ABOUT
Rocky Mountain Working Dogs was formed in 2015. We are a non-profit, full member club in the Mid-Central Region of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USCA).
We are Colorado’s premier all-breed Schutzhund/IGP working dog club with members dedicated to training and titling working dogs in the sport of Schutzhund/IGP and the promotion of working dogs for the sport of Schutzhund/IGP, police/military work, therapy and search and rescue work. We are a hard working and competitive team with a relentless pursuit of our goals. We strive to support each other and others when it comes to building the best relationship with their dogs and creating opportunities to feed our passion for the sport and to continue to grow as handlers/trainers.
As a Schutzhund/IGP working dog club, we train dogs for competition in all working phases including:
1) Tracking- Demonstrates the dog’s ability to independently problem solve.
2) Obedience- Demonstrates the dog’s trainability and ability to work with the handler.
3) Controlled Protection- Demonstrates the dog’s courage and suitability to the police/utility/working role.
As a USCA member club, we strive to preserve the German Shepherd Dog in accordance with the breed standard as a working dog, we promote the humane training methods for the working dog, we support responsible dog ownership and breeding practices, we educate the public about Schutzhund/IGP, we support and organize trials, training, and educational seminars, and provide a supportive environment where members are afforded the opportunity to work together to achieve goals set for themselves and their dogs.
We welcome new members seriously interested and committed to training and titling in all three phases of Schutzhund/IGP.
OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
SCOTT WALDENMYER
Co-Founder, President & Training Director
Scott has been involved in Schutzhund/IGP through United Schutzhund Clubs of America (UScA) for approximately 15 years but has loved the German Shepherd since childhood. Scott has titled multiple dogs achieving High in Tracking, High in Obedience, High in Protection and High in Trial. Scott’s ambition for the club is to help members compete with their dogs at the highest level.
In 2015, Scott and Ken saw an opportunity in Colorado and decided to start Rocky Mountain Working Dogs (RMWD) with the intent on becoming the premier Schutzhund/IGP club in the area. Scott currently serves as the RMWD club president and is a certified regional-level decoy/helper for RMWD and works tirelessly to help bring the most out of the club handlers/dogs teams.
When Scott isn’t training dogs he’s usually out spending time with his wife Michelle and son Michael, hiking, skiing, camping, biking, running or anything else to get him outdoors!
KEN STUPAK
Co-Founder
COMING SOON...
HEIDI BAUER
Vice President & Treasurer
Heidi is new to the sport of Schutzhund. As a child she always knew she wanted to work with dogs, always having a strong connection to them; but, she knew the traditional veterinary path was not for her. Heidi became interested in the sport of Schutzhund after attending local club trials and a seminar by Petr Solc and Petr Spurny from the Czech Republic. She purchased her first working line shepherd, Arny, in 2015. With Arny’s excitement for the sport and complete desire to always please, he helped “teach” Heidi how to handle her first working dog. As a team they achieved the BH before Arny was retired due to an injury. With amazing mentors and helpers, Heidi is now working with her second German Shepherd, Audo.
Heidi lives in Thornton with her husband, Chris, son Josh, and her two German Shepherds. When she is not training her dogs she works as the Director of Communications and Legislative Affairs for the Division of Youth Services in Denver and loves to camp, go boating, and spend time anywhere outdoors.
DUSTIN DARNELL
Co-Training Director
COMING SOON...
ROBIN SANFORD
Secretary
Robin has been passionate about German Shepherds since early childhood, so she purchased one as soon as she left home at 19. Ten years later she was introduced to the sport of Schutzhund/IGP and it has been her center of gravity ever since. Living in Southwest Colorado for many years made it necessary to travel in order to work her dogs which, with raising a family and working, proved to be challenging on the titling front. This led her to learning a good deal of knowledge and experience from a number of excellent trainers and decoys. She still managed to title one dog to a Sch III, IPO III, one to a Sch II, compete at DVG Nationals with both and put BHs on several others. Two of her dogs were ready for titling but due to injuries, had to be retired. She recently moved to the Denver area and joined Rocky Mountain Working Dog Club. After many years of working with many people, finding a club with excellent trainers and club members finally gives her the opportunity and continuity to title her dogs.
Robin is retired and spends her spare time with her husband, two children and their spouses, two grandsons and all of the family’s dogs doing too many things to list here!