Nancy Patton was in the vanguard of trainers moving toward praise based dog training. While there were collar pops there was also praise for correct behavior. Her creed was “make it possible for the dog to win”. If a dog is only “told” when it’s wrong but never when it’s right, how will he learn what is expected of him? Why would you play a game if no one told you how to win?

Nancy’s training was largely instinctive but so many people wanted to learn her successful techniques that she painstakingly analyzed how she taught every exercise and wrote it down to share with everyone. She not only founded Dogwood Training Academy, now ADOG, but gave seminars all over the country. Nancy’s techniques are still the basis of ADOG’s systematic training techniques.

Nancy is best known for her fabulous Golden Retriever OTCH Locknor B Fifth-Two Bomber. The UDX title was instituted after Bomber stopped showing. Bomber was the Ken-L-Ration Dog of the Year in obedience in the early 1990s.

NANCY PATTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Nancy Patton, founder of Dogwood Training Academy, lost her long battle with cancer on February 4, 2000.  Nancy was named FIDO Obedience Person of the Year in 1999.

A fund has been established for the Nancy Patton Memorial Scholarship at the University of Georgia Veterinarian School.  Your tax deductible contribution is welcomed.  The Nancy Patton Memorial Scholarship is presented to a DVM student with an interest in canine medicine and surgery who has demonstrated financial need and academic achievement.  Checks should be made payable to the University of Georgia Foundation and noted "Nancy Patton Scholarship Fund".  Send to Development Office – College of Vet Med, UGA, Attn: Kathy Bangle, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602.  Checks received by the Vet School in her name will be sent to the Foundation.

Nancy's Golden, Bomber had an incredible obedience career that spanned nearly a decade.  He earned his CD at one and a half years and completed his UD a year later.  By that time, he already had over 16 High in Trials and was in the Obedience Hall of Fame.  He earned 145 HIT’s, three perfect scores and 75 High Combined Awards.  He is ninth in all-time top OTCh dogs with 2,689 lifetime points.

His most outstanding year was 1991, when he was ranked number one by both the Whitehead High Combined Ranking System and the First and Foremost Ranking System.  He was also the Ken L Ration Obedience Dog of the Year.  That same year he was High in Trial at the GRCA National Specialty and received the Toby Trigger Trophy.  He was an Open Gaines Classic Winner and won two Super Dog titles at Gaines Regional's.

As a producer, Bomber has sired nine Obedience Trial Champions to date.

Pictured with Nancy is her beloved "Bomber" OTCh Locknor B Fifty Two Bomber (OS/OBHF)
Sire OTCh Meadowpond Stardust Reggie (OS/OBHF) - Dam OTCh Wynwood Two Double Zera UDTX (OD)
Whelped September 18, 1984 - Owner Nancy Patton

Nancy was named the 1999 FIDO Obedience Person of the year.  With a ballot vote, readers of "Front and Finish" and "Off Lead" magazines voted for Nancy based on the following criteria:
Has contributed significantly to the advancement of obedience training for dogs.
Has contributed significantly to the advancement of the sport.
Has exhibited outstanding traits for fairness and good sportsmanship.
Has made efforts and contributions which had a wide range or national impact.

Nancy was active in the world of dog obedience for over thirty years.  She was the lady you always saw smiling and helping others with their training problems.  Many feel that the name Nancy Patton personified great sportsmanship.

And here are her other MANY accomplishments:

• Training and instructing all levels of obedience for all breeds since 1967 
• Conducting 2-4 day obedience training seminars across the country 
• Ranking in the top ten in the United States Dog Obedience Championships since 1976 with Golden Retrievers, Shelties and  Pulik.

Achieving the following obedience awards and titles in national competition: 

• 14  Companion Dog Degrees (CD) 
• 10  Companion Dog Excellent Degrees (CDX) 
•  6  Utility Degrees (UD) 
•  1 Utility Dog Excellent Degree (UDX) 
•  6  Obedience Trial Champions (OTCH) 
•  6  Dog World Awards for Canine Excellence 
•  3  Golden Retriever Hall of Fame Awards for Obedience Achievement 
•  200+ High In Trial (HIT) and 100+ High Combined (HC) 
•  3  Perfect Scores
•  1999 FIDO Obedience Person of the Year
•  1998 5th place, Pup-Peroni Regional, Novice Division 
•  1995 3rd place Cycle Classic, Open Division 
•  1994 2nd place Cycle Classic, Novice Division 
•  1992 5th place Cycle Regional, Novice Division 
•  1991 Ken-L-Ration Obedience Dog of the Year 
•  1989 1st place Cycle Regional, Super Dog Division 
•   3rd place Cycle Classic, Super Dog Division 
•   4th place Cycle Classic, Novice Division 
•   #1 Golden Retriever of the Year 
•  1988 1st place Cycle Regional, Super Dog Division 
•  1987 1st place Cycle Regional and Classic, Super Dog Division