Sherry Linker
Sherry Linker was born with a special gift: She understands
how dogs think, and it is not the way people think! She has created her own
unique “no control” dog training method that teaches dogs in their own
language! The dogs learn surprisingly fast and most important, this method
changes the dog's desires. This allows the dogs to make their own choices and
bypasses the usual unnecessary power struggle of other training methods. The
dogs love training (they think it is a fun game) and work for love and praise.
No treats, clickers or other gimmicks. Sherry never says anything negative to a
dog except for aggression or extreme dominance. Also, her method does not
repress the dog’s natural personality. She teaches the dog how to control its
sometimes over exuberant personality while not losing the fun spirit of the
dog.
Sherry
says that she vaguely remembers at the age of 7 taking her poodle Bovier out to
the street and asking him to heel. She believes that she must have seen
something on TV and was attempting to utilize it. Her first dog as an adult was and
Afghan Hound. She went to her first obedience class in Des Moines,
Iowa where she trained under a top trainer. She went on to get her first AKC obedience title on her Afghan in 1978. Her next dog was a Golden Retriever
named Shanna. With this dog she decided to prove that you did not have to wait
until a dog was six months old to start training, which was the common
perception back then. The day that Shanna entered her first AKC obedience
show she turned 6 months old. She went into the ring with this amazing Golden
and not only got her first leg towards her title but also received a 4th
place ribbon while competing against 26 other dogs.
Shanna went on to receive
her Utility dog title with many placements along the way. Sherry fell in love
with Golden Retrievers and decided to purchase a Golden with a top pedigree.
So, she researched all the kennels around the United States and decided to
purchase her next show dog from Connie Gerstner of Malagold Kennels in Wisconsin.
His AKC registered name was Malagold’s Constant Charmer. Back in that day it
was not believed that a conformation show dog could also be an obedience dog.
Sherry went on to prove that this was not true. Even today many breeders will
never teach their dogs to sit if it is going to be shown in the Conformation
ring. Sherry went on to get Charmer’s Breed Championship, 3 obedience titles
(with many placements) while competing in both Breed and Obedience on the same
day. Charmer was also introduced to hunting and received an AKC Working
Certificate retrieving birds. Charmer became a noted Stud dog and produced many
puppies. His final titled name was Am/Can Champion Malagold’s Constant Charmer
UD, WC. Sherry decided to purchase her 1st female Golden, which she
bought from Daystar Kennels in Atlanta Georgia. Daystar’s Hopeless Flirt became
her foundation bitch. Charmer and Flirt were the start of Driftwood Golden
Retrievers. Sherry went on to Champion many of the dogs that she produced while
always active in the obedience ring. Her next special dog was Champion
Driftwood’s Unsolved Mystery C.D. whom was called Clue. Shortly after getting
his Championship and his first obedience title, he died of bloat. Clue had
produced many puppies so his legacy is being carried on. Sherry also bred
numerous Champion Chesapeake Bay Retrievers although her favorite breed was
still the Golden Retrievers.