Anita Cheesman was born abroad while her father served in the US Navy. While she was still an infant, her family was transferred to San Diego where she
was raised and has been living ever since.
Dogs have always been a part of her life and when she was a child she loved
teaching them tricks using little bits of cheese.
Anita graduated from UCSD with a degree in psychology, the study of behavior.
This served her well after she received her teaching credential and began working
with elementary and middle school students. Classroom management was much
easier when the students were acknowledged and rewarded for their good behavior
instead of only noticed for inappropriate things. Anita feels it’s important to
positively motivate whoever you are working with, whether it is children or dogs,
so that they enjoy the process and are willing to work with you.
Living so close to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World, she always dreamed of a job
training animals. In 2002, Anita and her husband expanded their family to include
a Rat Terrier puppy named Indigo. Indi was quickly signed up for puppy and
obedience classes and Anita discovered where her true passion laid.
In 2003, Anita began assisting in puppy kindergarten, basic obedience, and
advanced obedience classes and then progressed to teaching her own classes,
which included Rally Obedience and K9 Nose Work.
Anita dove deep into nose work in 2011 with her Flat-Coated Retriever, Porter. He was a natural and together they earned perfect scores in two back to back Elite trial.
In her spare time, she homeschools her teenage daughter and trains her two dogs, Violet the mini poodle and Islay the Golden Retriever, in nose work and agility. Anita manages to squeeze some time in there for her husband as well.
Anita is always continuing her education and keeping up to date on new training
theories. She regularly attends conferences and seminars held throughout the
nation.
She is a Certified Nose Work Instructor, an NASCW Supervising Certifying Official and trial judge, and a National Trial Coordinator.
