photo by Lois Baker

    Joe Kapelos & Linda Leeman, instruct at Ewe-topia LLC, their farm in Roy, Washington, where they have more students than any herddog training facility in the country, perhaps even the world. Together they have over 25 years of experience in herddog training. They give clinics regularly throughout the US and Canada, they have been featured on "Evening Magazine," a Seattle based TV show, they have given radio addresses on both herding training and solving dog behavior issues.

    Joe and Linda have handled, tested and trained many different breeds. Their rescued German Shepherd, that lived to the age of 12, had baggage from four previous owners but that didn’t stop her from becoming the first GSD ever to earn a Working Trial Championship (WTCH). Their border collie, Bea, has competed at the Open level at Sheepdog trials She and has a Companion Dog obedience title in the American Kennel Club (AKC).  Bea has a WTCH that she finished with a HIT cattle run. Their Shetland Sheepdog, that lived to the age of 15, is featured in the book "Shetland Sheepdogs At Work" and is the first Sheltie to have a UDT (Utility and Tracking) and an HX (Advanced Herding) in AKC.  All three dogs have Advanced Herding Titles in ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) and AKC.  Joe's latest rescued Border Collie, Jake, finished his WTCH quickly and Linda handles a client's German Shepherd to the AKC Herding Champion title, finishing with a HIT. 

    Both Linda and Joe are licensed American Herding Breed Association (AHBA) judges. Joe is also a licensed AKC and Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) herding judge and writes a monthly herding column  for Front and Finish.