Helen Aiken has always been blessed by the dogs in her life. After being raised by a Doberman nanny her parents finally gave her a Doberman puppy at age 12. That’s when she took her first classes at the OCC and began a life long love of learning with her canine partners. Since then she has worked briefly with the Memphis Obedience Club before returning to Chattanooga. In 2003 she joined the OCC and begin teaching Rally, Obedience and Star Puppy classes and serving on the board. She has been owned by many dogs thru the years, Dachshunds, Dobermans, Corgis, several rescues and at present three Rat Terriers. Every dog in her life has been thru classes at the OCC!
Helen is a CGC Evaluator. With her dogs, Rocky, Rosie and Randy she has won titles in Obedience, Rally (RAE 3, Master RM2), Trick Dog, Farm Dog, CGC, TDI, and Lure Coursing. Rocky has been invited to compete in the Rally Nationals three years in a row (and maybe this year too) and is working on a RACH title. It’s a good thing Helen is retired because her dogs keep her very busy!
This year (2020) Helen is working on a new title as President of the OCC.
Demaree Clay
A graduate and former instructor at the National K-9 School for Dog Trainers, Demaree has been training dogs for over 35 years and counseling in behavior for over 20 years. During this time over 3,300 dogs have passed through her hands in a training and behavior capacity. Her family was very involved in the showing, breeding and training of dogs and she learned from an early age how to manage and modify behavior and even placed her first dog in the show ring while in her early teens. Demaree has sponsored seminars and has lectured the public and professional organizations including the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association and the New Jersey Dog Federation as well as other groups and rescues. Prior to training dogs professionally, and while serving as a veterinary technician, Demaree received certification as a Small Animal Dietician.
Demaree has served in a talent procurement position for local commercials and print ads using her own client base and served as the handler for the selected dogs during filming. Several of Demaree’s canine companions, and a few of her client’s dogs, have been featured on radio (a “speaking” part), on television during interviews, in television commercials, in print ads and on stage.
Demaree is a former member of the National K-9 Graduate’s Association, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT), and the Delta Society, and is certified by the Red Cross in Canine CPR and Pet First Aid. Demaree and several of her dogs were registered with the Delta Society as Pet Partners for in-hospital and in-facility pet therapy. She served as a licensed Delta Pet-Partner Evaluator and a licensed Delta Pet-Partner Preparatory Instructor. Since the inception of her professional career, all of her working dogs have taken and passed the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test(s), and a few of her dogs have gone on to earn more advanced titles. Demaree has judged 4-H Obedience Matches, as well as the North Jersey Regional Science Fair’s behavioral science entries.
Specializing in Aggression, Reactivity, Canine Body Language and Puppy Personality development, she lobbies against breed-discriminate legislation and for standardized behavioral testing of all dogs living in an urban or suburban lifestyle.
Demaree serves OCC as an Instructor, Consultant and as an AKC licensed CGC Evaluator / STAR Instructor while working full-time as a Certified Master Trainer / Applied Canine Behaviorist.
A little Toy Manchester Terrier, "Toby", was Fay Taylor's first dog, a gift from her parents when she was 8 years old. Having memorized a little "How to Train Your Dog" booklet, she began on Toby. He became the neighborhood star - the only dog around that could sit, stay, go to box, go to kitchen, come, and lie down.
Over the years Fay and her husband, George, have owned, trained, and shown numerous breeds including Toy Manchesters, Bulldogs, Dachshunds, American Eskimo Dogs, West Highland White Terriers, Great Danes, Shetland Sheepdogs, a Greyhound, a Rat Terrier, an Australian Shepherd, a Rat Terrier and several mixed breeds.
Fay's dogs have been awarded four 4 Rally Excellent Titles, Two Obedience Utility Titles; The American Manchester Terrier Club Hall of Fame; Agility Excellent Jumpers and Open Standard; Canine Freestyle Federation Level IV and a Level II Brace (the first brace ever awarded by CFF); 3 Beginner Novice; 3 Pre Novice; 6 CGC's and 2 CGCA's; 2 Therapy Dog International certifications; 1 AKC Therapy Dog Novice title and 1 Conformation Champion. Fay is an AKC certified CGC Evaluator. She makes numerous Therapy Dog Visits to Nursing Homes and schools.
As a member of the Obedience Club of Chattanooga she has served as an officer, been on the Board of Directors, and taught classes in Obedience, Rally, Freestyle, and Star Puppy.
Fay and George live on Signal Mountain where she is the librarian for the Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. They have two daughters and a son, all of whom live in Chattanooga or Signal Mountain.