Anne Blaha is the owner of Golden Acres, a passion project turned private dog training facility dedicated to providing high-quality instruction in a fun, welcoming, and supportive environment.

Anne discovered dog agility with her rescue dog May—part Great Pyrenees, part Border Collie, part Aussie—and was immediately hooked. That one leap into agility opened the door to a whole world of dog sports, including Rally, dock diving, scent work, tricks, barn hunt and more. Anne loves doing things with her dogs and sharing that joy with others.

Her pack also includes Kelce, a Golden (Visitor) Retriever who competes in agility and rally; Chase, a young Miniature American Shepherd in training for agility and rally; and three senior dachshunds who enjoy the good life as cherished family members.

When Anne first visited the property that would become Golden Acres, she had “paws in her eyes” and a dream in her heart. That dream has grown into a facility with spacious indoor and outdoor training areas designed for agility, rally, scent work, and more - kind of like a Disneyland for Dogs. Golden Acres emphasizes positive, reward-based training methods to help build strong relationships between dogs and their handlers, whether they're training for big goals, fun, titles, or just for the love of it.

Anne’s personal mission is to educate and empower dog owners at all stages, especially those just beginning their journey. She’s an AKC-approved Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and offers both All S.T.A.R. Puppy and CGC basic obedience classes at Golden Acres. These foundation classes help owners learn how to communicate with their dogs and teach them basic obedience and, most importantly, how to learn, because building a strong communication system early on creates a lifetime of success and happiness for the dog and the owner (yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks!).

“We’re passionate about growing the rally and agility community by offering regular classes, trials, fun matches, and workshops across a variety of sports,” Anne says. “We hosted our first Rally trial last year and have even more planned for 2025.”

Golden Acres also proudly hosts the National AKC Agility League year-round. This unique program allows teams at all levels, from brand-new beginners (no teeter or weaves required!) to experienced ISC competitors, to gain experience in a fun, low-pressure environment. You can bring a team of your choosing or be placed on a team. “AKC Agility League is the perfect stepping stone for new teams and young dogs,” Anne says. “It’s all about building skills, confidence, and connection.”