Mike Burke

NYC Fireman

I caught the SchH bug in 2003 at an American Bulldog show in upstate NY... I saw some protection work being done there & I met another NYC fireman at this show who had a booth selling dog supplies..tugs & ect... He had a Schutzhund club...mainly Rotties in the club.. I went down to his club with my four month old American Bulldog pup Clyde (whom I got as a pet not for sport). I immediately took to the sport...especially the protection phase.

I moved back to NYC and did not train for about eight months.... I started to look for another club in the NYC area... a good friend of mine told me about a fella by the name of Joe Moltovan.... My friend told me he was an excellent trainer...but he thought he did not like American Bulldogs.... I scratched that club off my list... Then I sent an e-mail to the Working American Bulldog Association (WABA).. I asked if they knew of anyone in the NYC area that trained in SchH...They gave me Josh Markow's e-mail...I sent Josh an e-mail and talked on the phone...he brought up Joe's name and I mentioned that I heard Joe does not like AB's... Josh laughed and said Joe loves all dogs, especially any breed of dog that has the will to do the work. Since that e-mail in 2004 I have been training with Mid Island. Mid Island SchH is a dedicated group of people who love the sport of Schutzhund. I am proud to be a Member of Mid Island.

I started doing some helper work with the club under the tutelage of Josh Markow, Joe Moltovan & Keith O'Sullivan. I got certified in April of 06'.... I worked my first two trials in November of 2006. I love doing helper work... I started to do all the helper work for the club this past October when Josh Markow moved to Georgia. My goals are to become and excellent training helper and that only comes with time and good teaching(which I have), do trial work on the Regional and National level as well as earn a SchH III... I currently train with my American Bulldog Clyde, he earned is BH in November of 2006. We will see what the future brings for us.

I would like to thank Josh Markow, Joe Moltovan, Keith O'Sullivan, Mike Prisco & Doug Wendling for helping me become a better training and trial helper everyday and of course.... all the dogs I have learned on!