The Border Collie Health Foundation, Inc. - Our Board of Directors

Good Health...for Every Border Collie

Lori Mauger

Lori grew up in a densely populated suburb of New York City, an area in which she still resides. Not too many sheep in her neck of the woods!

She began training dogs at age 12, and quickly became a junior member of the Morris Hills Dog Training Club. She also joined the local 4-H dog training club, and started competing in AKC and 4-H competitions at age 14.

After college, she adopted a German Shepherd and then a Golden Retriever, and took up obedience training once again. The Golden required extensive behavioral therapy, but eventually became a registered therapy dog. The shepherd was a dog that didn’t make the cut as a Seeing Eye dog, nor as a competitive obedience dog, but her owner learned a lot anyway.

Next came Lori’s first Border Collie, a female named Skid. Lori decided that in addition to training Skid for obedience trials, it would be fun to try herding too. She soon discovered the complexities and challenges that sheepherding had to offer, and she was hooked! Needless to say, Skid shone in obedience, along the way earning a perfect score of 200 and a placement at the 1999 Eastern Regional Obedience competition. Lori and Skid also competed at AKC herding trials, where Skid earned her advanced “A” course title on sheep. Although Lori’s herding instructor urged her to enter Skid in some USBCHA novice trials, Lori lacked confidence in her abilities as a handler, so she declined.

Currently, Lori is working with two Border Collie littermates, Ross and Mia. Both dogs compete in USBCHA and AKC trials. Mia is an AKC herding champion, and she is also the Northeast Border Collie Association’s Novice-Novice Champion for 2007. Ross is currently competing for his AKC herding championship, and both Ross and Mia will compete at the pro-novice level at NEBCA trials. Lori does not own sheep, so she finds it challenging to prepare her dogs for competition when the dogs only see sheep once or twice a week. Nevertheless, she enjoys the camaraderie and fellowship of the sheepdog community, especially among the northeast novice handlers.

In addition to training her own dogs, Lori has served as an obedience instructor for many years. She has taught group classes as well as private in-home instruction. Lori is a certified pet dog trainer (CPDT), and she has also earned endorsement from the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI). She is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and an associate member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC).

Lori’s undergraduate degree is in journalism, so it’s not surprising that she enjoys writing, especially about dogs! She has written for regional and national publications. Lori also uses her writing skills to benefit the Border Collie Health Foundation’s (BCHF’s) efforts.

Lori became interested in the Border Collie Health Foundation when she saw an appeal for volunteers to assist with the organization’s startup. Lori feels strongly that the health of the Border Collie should be a primary concern for anyone who has ever had the great privilege to be owned by one. Lori’s background in nonprofit fundraising should also benefit the BCHF.

Border Collie Health Foundation, Inc.
222 E. South Lakeview Dr.
East Peoria, Illinois 61611

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