she honed her skills in working with fearful and difficult dogs and to this day she attributes running that shelter to her ability to attain remarkable results in the competitive dog sports world.

Enjoy a little clip of Smartie Pantz - https://youtu.be/qlc0SK4K7Kk?si=vbZ1_zlZVYQyXfnO

Use this link to download the Workshop description 

👉  bridge the gap workshop .docx

Bridging the Gap Between Training and Competing Discover how to confidently transition from practice to performance.

Use this link to download the Workshop description 

👉  upping your game in obed workshop.docx   

Upping Your Game and Your Score: Putting the Fun Back into Obedience Learn how to energize your training, boost scores, and rediscover joy in the ring.

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test is a certification program developed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) that evaluates a dog's basic good manners and obedience skills.

The test consists of 10 essential skills, including accepting a friendly stranger, sitting politely for petting, and coming when called. 

Before taking the test, owners must sign the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge, emphasizing responsible pet ownership. 

Canine Good Citizen Requirements

To pass the Canine Good Citizen test, your dog must demonstrate proficiency in 10 different “skills,” including:

• Accepting a friendly stranger: The dog must allow a stranger to approach and greet the handler without showing signs of fear or aggression.
• Sitting politely for petting: The dog must also sit calmly and allow the stranger to pet them gently. Jumping, being fearful, or acting overly excited disqualifies dogs from passing this portion.
• Appearance and grooming: The dog must allow the handler to groom and examine them without resisting. This includes the dogs’ feet, which tend to be sensitive areas.
• Loose leash walking: The dog should walk beside the handler without pulling on the leash. This basic skill is called “loose leash walking.”
• Walking through a crowd: The dog must also walk calmly through a crowded area without becoming fearful, overly excited, or barking.
• Sitting, down, and staying on cue: The dog must be able to sit, lay down, and stay in place on command, even if there are distractions. The position the dog stays in doesn’t matter, but the dog must do all three commands.
• Coming when called: After staying for some time, the dog must then come to the handler when called. The dog should demonstrate this ability no matter what they are doing.
• Reaction to another dog: Your dog should be able to greet another dog politely and calmly without showing aggression or fear.
• Reaction to distractions: The tester will then attempt to distract your dog, often by dropping a chair or opening an umbrella. The dog should remain calm during these distractions. While the dog can react, they should not be fearful or aggressive.
• Supervised separation: The dog should be able to sit and stay calmly in place for a short time without getting anxious or destructive. This separation is supervised by the handler.

There are no age restrictions for a dog to participate in the Canine Good Citizen program. The American Kennel Club emphasizes that older dogs can benefit from the test. To take the official test, your dog must be at least a year old to be certified. This is because puppies are often very open to strangers and may not become fearful until later. Plus, younger puppies often do not learn the basic obedience commands outlined above.

That said, puppies can participate in the S.T.A.R. Puppy Program. This program focuses on socializing puppies and teaching them basic commands.

🐾 ORT Prep Workshop: Get Trial-Ready with Confidence!

Thinking about competing in NACSW Nose Work trials? Before your dog can enter, they must pass the Odor Recognition Test (ORT) — and we’re here to help you prepare!

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• How the ORT is structured and what to expect

• Strategies to build odor value and search confidence

• Practice runs with 12-box setups using Birch, Anise, and Clove

• Tips for reading your dog’s alert behavior

• Q&A with experienced trainer and Certifying Official

🐕 Who Should Attend

• Teams preparing for their first ORT

• Nose Work students ready to take the next step

💬 Why It Matters

Passing the ORT is your dog’s ticket to NACSW competition. This workshop gives you the tools, practice, and confidence to succeed — in a supportive, educational environment.