The Proper Puppy

01/01/2025

Welcoming 2025 with a bit about me. Hi, I'm Lori. I am in love with my job. I wake up daily feeling grateful for my clients. My dog clients too! I strive to be the best. The best listener, the best educator, the best coach, to have the best insight, and to overall make you feel the best when you are in my training programs because you see the success and know what it means to have an obedient, loving, respectful relationship with your dog. Each dog is different. Some have so much puppy energy, some reactive, others anxious, or problem behaviors. The root of the problem is what I strive to find. It's not always what you might think. Let's talk Callaway... My dog is in fact one of my best friends. But, I also hold him to a standard of expectations within my family pack. He's the demonstration some dog's need to be calm in a stressful situation, or maybe a handler needs to understand form. Shout out to him! I work with a variety of breeds, ages and temperaments. Fun fact: I have WELL over 20,000 hours of time spent on the training field. If I added up the real number it would shock you and me. I'm an expert based on time spent, knowledge, and overall understanding. I believe in continued education, I believe in hard work, and I believe in helping owners understand their dog's needs. Giving them the ability to communicate effectively, intentionally play, work, and lead. When training with me in board and train or private training just know the program is tailored, intentional, and supports the overall plan for you and your dog. I put in the effort so each dog I meet can be their best. Thanks to those clients who have supported me for years, and to those I'm about to meet. Happy New Year!!!!

06/08/2024

Reactivity looks a bit different to every dog. Here is a little synopsis of a board and train take home note I created for this dog’s owner. At the end of every board and train I provide a detailed follow up with a go to schedule and how to maintain the behaviors the dog learned and lived by within my home.

05/06/2024

A replica of Callaway! I am so grateful for my clients and those that support The Proper Puppy. What an amazing skill! Callaway will have a very special place to be showcased.

03/26/2024

I love how this info is digestible via picture form. In session, when I mention ‘barrier threshold,’ we often practice systematic desensitization drills after. Counter conditioning is when we practice behavior modification through building new associations that trigger the reward center of the brain rather than the opposite feeling. This is often done with rewards or providing less pressure - space.

03/08/2024

01/03/2024

https://www.theproperpuppypnw.com/services

12/28/2023

Sir Callaway V Alpine Valley

11/09/2023

The Puppy Program is the perfect guide for all fundamentals. Teach your puppy how to live within the family pack. Dante and Akira are two Littermates that have entered the program.

10/30/2023

We will be hosting a booth! Free dog training consultations, candy galore and dog treats! Can’t wait to see you all! Dont forget to bring the kids! All of the vendors at HarvestFest will have candy pass out. 10/31 Halloween 4pm-8pm located at the Mill on Lake Stevens. North cove.

09/26/2023

So many came out to inquire, visit, and advocate for The Proper Puppy. Huge shout out to Brad and Kylo for being involved in a live demonstration of what it’s like to live with and work a reactive dog. I could have not asked for a better duo.

09/12/2023

We will be hosting a booth at the Wiggly Walk 2023! Come say hi! This is our second year demonstrating a couple of drills and overall discussion of training how-tos. Also, free consultations!! See you sept 23rd. Noon-4pm 413 sky river parkway

08/04/2023

The puppy program is great for dogs ages 14 weeks-10 months. 8 private training sessions are included as well as important insight and “hand holding” through crate training, potty training, developmental stages, management, fundamental obedience and more. Homework and take home videos to lead you through puppy rearing week by week.

06/21/2023

Rehoming wire-haired pointing griffon

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/wirehaired-pointing-griffon/

This is Floyd. He is one year old. He’s AKC certified, has papers, capable, smart, loving, enthusiastic, and trained with a balanced approached- he’s conditioned to a communication system. He’s gone through professional training.

The cost of training and Floyd has now exceeded $3,000 Yet, for these owners cost is not at the forefront of their focus.

The owners have demanding jobs and young children with after school activities. Floyd’s desire to work and play has pinned the family into a rock and a hard place.

Floyd is truly a rockstar with obedience if managed and expected to follow through. He needs an experienced working dog owner that has the time to spend with him.

He is agile, and has the comprehensive abilities to be a great hunting dog or dog sport dog.

He’s wonderful with children and other dogs.

Floyd craves daily handler-dog one on one time. He’s crate trained, and is a healthy boy.

The cost of rehome is up for discussion and not set. The most important aspect for this family is that Floyd gets the attention and loving family that he deserves.

Please reach out to me if interested and share with a capable owner/family if you have one in mind!

04/16/2023

This Wolamute: Alaskan Malamute-Timber wolf hybrid is starting out on a harness like most puppies. Breeders will often recommend a harness for puppies beginning stages. Some people never transition out of this equipment because it’s what they have been told to use and they keep to what they are used to. Think about the dogs in Alaska running the Iditarod. Those dogs are hooked up with harnesses, using opposition reflex to push forward simply by pulling back. This is how that equipment works, a pull builds a pull! Now fast forward! You have an adult dog pulling you like a sled, everywhere! Find out what equipment may be better for your dog once they leave the puppy stage and when it’s time to transition. Teaching a dog a loose leash walk is heaps harder with equipment that tells the dog to pull just by building backwards pressure.

03/30/2023

I love when this type of information swirls around the training community. This is what I tell my clients daily! Puppy play dates are not the best way to socialize. First, get the dog to focus on you around distractions! We wouldn’t arrange a play date with strangers prior to meeting them with our children. We don’t know who they are, what behaviors the parents accept, and if they are friendly people even. Consider that when forcing your dog to say hi to a stranger dog. You are risking a lot by taking a chance. Socialization starts with you working with your dog around other people, places, and things once they are able to focus on you.

02/28/2023

I couldn’t agree more

We often see dog owners afraid of applying stimulation to the dog and think that by using the vibrate only that it would be "less" aversive to the dog. This is a common misconception and every dog response differently to the vibration function. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Robin McFarlane breaks it all down in the blog. Here is the quick summary: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
"The vibration function is often viewed as a less aversive alternative to stimulation. However, I encourage users to consider the dog’s point of view rather than fall prey to potential emotional bias about stimulation, aka “shock”.​​​​​​​​
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I suspect any person that routinely uses the word shock rather than stim or e-stim is quite likely to regard vibration as less aversive. The emotional bias creates a training mindset that reserves the use of “shock” for behaviors the handler considers more nefarious. i.e. “My dog was so stubborn, I had to shock him to get him to stop!”​​​​​​​​
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However, the vibration function isn’t always less aversive to the dog. It depends on the dog in question. I’ve trained numerous dogs that find the abrupt shaking sensation of the pager far more startling than a low level stim. Because the vibration is not variable in intensity, it cannot be dialed down the way that stimulation can and for some dogs it is just too much. Always remember, it is only the dog’s perception that counts, not the humans!"​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

01/24/2023

My last working session until mid-March/ end of March with the best dressed duo around. My maternity leave has begun! To all my clients: although I will be on maternity leave, please do not feel the urge to withhold communication if you need guidance. I’m happy to get back to you asap! Never feel lost or confused! I’ll be uploading content I’ve been too busy to share throughout my leave time. Until then, enjoy a matching sweater moment that can be desired 😂