We have a GREAT staff!

Come and meet us! 

Karen Rude - Owner/Instructor 

Karen Rude started training dogs in 1979 and began showing in 1980.  She began teaching obedience classes through the Indianhead Kennel Club and for local veterinarian clinics in the area.  In 1994, Karen founded Rude Dog University and the business has consistently expanded over the years. 

Karen is a "natural" dog person and she has a knack at getting clients and their dogs communicating with each other.  She has been a featured guest on the Dave Carlson Outdoor TV show.  She has been a featured dog trainer in the Leerburg Video Production dog training videos.  Karen is a member and licensed judge of the National Dog Trainers Association, is an AKC Rally Judge and a Good Citizen test Evaluator.  She also instructs private and group classes, does educational presentations for schools, nursing homes and Girl Scout and Boy Scout groups.  She started the pet therapy group at Luther Hospital, Northern Center, and for various nursing homes ... and is a licensed nurse herself.  Karen also does presentations on temperament testing and how to pick out a puppy.

Karen's own dogs have earned multiple AKC obedience titles including 7 high in trial, multiple first places in novice, open and utility.  She has trained eight utility dogs and competes successfully in conformation showing.

Allison Claussen - Instructor

Allison has been involved with dogs for over 35 years.  She worked at the Ark Animal Hospital for 20 years and has been involved in fly ball, agility and AKC obedience

Allison has shown numerous champions of her own, including French Bull Dogs and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. 

Sue Kohlepp - Instructor  

Sue brings 25+ years of grooming and dog skills to our organization.

She is active in AKC Obedience and has trained and titled her Golden Retrievers from CD to UD.  She has put AKC hunt titles on her Goldens and has multiple first placements.

Janet Lewellen - Instructor

Janet has 15 years of serious dog training and has completed seminars by Geri Darnell, Bernie Brow, Jean Matusik and Terri Arnold.  She taught beginning obedience and advanced agility at the Peoria Obedience Training Club in Peoria, Illinois prior to joining Rude Dog University.

Janet had the #1 Maltese in obedience for 2 years and the #1 Maltese in agility for 2 years.  She won HIT at the Maltese National Specialty in 1993 and won 1st place in Open A at the Maltese National Specialty in 2005.

She has trained Maltese to AKC-UD and UKC-UD in obedience and AKC-MX, AXJ UKC ATCH in agility. 

Christy Heiman - Instructor

Christy is a long-term, excellent conformation handler. She has and shows German Shepherds primarily but handles other breeds for other breeders.  Christy handled my Higgins to finish his championship and put a 5-point major on Hannah.

Christy and Allison alternate as instructors for our conformation classes.