Barn Hunt Instructors
Gail McMonagle
Barn Hunt Judge
I competed with dogs in AKC and USDAA agility from 2004 to 2017. I started with Cocker Spaniels and got Dot, a Parson Russell Terrier, in 2008. Although we enjoyed agility, we have been addicted to Barn Hunt since I took Dot to her first barn hunt workshop in Fife in 2014.
Dot was a natural, and we attended our first National Championships in 2015 at Purina Farms. At the 2016 Barn Hunt National, Dot won the Team event with her partner Zephyr and was named the Rat Games Champion. Since that time she has achieved RatchX17 and recently received her Platinum 3 title in Crazy8s.
In 2018, five fabulous ladies started the Club at Argus Ranch, which hosts classes and Barn Hunt trials at Argus Ranch. In May of 2018, I retired from a long career as lawyer and started teaching Barn Hunt at Argus Ranch. In 2018, I was named a Barn Hunt B Judge and I was moved to full A status in February 2019. I train and teach at Argus Ranch, where my teaching methods stress positive reinforcement and a positive relationship with your dog.
Barb Krause
Barn Hunt Judge
I have trained and / or competed with various dogs in agility, nose work, obedience, rally and barn hunt. My introduction to barn hunt was in the winter of 2018, I have found my dog training skills apply nicely to this sport. Within a year of that introduction, I have taken three dogs (a Border Collie (Tari) , Poodle (Gretel), and Dachshund (Fire!) from the Instinct to Master level. They all have different styles and have helped me be a better handler and instructor.
As an instructor, I love figuring out how to get dogs to want to do what we want them to do. I don’t spend time on why they don’t. We’ll never really know. I try to change the puzzle so they can figure it out. I adore watching dogs figure out the game! And smiling. Regardless, it’s a great day if the dog is smiling. It is great to watch teams do well at trials, but it’s even greater to watch the communication between the dog and handler grow stronger.
Back in my pet owner life I can tell you exactly where I went from being a pet owner to dog sport person. Our dachshund, Ringo, had come into our lives and somebody told us we should get him a friend. So we went to the Seattle Kennel Club show in Seattle in March 2005 to look at breeds to help us decide what direction to go. Oh, wait, what’s happening down there? Agility? I was sucked in immediately and haven’t looked back since! Ringo and I started obedience and agility classes.
Of course, since he was a dachshund and I wasn’t athletic, we were doing it just for fun and wouldn’t be competing. At the end of his career, his AKC titles were: PACH3 Ringo RA MXP10 MXPC MJP11 MJPC PAX3 OFP T2BP. He came in 4th at AKC Nationals, 4th in Teacup Nationals, had championships in UKI, UKC, AKC, TDAA, and CPE. So much for not competing!
Kelsey Hawn
Barn Hunt Judge
Kelsey lives in Covington with her 3 cats (Nigel, Peanut 'Punkin' Pie and Nugget) and 2 dogs (Gage and Monroe). In addition to being our newest Barn Hunt Instructor, she has a full time job as a licensed veterinary technician working at Seattle Humane. She is also rats main caretaker here at Argus Ranch, and is currently working towards becoming a Barn Hunt judge.
She discovered Barn Hunt when she was recovering from a work related back injury and needed a light physical activity she could do with her new very high energy puppy, Monroe. She took one of Gail's Intro classes August 2018 and they were both hooked. In September 2018, they started competing and are now hunting at the Championship level working towards their first RATCH.
While Kelsey is fairly new to dog sports and has, so far, only competed in Barn Hunt, Nosework and done one CAT with Monroe, she competed in a variety of human sports growing up and has had almost 13 years of experience working with and handling a variety of dogs during her career as an LVT.
Kelsey looks forward to helping you and your dog find the fun in playing Barn Hunt and working out any issues you or your dog may be having in the ring!
