Ringside Chat with Starvale Goldens Breeder Peg Cobb

Advice on training, competing and selecting your next athletic partner

Peg Cobb of Cornwall, Vt., is no stranger to the many unique behaviors a dog can have. She got involved with Golden Retrievers about 30 years ago with her first boy, Nathan, and has since become a breeder and competitor in breed shows, obedience, agility, rally and nosework. Not including her most recent litter of puppies, she currently lives with seven Goldens; five of them are actively competing, and all have unique personalities.

Eva (left) and her daughter, Whitney (right). Both earned their ARCHX at the same trial.  
Eva is gone now, and Whitney is working on ARCHMX x 3! 

Training and competing

“I’m lucky to have my own training building,” Peg said. “I teach obedience and agility classes, and my dogs love to train and think of our training building as a big playground. There are no tennis balls in my house — I use them as a reward for working in the training building! My dogs never quite know what I’m going to ask, but I keep our training fun for everyone.” 

Peg has shown and bred Goldens under the “Starvale” name since 1986, inspired by a historic romance novel set in the town of Starvale St. James, and she officially founded Hand-in-Paw Kennels in July 1998. Her training and boarding facility specializes in positive reinforcement training and creating dog-handler relationships that reflect confidence, harmony and teamwork.  

“A well-trained dog is a pleasure to live with and is welcome in many places,” Peg said. “My advice to everyone is to just have fun with your dog! Develop a bond with them and help them become an important part of your family. Even if a trial or show didn’t go as planned, your dog doesn’t know that, so be happy and enthusiastically praise them! Always remember to give them the love they deserve for playing these games with us.”

With her own dog-handler relationships starting when her Goldens were just puppies, Peg’s focus on tight bonds can be seen in the many titles she and her dogs have earned across their sports.

Peg Cobb and Tristan (photo by Bob Cohen)

Choosing a dog for canine sports

“Choosing a new puppy can be quite a challenge!” Peg said. “If you’re getting a rescue dog, watch how they interact with you and with other dogs. You want a confident puppy, but not one that tries to be dominant. If you’re buying from a knowledgeable breeder, you can have them help you with the choice. Tell them exactly what you’re looking for and what sports you’re planning to do. I did this with my late Tristan and my young boy, Marley, when it was too far to go see their litters in person.  

“And if you do get to see a breeder’s puppies in person, remember that you’re only seeing them for a little while,” she added. “They might be tired or completely full of it that day, so be prepared to change your mind! In my current litter, I really liked ‘Yellow Girl’ at first, but ‘Purple Girl’ has grown into my first choice. She has the same spunk as her sister, but I like her head better. Just watch and observe, and don’t rush into your decision when adding any dog to the family. You’re looking for a puppy to be with you for a long time, build a great relationship with and most importantly, have fun.”