Take One Dog Training

04/20/2026

I just want to apologize for being MIA for over a week and haven’t posted my first Rally video yet 🤦‍♀️
Sorry! But it’s been crazy around here!
On the 9th my partner arrived from Mexico to return Crush who had been down there getting his ears done 🇲🇽
Had a scent trail the 11th and 12th with good results for Hades & Timez.

Monday the 13th groomed dogs, got some of them bathed and started getting Crush ready for his debut in the show ring.

The 14th I taught multiple private lessons.
Wednesday the 15th was the chiropractor for Timez & Crush. Also took Crush to walk around the show grounds while set up was happening.

Thursday exercised dogs, looked for dogs for potential commercial job and took Crush to walk around the dog show.
Crush’s ring time was 8 AM on Friday morning so I was up early to get breakfast fed and dogs out.
Saturday morning also a 8 AM ring time 🔔

I have not showed a dog in the breed ring for a long time and really other than a few scent trials the last couple years I haven’t done much since Rush passed.
I’m so glad Crush was only entered in Jr Puppy at the 2 Terrier Specialities
Anymore would have been too much for him and definitely too much for me.

* I’ll get a Rally video done in the next couple of days.

04/07/2026

Ready for Rally⁉️
I’m going to be going through the CKC & AKC signs from start to finish.

I’ll post a sign or two each week with the description of the exercise from each club(CKC & AKC are almost identical with just a variation in a few signs).
I’ll also be doing a break down of each sign with how to teach each part and then putting the pieces together.

I welcome you to follow along and ask questions in the comment section below.

Look for the first post with signs later this week.

04/06/2026

🎥 🎞️🎥🎞️🎥🎞️🎥🎞️🎥🎞️🎥🎞️🎥🎞️🎥

⭐️CASTING CALL⭐️
Looking for multiple dogs for a commercial job and we need a double/backup for each of the dogs chosen for each gag.

Here’s what we are looking for…

⭐️Puppies⭐️ Puppy should be at least 10 weeks of age today. If you have 2 puppies that match that’s awesome. If you only have 1 that’s okay too because someone else might have a match that would work.

⭐️Old Grey Dog⭐️ This one is for those beautiful seniors with their sugar faces ♥️
If you have 1 that would like to come to work with us we promise they’ll be treated like royalty.

⭐️Zoomie Dog⭐️ This is more of a behaviour than a type so if your dog looks good ripping around please reach out 😜

⭐️Pool Dog⭐️ Splash 💦 Perfect for those dock divers out there.

✅ Things to know…
- Your dog will be treated great just like our own dogs.

- We do need a match to your dog. If your dog is one of a kind that might be really difficult to find but we’ll try.

- If you have a dog you think might work please DM me information and photos (it’s hard to keep up with photos here and details here). If you have questions please DM me and I’ll be happy to answer them.

*Dogs should be located in the Lower Mainland/ Fraser Valley areas of BC, Canada

Thank you so much!😊

04/06/2026

04/05/2026

Happy Easter 🐣

04/05/2026

Happy Easter Everybunny!
My dogs got more spoiled than usual today 🐣

04/03/2026

In 2019 when I was applying to become a Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) Evaluator
I asked those that I had worked with/for to write a referral letter for me to send along with my application, teaching experience and my accomplishments with my own dogs.
I was very moved by the referral letters that I received.

04/02/2026

A little history…
I was born to a mother who was crazy about all animals but especially dogs.
I don’t have any idea what it’s like not to have animals and can’t understand those that don’t love them.
Horses and dogs have been the closest to my heart ♥️
When I left school which was earlier than most because I struggled with a “Learning Disability” which I now know was ADHD along with a little OCD just for fun.
It made school a horrible place for me to be and I would skip school every chance I had to go spend time at the barn with my horses.
After leaving school I had my own business running a horse boarding facility. I was lucky to have understanding and supportive parents. I also started training other people’s horses and continued to do that for a number of years before changing over to the dog world.
I’ve been involved in dogs full time for many years now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
I started my competitive journey in dogs with a Neapolitan Mastiff.
It started off with me watching a Canine Good Neighbour (CGN in Canada & CGC in the United States)
After watching for a while, I asked if I could take my Neo through.
I paid the entry fee and my Neo Chrome passed the CGN with flying colours.
I was hooked! I asked what I could do next and found a great trainer by the name of Donna Bradley. I learned a lot about obedience under Donna’s guidance earning obedience and rally titles first with Chrome and then with my first Amstaff Michl R Keep It Cool (both dogs earned multiple high in class scores).
Next came my second Amstaff Michl R Ever Ready. Ever besides earning obedience and rally titles also became my first film dog.
In 2012 the Amstaff that took me to the next level was born. When OTCH CH Michl R Redneck Reflection
aka… Rush was still fairly young when I began working with and for Janice Gunn at TNT Training Center (Canada’s premier obedience training facility).
I spent over 10 years with Janice as my mentor/coach earning many titles including multiple High In Trial scores.
I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to learn from Janice whom I believe to be the best there is in the competition obedience ring ⭐️
Well at TNT I taught everything from puppy classes to competitive obedience, rally and speciality classes.
Over his lifetime he and I accomplished so much. He was a true star working on multiple film, television and commercial projects.
Besides obedience and rally titles Rush and I earned his Draft Dog title and all the available trick dog titles. During Covid we competed in the first AKC Virtual Trick Dog competition. He was the Top American Staffordshire Terrier and I received a Top Handler award.
It was in 2014 that I got my first Belgian Malinois and I joked that I got a Malinois to protect my Amstaffs.
My first Mal wasn’t what I was looking for as far as temperament. I placed her in a wonderful home that fit her perfectly.
In 2015 LaLa Land my foundation Mal female joined the family. I did some rally with LaLa and showed her in breed a couple times. My imported foundation Malinois male arrived from
Perle de Tourbrière Kennel (Netherlands) a couple years later.
I showed Renzo in the breed ring to multiple BPIG (best puppy in group) wins.
I bred LaLa and Renzo 3 times.
Renzo’s son Bugatti had been training with me for obedience but never loved the idea of competing. He much rather visit and cuddle with people than go to a dog show.
He went on to become a medical alert and service dog which I believe he was always meant to be.
Currently I am training Hades a Bugatti son who earned his Expert trick dog title at 8 weeks of age. Hades and I have been competing in scent detection where he excels going from the novice level to earning his master title lickety-split. Hades will also be ready to come out in rally later this year(2026)
Currently in training as well Timez who I’m also the breeder of and was born in 2024.
He has his first scent trial coming up soon and we’ve begun playing with the idea of obedience and rally with him.
In January of 2024 I made the decision to change from teaching classes to working full time as an animal trainer for television and film. I’ve been enjoying the change but look forward to getting back to competing after a couple year break.

I will continue to breed the occasional litter of both Malinois and American Staffordshire Terriers.
Your inquiries are always welcome 😊

pages are…
Take one Dog Training
&
Michl R Kennel

I’m available for private training/lessons in person and online.

03/30/2026

Dogs ♥️

03/30/2026

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.

03/30/2026

Kelly A. Thorburn
Breeder - American Staffordshire Terriers & Belgian Malinois
Trainer/Competitor - All Breed - All Ages
CGN/CGC Evaluator
AKC/DMWYD Trick Dog Evaluator