Canine Camp Getaway’s “lure master” Lynn Kiaer is a lifelong dog lover and owner, having owned (or been owned by) a German Shepherd, a Shetland Sheepdog, an Irish Setter, a Lakeland Terrier, German Shorthaired Pointers, a Cocker Spaniel, a field bred English Setter and assorted (mostly terrier) mutts.

She met her first Scottish Deerhound when she was a freshman in college, and knew from that moment that she would someday own a Deerhound. The big grey dogs struck a chord that still resonates. For over 20 years, she and her husband Charlie have been breeding, raising, training, showing, lure coursing and racing Scottish Deerhounds, and she has also competed in obedience, rally and agility with some of them; in the last few years they have added whippets to the mix as well. Their Cu Liath Deerhounds (Cu Liath means “gray dog” in Gaelic) include some of the most successful dogs in the breed, including Jynx, the only Deerhound ever to win both Best in Field and Best in Show (with Lynn handling!).

Lure coursing is a sport for sighthounds, and as Lynn and Charlie belive that form follows function, they have been very active in the sport, with 15 dual champions (conformation and lure coursing) over the years.

Lure coursing requires no particular training – the vast majority of dogs love to chase – but positive experiences are very important. Lynn works with each dog as an individual, often finding ways to encourage even the most hesitant dogs to chase the lure with enthusiasm. Methods are strictly positive, as lure coursing is meant to be fun for dogs and owners alike.

Lynn’s training methods are not focused on service, protection or competitive dog sports, but on building a rapport with your dog, and simply on raising a dog you can live with. Her goal is for the dog to be cooperative rather than necessarily obedient, and leads a loose-leash-walking training session at camp. She is very conscious that we are training dogs every minute we are with them (and sometimes even when we are not!). Because she and her husband live with a large pack (of large dogs!), she is well versed in pack dynamics, and is an excellent resource for those who want to know more about successfully navigating the multi-dog household.

In her non-doggy life (is there life without dogs?), Lynn is a mother (to three humans), grandmother of two and a mathematician. She spent many years with GE’s Corporate Research Center, and has taught at the college level both in traditional classrooms and online. Currently semi-retired, she works with small-to-medium-sized businesses doing program evaluations, survey analysis and other mathematical stuff.