Orchard Hills Training Center

Orchard Hills Training Center offers structured 8-week group classes in obedience and agility at multiple levels: Puppy Kindergarten, Beginner Agility, Advanced Agility, Rally-Obedience, and Tracking. Classes are held Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings and mornings. Instructors include Beverly Melcher, Mary Ellen Barry, and Sharon Senkow. Training progresses from foundation to competition levels, with emphasis on building skills for AKC and ARC titles. Classes are ongoing and not one-time consultations.

Pricing Summary

Group classes are priced at $200 for 8 weeks ($25 per session) for obedience and beginner/advanced agility. Advanced agility classes with Jean are $280 for 8 weeks ($35 per session). All pricing is per 8-week session with no mention of packages or discounts.

Orchard Hills Training Center is a dog training facility founded by Beverly Melcher, who has been raising and training German Shepherds since the mid-1970s. The center offers a wide range of dog training programs including obedience (from beginner to advanced), agility (from foundation to Masters Excellent), puppy kindergarten, rally-obedience, and tracking. Classes are held year-round in a heated 2–15,000 sq.ft. facility with summer ventilation. Instructors include Beverly Melcher and Mary Ellen Barry, both highly experienced competitors with multiple titles and international representation in agility. Sharon Senkow also offers obedience classes. The center celebrates 20 years of operation and was established in memory of George W. Melcher, who played a key role in developing the facility’s agility program.

The facility supports all levels of dog sports and provides structured, ongoing weekly classes with small group sizes. Training methods emphasize positive reinforcement and hands-on instruction, with instructors known for breaking down complex skills into manageable home exercises. The center is dedicated to competition-level training but also supports family dog obedience and behavior goals.

Orchard Hills Training Center is not a boarding, grooming, or daycare facility. It focuses exclusively on training and competition preparation in a dedicated indoor space.

Accomplishments

Beverly Melcher has trained multiple dogs to CD, HT, and Masters Excellent titles in agility; her dog “Happy-Go-Lucky” earned the GSDCA P.A.M. Performance Award of Merit. Mary Ellen Barry earned an ADCH with three Border Collies and represented the USA at the 2006 and 2008 IFCS World Championships, earning multiple gold medals. The center has operated for 20 years and is home to multiple competition-level dogs. Beverly is a member of GSDCA, DVGSDC, LGSDC, and APDT.

How to Get Started!

Prospective clients should review the 2025 Schedule online and contact Sharon Senkow at (267) 446-9952 for classes she teaches. New beginner agility classes form on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. Enrollment is based on class availability and session start dates.