Michiana Working Dog Association

Our Members

Jan Harkner-Abbs is the training director for Michiana Working Dog Association. She has been training in Schutzhund since 1983, dogs in general since 1968 and has titled multiple dogs through Schutzhund 1,2 and 3. Jan and Jim own and operate a kennel and training grounds on 34 acres. They also train in the area of search and detection work with different types of dogs. Jan is the K9 coordinator and a K9 handler for Orange Twp Fire Department search and rescue team. She is a special education consultant for the 4 county area. Jan is currently training 3 dogs in the sport and has completed 4 BH's, 2- SchH 1's, a SchH 2, AD and KKL1 over the past year.

Kelly Landers is a search and rescue dog handler who is new to the sport of schutzhund. She has titled her first german shepherd to a BH in 2008! Her certified search and accelerant dogs are chocolate labs. Kelly is a dispatcher for Lagrange County Sheriff Department and a K9 handler for Johnson Twp Fire Department. Kelly is also the secretary for the Michiana Working Dog Association.

CJ Stoltz is our Vice President. She is training her second dog in Schutzhund after losing her beloved Rot, Peanut in 2007. She loves the sport with a passion and is doing beautifully with her young dog who just completed a BH! CJ is a registered nurse.

Carl Stoltz is the husband of CJ. He trains a mal named Kilo. Carl is a police officer for Topeka Police Department in Topeka, IN. Carl's other talent is his creativity with photographs on computer! He's done some beautiful work of our dogs!

Ingrid Schneider is new to the sport of Schutzhund and is training a doberman. Ingrid is our club photographer and is amazing in her art! Ingrid lives in MI cares for her children and many animals on their farm!,

Terri Reiff is training her second dog in the sport of Schutzhund. Her first dog, Dunja was titled to Schutzhund 3, FH1 and was an excellent search and rescue dog who was extremely successfull in searches over the years. Terri is a K9 handler for Orange Twp Fire Department currently handling other certified dogs until her schutzhund dog completes certification. Terri is the president of the club and just recently put a BH, AD and show rating on her dog, Grim. Terri is an Occupational Therapy Assistant who works in Fort Wayne, IN.

David Scott is returning and training his first dog in the sport after raising a new family! David works in the insurance industry and lives in Fort Wayne, IN. He is beginning training as a helper and we look forward to his work!

Laury Farrell is a registered nurse who trains a german shepherd and a malonois. She lives in Columbia City, IN and is working toward tracking and obedience titles for her german shepherd dog and Schutzhund titles with her mal. Laury is doing a great job and just put her BH on her GSD!

Skip Shand is our treasurer and is training his accelerant dog in the sport of Schutzhund. Skip, a fire investigator who takes his dog to work with him daily. Skip just put a BH on his dog and is working towards his Schutzhund titles for 2009.

Jim Abbs is one of our helpers who has been in the sport for 20 years. He owns a cattle dog but does not train in the sport. We are lucky to have a dedicated helper like Jim for our dogs! Jim is married to Jan and is the Chief Attorney for the Public Defenders Office of Noble County, IN.

We would also like to recognize 3 Rivers Working Dog Association for their partnership in working dogs. It's been wonderful to share helpers, training fields and knowledge resulting in success for all!