RICKI SILVERIA, President & AKC Evaluator - Conformation, Rally, and Companion Instructor

Ricki Silveria has been in competitive dog sports for the past 20 years. After retiring in 2009, she made training and showing dogs a high priority. Ricki has finished 9 Conformation Champions, including three from the Bred By Exhibitor class and has added numerous Rally and Obedience titles to her dogs. Several of her dogs are Registered Therapy Dogs through ATD, Inc. Ricki belongs to several breed clubs including the Siberian Husky Club of America where she is the Treasurer of the SHCA Trust and has served as the National Specialty show chair, the Carolina Working Group Association where she currently serves as the show chair and is a board member, the Central NC Siberian Husky Club, as well as the Greater Greenville Siberian Husky Club. Ricki has been training with the Charleston Dog Training Club since 2014, she helps teach the Rally class as well as the newly introduced Conformation class. Ricki lives in Mt. Pleasant with her husband and 5 Siberian Huskies.  

HEATHER SUMMERS,- Agility, Rally, Competitive Obedience, Lv. 1 FIT Dog Instructor

I started my lifelong career with dogs in the grooming industry in 1999, then opened my own mobile grooming business in 2008.  I am a multi-first place award winning pet stylist with multiple breeds and have won Best All Around Groomer in the country in fall 2022 and have won multiple business awards in The Daily Groomer Magazine and earning the top grooming business in SC.  I have written articles on canine skin and coat care, as well as articles for the Low country Dog Magazine on dog sports training. I  became a member of the CDTC in 2019, a board member in 21', Training Director for years 22'-23' and Trail Secretary for our Club since 2023 (so come say hi if you see me) and lastly, I became the president of the newly formed local UKC club.  I have a desire to help as many people as I can to help achieve their competition goals and bring as many sports as possible to our community.
I have earned these titles thus far. With my first competition poodle Amavi (Amavi's Silver Summers Fate AKC- CDX, GO, BN, RE, AX, AXJ, XF, SIN, SEN, SBN, CGCA, CGCU, TKA; USDAA-Advanced Agility Dog, MJ, MS, RM, AG, ACR);  HIT in 2023 for AKC Obedience and HIT for Scent Work in 2025.  I also compete in Conformation and precision coursing with my first bred-by toy poodle Topaz, (UKC BIS GCH RACEA Summers Magnificent As The Sky, CGC, TKN), receiving his Grand Championship and BEST IN SHOW win in 2023 and his Advanced Precision Title RACEA in March 2023. The newest to my pack is a Border Collie named Slice (Blackbirds I'm Hooked on Sushi - CD, BN, RN, CGC) who is 18 months old as of February 2026.  She is turning out to be a phenomenal dog and has already earned four (4) companion/performance titles and has won several HITs, a couple perfect 200 scores and multiple 1st placements. Her future looks bright and I'm having a lot of fun with her!

LINDA GARRETT, AKC Evaluator- Competitive Obedience and Certified Canine Conditioning Fit Dog Instructor

I have been participating in companion and performance events with my dogs since 2006. The highest level of companion/performance titles that I have achieved with my dogs are: Utility Dog Excellent, Obedience Master 1, Rally Excellent, Tracking Dog, Master Hunter, Scent Work Novice, Scent Work Interior Advanced, Trick Dog Advanced, Shooting Dog Excellent and Retrieving Dog Excellent. I am currently competing in Scent Work with my Weimaraner "Jonah" (BIF BISS GCH Tayla Street Corner Preacher V Hallmar CDX, PCD, BN, RN, MH, SWN, SIA, CGC, TKA, SDX, RDX, VX2, NAVHDA NA Prize II - WCA Top Ten Obedience Dog) and in obedience and Scent Work with my Doberman  "Elsa" (Notori's She's Got It All BN, SIN,CGC, TKN).  I am a certified Canine Athlete Specialist (certified through Northeast K9 Conditioning Academy), an AKC CGC Evaluator and a Level 2 AKC FIT DOG Instructor. 

