Marsha Dominguez- Dog Trainer I have been involved in the world of dogs since 1993, when I added my first Portuguese Water Dog to my family. Jasmine and I competed in confirmation, obedience, agility, and water work, and together we earned varous titles and awards. Jasmine was also a Delta certified Therapy Dog, frequently visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.

I am currently owned by two Portuguese Water Dogs, Primo and Cody. Primo has earned many titles and is a certified therapy dog, but he was not always such a willing partner. Because of him I learned the importance of using only positive methods of training. Cody came into my life to bring me to a new level of understanding canine aggression and reactivity. She is a difficult dog, reacting to every sound, and most people. Two separate families relinquished this beautiful dog for her incessant barking as well as her aggression. After one year, the changes are remarkable.

I have been teaching dog training classes and private lessons for seven years. I have attended the Instructors Training Course for Consulting and Problem Solving, and have learned from such trainers as Suzanne Clothier, Carolyn Wilki, Pam Dennnison, Pia Silvani, Jean Donaldson, Turid Rugaas.

I am actively involved in the Nutmeg Portuguese Water Dog Club, I have been serving as Water Committee Chairperson since 1999. In this capacity I organize water classes and seminars, and together with a great crew, we put on Water Trials every summer that demonstrate the Portuguese Water Dog's capacity to work with his master on and off the boat. I also temperament test litters for breeders, and help families chose the right dog for their lifestyles. In my other life, I have a wonderful husband, and two grown children and work in Child Assault Prevention in the schools of Bergen County.

To me, training a dog is about developing a line of communication so that two beings of different species with no common language can become a team and work happily towards the same goals. It is about our relationship with our dog, and when that relationship works we know why we live with dogs.

PET PARTNER TEAM OF THE MONTH: 

February 2007

Meet Marsha & Primo

Primo has been a therapy dog since 2003. He follows in the footsteps of Jasmine, another Portuguese Water Dog, who worked as a therapy dog with Marsha from 1996 to 2002.     Portuguese Water Dogs are unusual, so Primo and his curly coat generate a lot of interest wherever he goes. “He loves doing water work,” says Marsha. “He loves jumping off the back of the boat to get his favorite dummy, or going after a line on shore and bringing it back to the boat. He loves retrieving any object, especially when someone hides it and he has to go find it. He loves walks in the woods. He loves going with me to dog training lessons and showing younger dogs the ropes. He loves his therapy visits most of all, where people ooh and ahh over him and want to see all his special tricks.”

Primo became a champion when he was two years old. He won “Best Puppy” at his first Portuguese Water Dog National Specialty in 1998, and at his second National, he won Winner’s Dog, Best of Winners, and Award of Merit. He also received a Best of Breed from the classes at another show that same year. He enjoyed the show ring and felt very comfortable there. Primo also earned a Working Water Dog title, which is awarded by the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America for Water Trials. His full show name is "Ch Robel Sir Galahad, WWD." (Ch stands for Champion and WWD stands for Working Water Dog.)

Primo adores people and has always enjoyed making visits. “He especially likes the Jowonio homes because the people there can’t get enough of him,” says Marsha. “He feels exactly the same way about them. In addition to visiting nursing homes and other facilities over the years, he has been a regular visitor at PS48, an elementary school in Manhattan, where he interacted with a classroom of severely multiply handicapped children for several years. With their teacher’s encouragement and support, the children worked with Primo one-on-one, petting him and talking to him. This is something that can only occur when there is great love, understanding, and trust among the teacher, the child, and the dog. It became significant for all involved as we watched the trust develop. Those visits meant a lot.”            Among dogs, Primo’s best friend in the world was his mentor, Jasmine. ”She raised him and showed him the ropes as he was growing up,” says Marsha. “He was about four years old when she passed away. I attribute his wonderful temperament to her strict discipline in the home. She taught him a lot, including how to play hard.            Marsha’s day job is as a CAP (Child Assault Prevention) facilitator. She provides programs to schools for children from pre-school through eighth grade, helping empower them to stay safe in dangerous situations. In addition, she occasionally boards dogs in her home, giving Primo new friends to play with, and she assists families in training their dogs using only positive methods. She is the trainer for Coddled Creatures, a pet sitting service in Bergen County, NJ. Primo has been on a leave of absence for the past few months.  As Marsha explains, “I would like to share that Primo was officially diagnosed on October 2, 2006, with lymphoma. He has been receiving chemotherapy since that time. So far he has handled his treatments well, but I know that each day is a gift, and I treasure every moment that I have with this very special animal who brings me such joy. I am so fortunate to have had Primo to share my life with.”

            And so are the hundreds of people whose lives Primo has brightened during his years as a therapy dog.

            Happy Birthday, Primo!