About Us
Leaps and Bounds Agility Center offers group and private agility lessons taught by professional instructors with extensive competition and training experience using fun and positive methods. Our goal is to create a training environment that agility handlers and their dogs can enjoy whether doing agility just for fun or competing at a high level.
Classes
Beginning Agility
Beginning Agility is an introduction to the sport of dog agility. Using positive reinforcement, you and your dog will safely be introduced to obstacles and foundation skills. The goal is for both handlers and dogs to have fun while learning the basics of agility. The class is suited for dog and handler teams that are just starting agility, as well as experienced handlers beginning with a new young dog.
Intermediate I Agility
Intermediate I Agility is a progression from the Beginning Agility course. Handler/Dog teams are introduced to additional skills with emphasis being placed on well-timed verbal commands and body cues while continuing with positive reinforcements to keep the environment fun. This course is off-leash.
Prerequisite: Completion of Beginning Agility and a reliable off-leash sit, stay and recall.
Intermediate II Agility
Intermediate II Agility is a progression from the Intermediate I Agility course. Handler/Dog teams continue to improve verbal commands and body cue skills while working longer and more complex sequences. This course is off-leash.
Prerequisite: Completion of Intermediate I Agility and a reliable off-leash sit, stay and recall.
Novice Agility
Novice Agility is a course in which Handler/Dog teams continue to improve skills while working longer and more complex sequences. The goal is for teams to work with confidence while achieving the proficiency required on all obstacles to compete in Agility Trials.
Prerequisite: Completion of the Intermediate II Agility
Competition Classes
Competition classes are taught by several of our instructors. Handler/Dog teams work on handling skills, sequences and strategies that are needed for the higher levels of competition. Instructors are positive and insightful, with a goal to help each team improve.
Prerequisite: Competition-level obstacle performance and control
Our Instructors
Elizabeth Blanchard established Leaps and Bounds Agility Center in 1998 and continues to instruct dog agility classes. Elizabeth has competed in agility for 35 years with seven Shelties and a Boston Terrier. She currently competes in the UKI, USDAA and AKC agility programs. Elizabeth has won the USDAA Grand Prix National Championship and the USDAA Masters DAM Team National Championship four times. Elizabeth was inducted into the USDAA Agility Hall of Fame as a Pioneer of Dog Agility in 2020 for her contributions to the sport. Deacon and Elizabeth were also named to the United State Team for the World Agility Open in 2020. Duncan, Lily, Dodge, Demo, Roxie, Deacon, Deuce and Dutch have all competed in the sport of agility and taught Elizabeth many lessons in dog training. She shares this knowledge helping others in the sport. Sharing the ring with these amazing animals has been a blessing, Elizabeth cherishes the relationship and teamwork she has experienced with each of her dogs and the lifelong friendships that she has built with so many fellow competitors.
Elizabeth Blanchard
Betty Carter joined Leaps and Bounds in 2020 when Flashpaws closed. Betty has been active in agility for 20+ years and has been teaching agility for 15+ years. She has enjoyed running her 3 poodles and 6 shelties. Her dogs have done well in AKC, NADAC, and ASCA. Her dogs have earned 2 Agility Grand Championships, 35 MACHs, and 6 PACHs in AKC. In NADAC they have accomplished 60 NATCHs. In ASCA they have 6 ATCHs. Betty loves going to national competitions for both AKC and NADAC. So much fun to see friends from all over the country and Canada. At NADAC Champs, Betty’s dogs have won first place 5 times, and have been on the podium innumerable time, both for individual and team events. Betty and the “B” Team have also made a name for themselves with the Heaven’s Best sheltie puppies they have whelped. All are future agility stars! Betty loves hearing progress reports on each and every one of those puppies. These puppies live all over the USA and in Canada. Betty’s teaching philosophy is to keep agility fun and keep it safe. She likes to evaluate each agility team and customize their agility experiences.
Betty Carter
Jackie Langford started in agility in 1999 after leaving an obedience class through a different door and seeing all the fun happening outside in an agility class. It was the perfect fit for the 'too smart for her own good' Pembroke Corgi. Jackie and her corgis, both Pembroke and Cardigan, have enjoyed success competing in AKC trials over the years and have stepped into the UKI and NADAC rings on occasion. In addition to agility, Jackie and her corgis have titled in Herding, Scentwork, Rally, and Dock Diving. Jackie enjoys introducing owners and their dogs to the wonderful sport of agility and seeing the joy of learning something new in both the dog and their person.
