Pawlite Pups, LLC

08/19/2024

It’s hard to believe that Pawlite Pups is celebrating its 2-year anniversary(4 days late, but life’s been busy)!

When I started this journey, I was filled with both excitement and nerves about what year two would bring. I’m thrilled and deeply grateful to share that, thanks to the amazing support of my Pawlite Pups and their wonderful families, the business has grown eightfold this year alone. Your trust and commitment mean the world to me, and I’m so honored to be a part of your lives. Here’s helping pups become their calmest, happiest selves—together! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

07/24/2024

Remy is a model and I’m obsessed.

06/28/2024

Are YOU listening to your dog?

I often hear complaints about dogs not listening—here are some key aspects that humans often ignore or refuse to accept and address:

Body Language:
Many humans ignore or misunderstand their dog’s body language. A wagging tail doesn’t always mean happiness; it can indicate anxiety or agitation. Dogs use their entire body to communicate, and missing these cues can lead to misunderstandings and behavioral issues.

Not Addressing Root Causes: Owners frequently focus on stopping unwanted behaviors without understanding the underlying causes. For example, a dog barking excessively might be bored, anxious, or seeking attention. Addressing the root cause is essential for effective behavior modification.

Overlooking Socialization Needs: PROPER socialization is often neglected, leading to fear or aggression towards other dogs and people. Regular, CONTROLLED exposure to various environments, people, and other animals is crucial for a well-adjusted dog.

Lack of Mental Stimulation:
Many dogs act out because they are bored. Owners often underestimate the need for mental stimulation, which is just as important as physical exercise.

Avoiding Professional Help:
Some people are reluctant to seek professional training or behavior advice. Professional trainers can provide valuable insights and techniques that are tailored to your dog’s specific needs.

To be transparent, your dog’s perceived disobedience is often a reflection of what you are not willing to address. By actively observing your dog and understanding these key aspects, you can build a stronger, more effective communication channel.

Im here to help :)

06/21/2024

Thanks as always to our go to local pet store for having and spoiling us ♥️ Our Leesville location has the kindest employees who are ALWAYS warm and helpful.

Go today and make your own free treat bags, grab a free bandana and pup cocktail and have the best air conditioning doggie bbq on this 🔥 Friday!

06/18/2024

I am at my happiest when you grant me the privilege of working with your dogs, trusting me to guide their training and development. Thank you to all the Pawlite Pup families in the Triangle for your continued support, I love you all so much✌🏼🤍🐾

04/11/2024

I wanted to take a moment to reintroduce myself to you all. Hi there, I’m Olivia, the owner of Pawlite Pups, bringing over a decade of experience in the dog industry to Raleigh-Durham and its surrounding areas. As a certified dog trainer, I've dedicated years to developing sustainable systems that enhance the bonds between humans and canines. Combining a variety of methods from a balanced approach to dog training, I prioritize positive reinforcement, using rewards like treats, praise, and playtime to encourage desired behaviors. Simultaneously, I incorporate gentle corrections and boundaries to address unwanted behaviors. My approach focuses on understanding each dog's unique needs and tailoring training methods accordingly. When I’m not becoming your dog’s next bff, I spend my time working on Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program, the first of its kind in the nation, providing healthy medically tailored meals to enrollees in need throughout six counties in Southeastern NC. This initiative reflects my unwavering commitment to promoting positive conscious changes within our community. With an educational background in sustainability and food systems, coupled with my journey as a cancer survivor and celiac, I'm dedicated to pioneering meaningful transformations that deeply resonate.

12/03/2023

We’ve come along way in 5 years. To this day, there hasn’t been a more challenging dog to train than my own, hounds are fuuuuun 🤪 This year I FINALLY took the time to off leash train Potato using his edition I got years ago 😆, and it’s been a game changer. I’m proud of us. If you’ve been making slow progress in your training, stay patient, stay consistent and take small steps daily. Expecting quick results will leave you disappointed.

Dogs (like all pets) are life long commitments, as always do your best to remember that this holiday season.

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are road-tripping to Helen, GA with Potato AND Pubz (my cat) for a few days and I couldn’t be happier. Remember to advocate for your pets today, especially if you’re bringing them somewhere new or hosting. Don’t let your family disrespect their boundaries (or yours!), utilize the crate if needed and have extra play/train/walk time with them before things get hectic. Have questions? I’ll be in the car for 3 more hours and am all ears..just like Potato 🤍🐾🤍🐾

11/22/2023

This brown eyed girl graduated this week, and man oh man will I miss seeing her sweet face regularly! Her personality is 100% PURE SWEET BABY GIRL. I’m so proud of her and for their dedication and hard work🐾🤍

10/29/2023

Big fans.

10/05/2023

Tis’ the season for your pups to be outside and to START TRAINING! There is honestly no time like the present, but also no season as great as Autumn to train your dog (imo). The weather is great, you both actually want to be outside, and they’ll be better behaved right in time for the holidays. I’m ready to get some extra steps in and help more pups gain confidence 🤍🐾

See website for more details!

09/21/2023

We spent Josie’s third session giving her a bath. Josie is one of the sweetest rescue pups who has struggled with fear based challenges, one being bathrooms and baths. Though we do not know whether this is due to abuse or a bad bathing experience, it was something her mom wanted us to tackle.

Bath time, nail trims, ear cleanings, brushing teeth, grooming are all things we need to INTRODUCE to our dogs, and there is definitely a RIGHT and WRONG way to do it.

