Proper Paws Dog Training is a service dedicated to helping people develop a loving and mutually enjoyable relationship with their canine companion.
(8)
20 Beharrell Street
Concord, MA
01742
| Monday | 9am - 4pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 4pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 4pm |
| Thursday | 8am - 3pm |
| Friday | 8am - 12pm |
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Back in 1993 I lost my dog Liz to cancer. She was a mutt (1/2 English Setter 1/2 Husky), not trained but full of energy and always running away! When she passed, my new husband saw how empty I felt without a dog and took me to ‘look at’ a litter of Golden Retrievers. Needless to say, we came home that rainy day with a new puppy and no idea, really, how to deal with her. The last time I had a puppy I was in college and took over the puppy my bother brought to my mother, after his dog got ‘knocked up’ by a neighbor dog! Now I was working full time, newly married and busy! My husband’s one requirement was that I had to go to training with this puppy, he was tired of having to chase down a dog only to have her beat him back to the house! Little did he know where that would lead.
I had always taught my own dog’s to sit and down, to come when called sort of, and I had even taught my minister’s dog to do the same when I was in high school, but now I had a new blank slate of a puppy. I found a local trainer and also found the process of training to be fascinating and rewarding, one class lead to another, and another. I didn’t have much time, I was working in high tech at the time, sometimes 50+ hours a week, but when I wasn’t working at my job, I was working with the dog, remember I didn’t have any kids at the time. I even learned that there were dog obedience competitions where you could compete with your dog! I was hooked. I took every class my trainer offered, began showing at local obedience trials and then started helping her to teach some of her classes. That dog, Samantha, became a Utility Dog, but while we were working on our Utility Dog Excellent title, I got pregnant! We also moved to Concord and after the baby was born I quit my job to stay home. Life was wonderful, I had a kid, a well trained dog, a wonderful husband. Six years later, when Samantha was 12 she passed away from cancer.
Again, knowing how devastating it was for me to be dog-less, my husband encouraged me to get another dog. This time I did research, I called breeders, I asked questions - particularly about their breeding practices and the age of their dogs. I wanted a dog that lasted more than 12 years! We settled on an English Golden from Synergold Goldens in Falmouth. Initially thinking we would bring home a boisterous boy that would be able to handle my boisterous boy child, we ended up with a sweet little girl puppy we named Winter, it was after all one of the snowiest winters on record and she was as white as her surroundings at the time. Her demeanor was gentle and a bit reserved, choosing to hang back while her litter mates scrambled for attention. Once home, we began training right away. I even signed up for a training class, but found it limiting and inconvenient. It was held on Friday nights, I was a stay at home mom with a kid in kindergarten, my free time was during the day and he was too young for the evening class.
I kind of knew what I was doing anyway, so I started training on my own, but I knew early socialization was important. So, I brought Winter everywhere I went, to pickup at school, to the parenting class I was taking (in the crate - she was tiny), to all the T-ball games and soccer games, you name it she came along. Everywhere we went we met more puppies! Pretty soon I had a steady group of puppies that got together at my house for play and training sessions. I freely shared all the information and knowledge I had and Winter got socialized with all manner of dogs as well as people.
