George Berger

Specialty: Therapy Dogs

George Berger has had a lifelong passion for and involvement with dogs through obedience, Nose Work, and therapy dog training. He is a member in good standing of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). At PCOTC, he is teaching Therapy Dog classes.

For several years, George has been doing canine-therapy work, first with his Labrador/Golden Retriever, Dixie. The pair made over 500 visits at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the pediatric units at Roosevelt and Bellevue Hospitals, and the Hallmark Assisted Living facility, all in the New York metropolitan area. Now, George's second dog, Paco, a Chihuahua mix, has become certified and has 200+ visits worth of experience.

Berger coordinates the therapy dog program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in White Plains, and is the trainer for that program. He and his dogs have been certified/registered by the Delta Society, the Good Dog Foundation, and Intermountain Therapy Animals.

Berger was Publisher of AKC (American Kennel Club) magazines, 1999-2006. He has served as President of the Irvington (NY) Public Library, The O'Hara Foundation, and the Otsego County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He is currently on the advisory Board of National Education Assistance Dog Services (NEADS), was President and Second Vice President of the Port Chester Obedience Training Club.

 Contact George - georgepb37@gmail.com

Marty Levy

Specialty: Disc Dog

Marty Levy has been playing disc with his dogs ever since he saw Ashley Whippet jump the fence and catch a disc on Monday Night Baseball in August of 1974. He has been competing with his disc dogs for more than 25 years and teaching since 2011. His present border collies Meg, Haddie, Nell, and Kate have competed, compete or demonstrate the sport. Little Meg has been successful in multiple venues, in a variety of games, reaching the podium more than 100x. With Kate, Marty has been able to qualify and compete in the Skyhoundz World Championships in Freestyle.  

Marty enjoys teaching handlers and their teammates how much fun playing disc with your buddy can be. He teaches handlers how to throw and dogs to catch with a systematic approach that emphasizes safety and fun. And for those of you who can already throw and catch and want to step into the competition arena, he can help you with preparation, rules and strategy.

When not training his dogs, he is a professor of human Orthopaedic Surgery and a Director of Education Development, Oversight and Simulation for a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery. He has contributed articles  to Clean Run Magazine and Veterinary Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology writing about the epidemiology of injuries occurring in dogs participating in agility.

Contact Marty - Frzbdog2@gmail.com