San Mateo Dog Training Club has operated as a licensed American Kennel Club member club since 1957, run entirely by volunteers rather than paid staff. Their instructors bring substantial competitive backgrounds—Cathy Dutra has judged AKC obedience for 13 years and is approved to judge rally at all levels, while Marian Pott holds AKC and AHBA herding judge credentials alongside 25 years of competitive training experience.
The club's class structure reflects its competition focus. According to their site, offerings progress from puppy kindergarten through advanced competition obedience at the Utility level, with rally classes spanning Novice through Master. They also teach conformation handling, scent work, and Canine Good Citizen preparation. Denise Gormish, who has titled English Cocker Spaniels in NACSW nose work and AKC tracking, leads the scent-based classes.
Classes meet in a dedicated training hall in San Carlos with fully matted flooring. The club describes their philosophy as building a closer bond between owner and dog through working as a team, with individual instructors noting they adapt methods to each dog-handler pair. Melodie Farrell, who teaches puppy and CGC classes, is an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and emphasizes positive, motivational techniques in her approach.
