Meet YourTrainer:
Danielle R. Pellicci
Danielle has had a deep love for all animals since she was a child. The greatest of these loves has always shined when it comes to learning about and learning with her dogs. She attended her first formal obedience class with her rescued mixed breed at the age of 13 and has been "hooked" on training dogs ever since.
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Finding her niche and love for field bred sporting Labrador retrievers in her 20's, this was a path that carried her into an exciting career in the dog world. Along that path toward becoming a professional trainer, Danielle supplemented her income by working with and learning from some amazing canine care professionals and trainers. She has worked in every area of the professional canine world; from kennel caretaker, to groomer's assistant, trainer's assistant, even manager of a dog day care facility.
Lucky enough and determined to advance her education, Danielle spends time each year attending seminars and gaining education from some of the Nation's and World's top trainers. Learning about numerous sports ranging from Freestyle (dog dancing), Retriever field trials and hunt tests, to IGP tracking, and everything in between.
Today, Danielle is a certified mentor Trainer for The Animal Behavior College. Mentoring and teaching aspiring new dog trainers. She now has over 30 years of training experience and has earned countless titles and certificates with her dogs in a variety of sports.
Danielle is an AKC evaluator and accomplished AKC breeder of Merit. She and her husband Steve established their official name "BlackFoot" in 2011. The success of their Labrador Retriever breeding program has been proven time and time again as BlackFoot dogs excel in many dog sports across the USA and in Canada.
Amongst many of her Master Hunter accomplished retrievers, Danielle is the Proud Breeder, Owner, & exclusive handler Trainer of BlackFoot's Thyme To Fly, MH QAA "Feather."
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While the world field retrievers (trials and hunt tests) will always be a passion of hers, Danielle has found great joy in learning about and exploring new dog sports. You might find her at an AKC obedience trial, diving off a dock with her Jack Russell, Doing agility with a rescued dog, or working with her Doberman in tracking, protection or IGP obedience.
"MY GOALS AS A TRAINER:NEVER STOP BEING A STUDENT AS I AM BEING A TEACHER FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
THERE IS ALWAYS KNOWLEDGE TO GAIN.
STAY HUMBLE.
WORK HARD.
REMEMBER THESE ARE DOGS, NOT MACHINES. TREAT THEM FAIRLY.
TEACH THIER OWNERS TO RESPECT THEM AS CANINES."
~ DANIELLE
Proud Members / affiliates of these great clubs and organizations:
BlackFoot
Did our name derive from some historic family lineage? Maybe, some romantic mountainscape?
Well, no. BlackFoot (one word two capital letters is the way we write it) was born with a litter of German Shepherd puppies and a joke between a husband and wife.
Mesmerized by the fast paced changes of healthy pups from their birthdays, we love watching their development stages and strength building. One of the first notable physical changes in a puppy is the darkening of paw pigment.
Born pink and fragile, and then quickly moving to a dark rich black.
A symbol of strength, development .... and what is to come.
The joke ... well, come visit BlackFoot on a nice day (and many not so nice days) and chances are that you may see trainer Danielle working dogs barefoot. By day's end, her feet just as black as the BlackFoot dogs she trains.
BlackFoot's All Breed Obedience Training Program
We understand that no two dogs are exactly alike. Each program is tailored to each individual dog's needs. The behaviors taught will be customized based on your dog's age, learning ability, and maturity level. Board and train includes a 1 hour consultation lesson at drop off, a scheduled one hour lesson mid way through your dog's stay, and a 1 hour lesson at pick up. You will get written materials to take home after completion so that you can continue to work with your pup with consistency. We also offer lifetime support via our private member only forum page for all board and train graduates.
Our Retriever Breeding Program
BlackFoot Labradors is an AKC honored breeder of Merit. Our puppies are products of our EXCEPTIONAL dams bred to the top field trial & hunt test competitive dogs in the United States. Our breeding dogs are all health certified, and all sires and dams are accomplished in competitive venues.
We breed to improve the quality of the Labrador Retriever with every generation; taking pride in the form and function of our dogs. Bred to be active intelligent family members as well as driving forces in every competitive field.
BlackFoot Rescues
At BlackFoot Kennels, we love our purebred dogs, but, we love ALL DOGS. We understand the need for and importance of adoption. Sadly in our rural SC country farmland location, there are so often stray & breeding dogs wandering the roads and farm fields. Unwanted dogs and puppies are abandoned and left to fend for themselves. There are many GREAT trainable loving dogs who need our help. Each year Steve and Danielle make an effort to help a few dogs who need us. WE ARE NOT an official "rescue facility" but we do make it a point to take in some of these strays directly from the roadside and vet / rehab / train / and rehome them to loving families.
Our Retriever Puppy Training Program
We specialize in the puppy development & young / transition retriever training. From your Breeder to BlackFoot. We will lay a solid foundation for your future Master Hunter, Hunting Partner or Field Champion. Our puppy program is entirely positive; using operant and classical conditioning to teach young pups make smart choices when it comes to manners and to teach impulse control. Pups raised at BlackFoot are known for their advanced field based obedience while maintaining incredible drive and desire to retrieve.