SUSAN NORRIS, Corresponding Secretary & AKC Evaluator - Obedience Foundations & Companion Instructor

I have been training dogs since about 2007. I have 4 Labradors and am involved in Obedience, Conformation, and Pet Therapy. I have attended workshops with Laura Romanik, Top Dog workshops with Linda Brennan and Betsy Scappichio, Julie Flanery, Michele Pouliot, Matthew Twitty, Rebecca Thrift, and Tracy Riley. I have taken agility classes with Becca Thrift and John Reid at SCoot Dog Agility. I have taken my Chocolate Lab to a hunt workshop and plan to get a hunt title on him. He is currently working toward his CDX. I enjoy teaching the S.T.A.R. Puppy class and love the way puppies learn. Jeb was my Novice A dog; he has earned his CD, RA, and Therapy Dog titles. Hampton has earned his CD and RI. Jake has earned his Rally Intermediate title, Beginner Novice title, Scent Interior Novice, and Temperament title. Chester has earned his Rally Intermediate title, his FIT dog Bronze title, and his Fetch Novice title. My newest puppy is Jubal, and he is currently being shown in conformation. I am a CGC evaluator, Temperament Evaluator and Fetch judge with AKC.

SUSAN CIPOLLA, Board Member - Rally & Scent Work Instructor

Hi! My name is Susan Cipolla and I have had dogs my entire life. I didn't start training dogs for any kind of competition until we got our first Leonberger, Abe, in 2012. Shortly after Abe came into our life, I joined the CDTC and began the journey. We have had 3 Leonbergers who earned titles in obedience, rally, farm dog, trick dog, CGC, therapy work and carting. Our 2nd, Basil, was excellent and entertaining in the sport of scent work, our 3rd, Mist, earned titles in Barn Hunt when all indoor activities were shut down due to COVID and she introduced us to the world of conformation. Our 4th, Laurel, is not quite 18 months old, is just beginning her AKC conformation career and is already a certified therapy dog. I have been a rally instructor for the club, teaching Novice and Advanced rally classes, hosting drop-ins and virtual rally recording sessions. I am currently teaching novice Scent Work classes and hosting pop-up classes.

Debora Donahue, Agility Instructor & Sports Assistant

Sue Revord, AKC Evaluator Companion Instructor & Socialization Host

I’m Sue Revord and I have owned American Cocker Spaniels forever.  Although I’ve been training dogs my entire adulthood, I just joined CDTC in 2022, after I retired from 38 years of teaching 3rd grade.  I’m an AKC CGC evaluator and have begun my “official” dog training career working with the puppy classes, along with Family Dog and Steps to CGC classes.  My husband, David, and I have been breeding Cocker Spaniels for the past 10 years and have enjoyed working together in the training classes.  I love creating activities to help socialize puppies/dogs so they can be the best family pets. I set up the socialization activities for CDTC, so I’d love to see more owners/dogs come to the Socialization Dropins.  I enjoy seeing the pleasure on the owner's faces when they train and become a team with their dog.  We currently have four American Cocker Spaniels. Three are registered therapy dogs, two are working towards agility, rally, and obedience titles.  We’ve also dabbled in barn hunt and scent work, so maybe there will be future titles in those areas also.

MARION SCHUTT, - Competitive Obedience Instructor

I have been involved in dog training since I got my first Aussie, Boris, in 1990. Since then, my husband Melvin and I have had seven Aussies who have had varying degrees of success in the show world. I have competed in obedience, rally, flyball and agility. Shows, online classes and seminars all contribute to my ongoing education as a trainer. My strength as a trainer is identifying and solving problems experienced by other handlers and their dogs. I am currently a purely positive trainer. Come on out and give our favorite hobby a try! 

JANE HIRSCH, - Rally FrEe, Freestyle Tricks & Platform & Clicker Skills Instructor

Jane first learned about clickers in a 1999 puppy class with her first Aussie, Rafter. Using it mostly for teaching tricks, it wasn't until years and two dogs later that she learned the science behind marker-based learning and converted from being a trainer who uses a clicker to a clicker trainer.

She has attended five Clicker Expos which feature the best clicker trainers and behaviorists from all over the world. She has also trained with two of the best clicker trainers in the US, Julie Flanery and Michele Pouliot, many times.

Now every new behavior is taught with a clicker and her dogs love to try to figure out what behavior will earn that click! No matter what dog sport, whether good manners, tricks, obedience, or complex behaviors, the clicker is an amazing tool. An added benefit is that clicker savvy dogs are happy workers and enjoy training!