NY Japion /　NY　ジャピオン

Arco　　

We're Giving Our All in America

Ms. KUMIKO

  ~Kumiko (A native of Nagasaki Prefecture, currently residing in New Jersey) working as a dog trainer at Pet Country Club, She has been responsible for training over 120 dogs the least 3 and half years. Ms. Kumiko has been making habitual use of DHC since she came from Japan along with her mother. 

     Ever since I was a girl, my dream has been to have a job that was related to animals. While in Japan,       I  worked in a veterinary hospital.   When I saw a TV program on European and American dog training,       I  thought  "that's it! That's what I want!" So in March of 2001, I came to New Jersey to become a dog trainer.       For my  internship, I was taken in by Pet Country Club (P.C.C.I). P.C.C.I. provides a boarding, grooming, family dog training, police dog training, an academy for people who want to become trainers and training for Schutzhund, which is a European dog sport.     In exchange for training, I shampooed dogs, gave the walks that were one of the boarding options and helped out in the P.C.C.I. office.    When I came to P.C.C.I. my ability with English was such that I could get by on a trip overseas. In the middle of training ,   however timing is absolutely necessary.   When I did not immediately understand the words that the teacher said there were many times when I lost that timing. When I felt that I couldn't speak English, I would get upset and would sometimes be in tears.  I  started my training with family dogs when I had been at P.C.C.I. for 5 months.  I was taught by using dogs that already had some basic taining, such as how to behave on a leash and how to use a training collar.  By December, I was no longer interested in just training family dogs; the family dog teacher, Maureen suggested that I learn Schutzhund training and let me be in charge of her dog "Hara".   This is when the owner and head trainer, Andres began to oversee my training. Andres is great with dogs. He can tell what a dog needs and what kind of dog it is just by looking. When I first came to the P.C.C.I. and watched obedience training with Andres and his dog "Asta" it felt like a shock going through my body and I got goose bumps.   I thought deep down " I want  to be able to move with a dog as one being, just like that."   I was able to take the 1st place ribbon with "Hera" at the club competition in May of 2oo2. In July when I was paired up with Andres' "Asta" to participate in the Northeast Regional Championship, I was perplexed as to why Andres thought to match up this dog-- whose movements I had so admired -- with me, who still knew almost nothing; I was awed. There were a variety of reactions from other students. While there were some people who were pleased for me, there were other who asked why a student like me should be entered.     From that day forward, Andres started to do traninig work with me every day. Even though "Asta" had already been trained, she would not respond to my commands at all. Andres's voice would start to get progressively louder and every time that he cautioned me with "No! Not like that!! Move faster! Feel with the body!"     I would get completely flustered. When training was over and I returned to my room, I would be mad at myself for not being good enough. There were days when I thought that I couldn't move the way I wanted to. On those days, I would fall into thinking " I will never get there."  and I would cry all night.     In spite of that, Andres would not give up on pairing me with "Asta" and continued training "Asta" and me.     At the end of September, I competed at the Northeast Regional Schutzhund Championship in Washington, D.C.  Even though I did not consider "Asta" and me to be a perfect pair Andres worried about us as if we were his daughters participating in their first contest. Strangely enough, I wasn't worried and I started the competition with the vague feeling that "Once it starts the only thing to do is to succeed."     All 3 of the phases ended and I relaxed and talked with people. I smiled and thought that they were joking when they said that I had an excellent run and that it was great. I thought that only applied to people whose dogs were called to participate in the closing ceremony. When they started to announce the results, I was in 2nd place--and had missed 1st place by only 1 point!!                    I was completely surprised.      In June of 2004, I finished in 4th place when I competed in the National Obedience Championship with my own dog "Esta"      The character of each dog is different. Even with training there are days when I realize that I still lack experience. I,  however, have a new self- confidence.      I won the top prize at a national competition at SchH3, the highest level of Schutzhund training with a dog that I raised from a puppy.

    ~ The passion to go after a childhood dream is a wonderful thing all by itself. While people who are granted that dream are very happy, we think the truth is that just being able to chase after that dream makes one happy. We're rooting for Kumiko's "Puppy" to win the prize at the national competition.

"Together with my dogs, I'm making my dream come true"