Located in Santa Cruz, California, Laura Hartwick spent over 35 years as a professional in the hunter/jumper world, while taking a  deep dive into the sport of dog agility. She now teaches full time at Heart Dog Agility in the Santa Cruz mountains. Laura has over 20 years as a successful trainer, handler, and national level competitor in agility, and has loads to share with all levels of students. Watch her in action here.

Laura’s owned and competed with many breeds in those twenty-some-plus years, ranging from her border collies to her proud members of the Small Dog Mafia, weirdo little terrier-heeler-whotheheckknows rescue dogs, all of who were consistently ranked in the USDAA Top Ten. She currently competes with her two incredible border collies Banksy and Bader.

Banksy’s illustrious agility career has put her on too many podium placements to list in the 16″ and 20″ divisions at all large West Coast UKI and USDAA events for the past 8 years. Ten year old Banksy won the silver medal in Medium Agility at the 2024 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge this year and the Steeplechase and Grand Prix Finals at the USDAA Western Regionals. Banksy finished out 2024 as a finalist at the USDAA World Cynosport Games Steeplechase and Grand Prix, taking bronze in the Steeplechase finals.

In 2023, Bader won top podium spots at the UKI West Coast Open, UKI West Coast Cup, USDAA Western Regional, and 3 different AKC ISC Cups. 2024 achievements include winning the Weave Challenge at the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge in Huntington Beach, the silver medal in the Inaugural UKI International ICE event, gold medal at the USDAA Western Regionals Grand Prix Finals, bronze medal in the UKI West Coast Open Overall Masters Series, invitations to the Chicago UKI Invitational and Purina Incredible Dog Finals in Missouri, and being a USDAA Cynosport World Games finalist in the Grand Prix.

Laura’s still an artist, writer, and spends untold hours ambling around in the woods, but these days mostly you’ll need to catch up to her running her tail off with her border collies at agility trials around the country instead of horse shows. She’s now the manager of her own Lost Empire Ranch in the Santa Cruz mountains.

When the weather’s crummy, she’s inside drawing and painting. Weather’s good, you might spot her painting outside somewhere, if you know where to look. You can order up a custom dog portrait while you’re at it, before the sun comes out again and she has to stay outside to play.

Laura is available at any of these convenient locations:

Agility Training and Seminars:
https://heartdogagility.com/lessons/

Social Medias:
https://www.facebook.com/laura.hartwick
https://www.youtube.com/@teamsmalldog

Order Portraits & Giclee Prints:
http://www.teamsmalldog.com

Buy Shirts:
http://www.teespring.com/stores/teamsmalldog

Agility Resume:
Banksy
2024 World Cynosport Games Steeplechase Finals Bronze Medal
2024 World Cynosport Games Grand Prix Finalist
2024 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Gold Medal
2024 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Gold Medal
2024 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regional Medium Dog Silver Medal
2023 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Silver Medal
2023 UKI International Champion IAC3 and IWAC2
2022 UKI West Coast Open Speedstakes Finals Silver Medal
2022 UKI West Coast Open Games Challenge Bronze Medal
2022 UKI West Coast Open Pentathlon Bronze Medal
2022 UKI West Coast Cup Games Challenge Gold Medal
2022 UKI West Coast Cup Biathlon Silver Medal
2022 UKI West Coast Cup Overall Bronze Medal
2022 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Silver Medal
2021 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Silver Medal
2021 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Silver Medal
2019 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Silver Medal
2019 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Silver Medal
2019 USDAA Western Regional Biathlon Bronze Medal
2019 UKI West Coast Cup Games Challenge Silver Medal
2018 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Bronze Medal
2017 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Bronze Medal
2016 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Gold Medal
2016 USDAA World Cynosport Games Steeplechase Semi Finalist
2016 USDAA Agility Dog Champion

Bader
2024 World Cynosport Games Grand Prix Finalist
2024 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Gold Medal
2024 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Bronze Medal
2024 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge Western Regional Weaves Gold Medal
2024 Purina Incredible Dog Challenge National Finalist
2024 UKI West Coast Open Masters Bronze Medal
2024 UKI West Coast Open Gamblers Final Winner
2024 UKI ICE Inaugural International Silver Medal
2024 UKI International Champion IAC5 and IWAC4
2024 USDAA Agility Dog Champion
2023 UKI West Coast Open Games Challenge Gold Medal
2023 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Gold Medal
2023 USDAA Western Regional Grand Prix Final Silver Medal
2023 AKC ISC Belgian Waffle Cup Gold Medal
2023 AKC ISC Red Poppy Cup Bronze Medal
2023 AKC ISC Red Solo Cup Gold Medal
2023 UKI West Coast Classic Masters Gold Medal
2022 USDAA Western Regional Steeplechase Final Silver  Medal

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So many ways to find her that there’s no reason not to.

Get in touch! email: laurahartwick at gmail dot com

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