Jacqueline Langford
Bobbi’s journey with agility and dog training began with Sweet Pea, an Australian Shepherd back in 2007. Sweet Pea led the way and ultimately sparked her passion for the sports of agility. Sweet Pea was a handful, though, especially without the right outlet for her energy! It was a life changing for both Bobbi and Sweet Pea how she managed to find way to channel that intensity through agility. Bobbi continued with dog training working with border collies. Each of Bobbi’s dogs helped her learn various aspects of agility training. Sweet Pea PDCH, PTM-BRONZE, PRCH Siberian Shepherd, Mr. Red AD, APJ Border collie, Tipsy PDCH, PGCH Border Collie, Mr. Blue SPS, SPJ Border Collie, Shaker ADCH
Bobbi Prewitt
I’ve participated in the great sport of agility since 1992. I saw USDAA agility at a big dog show in Houston, Texas and decided that I should try it out with my young super-energetic Sheltie. Agility quickly became my passion. I taught advanced classes for more than fifteen years at FlashPaws and have been very fortunate to train with some of the sport’s most respected and competitive people. My dogs and the agility community of friends with a shared passion have enriched my life in ways I had never imagined. Over the years, I have trained four Shelties and two Pumik and have titled dogs in USDAA (2 ADCH dogs), AKC (2 MACH dogs and 1 fourth place winner at Nationals), NADAC, ASCA, and CPE agility. I’ve also put AKC and IABCA Conformation Championships on my first Pumi Tek. When the Covid pandemic started, I took a break from agility and started running my dogs in Fast CAT. Tek qualified for the Invitational in his first year. Both of my Pumik still occasionally compete in Fast CAT, with Tek attaining FCAT 4 and his daughter BaBa attaining FCAT 3. I currently compete with my Pumik in AKC and occasionally CPE agility. For the past few years, I have been fortunate to teach a Novice level agility class at Leaps and Bounds. This class was designed to be the next step for dog/handler teams that have completed basic obstacle and short sequence training. We keep the class size small enough to adapt the course and training to individual team needs, which have varied from newbie to experienced handler levels. The class chemistry and camaraderie that we’ve achieved together is a huge bonus. For me, even when I had extremely competitive dogs, agility was always about my relationship with my dogs. As a teacher, my strengths lie in my observation skills and my encouragement of each team to progress towards the handler’s unique view of “agility success.” For some handlers, the joy comes from training and not trialing; others train with a focus on successful trialing. My experience with my own dogs with a broad spectrum of temperaments has also given me an abundance of patience and understanding. My class gladly accommodates everyone.
Linda Barrett
Renee King has competed in dog agility for 26 years and has been teaching agility classes for over 20 years. She has enjoyed wonderful experiences and competitive successes with all of her dogs, two Jack Russell Terriers, and three Border Collies. She has also competed with multiple different breeds for clients and friends over the years. Renee currently competes in the UKI, USDAA, and AKC agility programs. She and her beloved dogs have achieved high honors at the National and International levels, including Finalist spots in all three organizations, National and World Championships. Renee specializes in connection and communication between dog and handler to produce teamwork on course, dog training, and motivation using reinforcement based positive methods, and strategies that are tailored to the individual dog and handler team. No two teams are exactly alike! She enjoys teaching in an upbeat style that makes agility fun for the dog and the handler. Renee is a competition judge for both USDAA and UKI and well known for her fun course design and great attitude as a judge. She is also trained by Ken Bain and provides dogs with trigger point massage therapy to help them be at their competitive best. Renee treasures the relationships and memories of all of her dogs and is grateful for the adventures with friends at competitions. One of her favorite things is cheering for her friends at competitions.
Renee King
I bought my first purebred American Staffordshire Terrier in 1970 and started training her for competition obedience. Since then, I have owned multiple Am Staffs and showed them in AKC and UKC obedience competitions until the 1990’s. Many of my dogs became the highest scoring dog of their breed for the year in competition and were invited to year end finals events. As new dog sports developed, I trained and competed in Rally and Freestyle in addition to obedience. I started teaching obedience classes in 1979. Later I added also teaching Rally and Freestyle. In 1985, I became a judge of conformation and obedience for the United Kennel Club. I retired from judging in 2008 due to cancer treatment. In the mid 1980’s I was in California judging a show where someone brought her dog and equipment to demo the brand new sport of dog agility. I was instantly “hooked!” I flew home with the photos I had taken of her equipment and started building my own equipment with the help of my dog club members. We built the first agility equipment in Houston and set it up in my pasture. My little group entered the very first agility competition held at a dog show in 1987. For years my dog club made the equipment available to Houston area dog people and I gave lessons in agility to help grow interest in the sport here. I first taught obedience classes at Leaps and Bounds in the early 2000’s, but soon began to teach agility there too. I have taught agility at Leaps and Bounds for over 20 years now. My current dogs are Shetland Sheepdogs - Rhys, who is 11 and retired, Treve who is 6 and my current agility dog, and Rayne who is nearly 7 months. Training dog and handler teams to play and communicate together has been the main theme of my life. I love to see the teamwork developed through training. Agility is my favorite dog sport and I love to share what I have learned about dogs over a lifetime of training different sports and teaching different breeds.
Sara Nugent
Lois has been involved in the sport of agility since 1996 and has been teaching since 2000. Her first agility teammate was Maggie a Springer Spaniel. All of her partners since then have been Golden Retrievers-Sunny, Cutter, Keeley (a rescue), Coupe, Bounce and Augie. All of Lois’ teammates, except youngster Augie, have championship titles in multiple venues (AKC, USDAA, UKI and/or NADAC). Her Goldens are consistently ranked in the top 10 in AKC and have qualified for and run in AKC and USDAA national championships. Lois’ currents teammates are Bounce (born 12/15/2013) and Augie (born 8/29/2020). Bounce (AGCH2, MACH 31, Silver ADCH, IWAC) has been the number 1 Golden Retriever in AKC multiple times and qualified for AKC Nationals in 2017-2025 reaching the finals 3 times. She has also qualified for the AKC Agility invitational in 2018-2025 reaching the finals twice placing 2nd in 2019 and 3rd in 2023. Augie (MACH3) began showing in 2022 and qualified for AKC nationals in 2024 and 2025. Lois tries to tailor her instruction to her individual student’s skill level and needs. She works to help her students analyze a course and evaluate different handling options so they can confidently choose a path that is safe and efficient and makes the best use of their skills. Agility is a great way to build a strong relationship with your dog and develop a community of like-minded enthusiasts that will become lifelong friends. Link to Coupe Video (White Dog Run at 2016 AKC Nationals): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFw7g2545Oc Link to Bounce video (Finals at 2019 AKC Invitational): https://youtu.be/fWnFWLzBbe4
Lois Williams
