At Blitzen Canine Academy our instructors have over 50 years of combined teaching experience!
Pam Juliano
Director of Training
Blitzen Canine Academy was founded by Pam Juliano, a Certified Trainer for Patrol Narcotic Dogs, who has been competitively training and showing dogs since 1972. Owner/handler of dogs who has received numerous titles in agility, obedience, tracking and Rally-O; including several high in trials and dog world awards. Pam is a licensed judge for AKC, UKC, and CPE agility trials.
Jacque Svab
Instructor
The summer months of 2005 was when I ran my first agility course. Now, almost ten years later, I still can’t stay off them. I started my training at Blitzen Canine Academy when I was 11 years old, while training my Grandmothers German Shepherd; Boden. While I had no intentions of competing, when we got our second male Shepherd; Kippi, I decided it was time to try something new. Learning and training at Blitzen Canine has given me an insight into different canine sports, and training ways. Between training and showing 6 of my own dogs, I have experienced all sorts of temperaments and different ways to train them. We have competed in AKC Agility, AKC Obedience, AKC Rally-o, APDT and WOC Rally, C-WAGS Rally and Obedience, and CPE Agility. While it is fun to accumulate as many Titles and Awards that you can; I have found and relished in the fact that all we do with our pets in our time training, is bonding. That bond and relationship is what I always try to achieve. It’s not about how many awards, titles, or championships you have, but the team and bond you’ve created with your dog.
Nancy Thornsbury
Instructor
I started my involvement with dogs as a 13 year old junior handler in the conformation ring with various large breeds (Dobermans my parents bred, Great Danes, Akitas, and Mastiffs). I grew up in the conformation ring and when I aged out of juniors I began showing with Bernese Mountain Dog breeder. I eventually started in obedience with a working cattle dog and discovered my love for obedience. When I met my current husband in 2012, I had just lost my working cattle dog at 16, and had two Dobermans. Turns out, my husband was a German Shepherd guy – so we compromised and we have had numerous working line German Shepherds over the last 13 years. Getting into a new breed (for me) meant I needed to find a job for them. I started in sport work and competed at a National Level for 7 years with my shepherds, all as handler/owner trained, and even one as bred by, handler/owner trained. In 2021 I decided to leave the sport and was looking for new outlet for my extremely high drive, bred-by competition German Shepherd – that’s when I found Pam and Blitzen Canine Academy. It is not easy taking a large, loud, high drive dog from a sport where training and competing is always as the only dog on the field to a group class setting with a lot of different breeds, sizes, and personalities. Pam showed us so much grace and allowed me to work my boy the way I needed to ensure he would acclimate. My passion is training and I work my dogs every day – playing the game of obedience or scent work or agility. I have titled multiple dogs in dog sport, AKC Obedience, AKC Temperament Tests, Trick Dog, Rally, and Agility. I am also planning on trialing in AKC Tracking and AKC Scent Work this year. I love helping others discover what they and their dogs are capable of through engagement and training. While I love competing, the most rewarding aspect for me is when I see it click with the dog – and they enthusiastically complete a task or command.
