Judges' Biographies
Cindy Rustad — Obedience
Cindy Rustad grew up in a house with dogs – Chihuahuas. After she and Phil married in 1981, they got their first dog together in 1984, a Brittany named Pepper. Although Pepper was Phil’s hunting dog, Cindy took him to obedience school for Beginners at the Des Moines Obedience Training Club. In 1987, after moving back home to the Twin Cities, Cindy got her own dog – a Sheltie named Kirby, (Sharim’s Sack A Taters UD CanUD). Around the time Kirby was finishing his UD Cindy got interested in teaching and taught Beginners at the St. Paul Dog Training Club for about 8 years. In 1998 she followed Phil into judging and has been an ASCA and AKC judge ever since.
Cindy currently has two Shetland Sheepdogs one actively showing and the other on the couch. Her older Dog, Chaser, (OTCH MACH Hobi’s Chasing My Fantasy UDX6 MX MXJ Can CDX U-CD), became only the second dog in Minnesota to earn both the OTCH and MACH titles. He retired after finishing his MACH. Chaser also competed at the 2003 National Obedience Invitational where he ran clean in the first day and made the cut to finish tied for 9th on day two. Chaser competed with his brother at the 2005 National Agility Tournament. Cindy’s young dog Zack, (U-Ch Hobi’s Xact Timing Bluebanner UDX RN U-CD), is working on his AKC OTCH. Cindy has been an AKC and ASCA Obedience Judge for over 11 years. She has judged Obedience outside the U.S. in the Bahamas. She is a member of many local dog training clubs and AKC Clubs. She is a past board member and past President of the St. Paul Dog Training Club and has served as a trial chair, trial committee member and steward for numerous local Obedience, Agility and Conformation events.
Cindy works with her husband Phil in their Real Estate business at Edina Realty in Plymouth, Minnesota.