My general rule of thumb? If you can’t wash your dog, trim their nails, or clean their ears without them staying calm, then it may not always be a wise choice to throw in the towel (pun intended) and bring them to a professional. A dog bather who’s getting paid minimum wage is NOT trained in dog behavior, they are trained on how to bathe and dry a dog in the best and most efficient way possible without hurting the dog. Your dog will be more scared with a stranger in a strange place without you, and that’ll be on you. Of course there’s exceptions, but be honest with yourself.

09/04/2023

We talk imposter syndrome, patience, and purpose 🤍

https://boldjourney.com/news/meet-olivia-shrader/

06/29/2023

It seems so obvious doesn't it, "Some Dogs Need Space". Why does your dog need space?

Fab drawing by Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin

06/27/2023

Especially when it comes to your training journey. It’s going to look different for every one 🤍🐾

We all go through things differently. 💙

05/18/2023

I miss my Pawlite Pups 🥹 one more week of recovery and I’ll be back at it! Stay tuned 🐾

01/22/2023

Teeheehee!
~ lis

01/21/2023

Happy graduation to the most handsome of good boys, Arlo, who completed the Pawlite Puppy Program!

Also a trooper when it came to the grad cap 🐾 🤍

12/29/2022

Thank you!

12/25/2022

To all of those who are celebrating today, Merry Christmas 🎄 I hope you stay warm and are able to take some time to relax and snuggle your pups 🐾

12/15/2022

It’s TIIIIIIIIIIIIME (Mariah Carey squeal)

It’s that time of the year when I BEG…please do not get a Christmas puppy. I know I’m going to get so much hate for this but hear me out! Christmas is one of the worst times to bring a dog into your life. Even if you have been thinking about getting one for a while, are financially stable, committed to them for life even if they tear up your shoes and p*e on every surface of your house—Christmas is still not the right time. You are likely going to be distracted, not in your usual routine, maybe even stressed and overwhelmed which is not going to be an ideal environment to introduce your pup to immediately. Generally, lots of food scraps, materials and germs are more easily accessible for pups in these situations, leading to an exceptionally exhaustive holiday for yourself.

If you are ready for the commitment of a puppy this holiday season, wait until the after the new year and see how you feel. I highly recommend fostering the millions of dogs looking for a home first, to see if they are a good match for you, your lifestyle and their needs.

As a reminder, if you are only able to adopt the dog because it’s free or discounted during the holiday, you are not ready for the financial commitment of a dog.

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for you all who have been following my business, but especially to those who have mentally supported me throughout this year. I am grateful to have a few close friends, a joyfully supportive partner, and a job that I LOVE.


📸 Morgan Waterbury

11/15/2022

New pup and overwhelmed on where to start? For those with pups 4 months and under, I encourage them to mainly focus on:

-Creating a routine and setting boundaries for their pup!
-Potty training is a given, PLEASE throw out your the bells hanging from your door k***s and the p*e pads.
-Crate training is ESSENTIAL. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you expect your dog to miraculous sleep through the night in a crate or while you are not home, but you never use it during the time you are home, you are setting your dog up for failure. Separation anxiety is the # 1 issue I see with dogs, if you're not crate training and/or constantly holding your pup for hours or allowing them to sleep in your bed or be by you all day, you are going to have issues when you leave them alone. If you are touching your dog when they are being mouthy/biting, barking, are scared, are jumping on you...you are reinforcing that behavior and they will never stop.
-While your pups are young start acclimating them to the things that will be regular activities in their life, such as bathing, nail trims and vet visits. We want to reinforce good behaviors and properly help them through any fear.

Questions?
I currently offer an in-home Pawlite Puppy Prep session for those with pups under 4 months old, to go over the above and everything else you need to know to get your pup acclimated to your home and ready for training!

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11/12/2022

Receiving texts like this at the end of my day reminds me of how grateful I am for my clients and all the hard work they put in.
Training your dog doesn’t happen over night, and the process is going to look different for every dog and household, but staying consistent with communication and boundaries and having patience throughout the process are absolutely key.

I love what I do, and messages like this are icing on the cake🤍🐾

11/08/2022

Meet Lucy!

When I met Lucy she had lived her entire life (~4 years) most likely in constant fear and neglect. It is believed to be that she was involved in a hoarding situation which led to her being stuck in a shelter for 9 months before being adopted. Like most rescue pups, we will never know the full extent of their trauma, and the abuse they have experienced throughout their life. Thankfully through training we can start to build these pup’s trust in humans and the world. Dog Training isn’t about the commands and the fun tricks, it’s about our willingness to love and learn how to communicate in the unique way our dog needs. It’s also about the moments like this.

These pictures are about 5 weeks since our first session together. Lucy and I hit the town, where she willingly accepted treats and pets from multiple people and even hung out with Potato and Drew on. Though there were times that Lucy may have barked or pulled on the leash, she was able to quickly be redirected and quiet with her focus on me, I COULD NOT be prouder of this progress. I cannot wait to see her continued progress throughout the rest of our time together!

11/06/2022

Meet Riley!

We’ve been working on her puppy behaviors, along with redirecting her high energy into productivity through obedience. She’ll be an official Pawlite Pup graduate in just a couple more weeks and I’m already so proud of her progress 🐾

10/31/2022

Happy HOWL-oween! I love seeing all the pup costumes today and over this past weekend. We hope everyone has a great day, and make sure to keep that candy out of reach for your pups!

10/29/2022

I do NOT like dog parks. I will never recommend entering one. The problem? Anything can happen at a dog park and there's little anyone can do about it. If your dog is attacked, bit or has any sort of negative experience, it can take months of work to get through that. Not every dog in a dog park wants to be there, most don't. People use dog parks as a way to 'socialize' their dogs and 'get out their energy'.

SOCIALIZATION DOES NOT INVOLVE YOUR DOG BEING AROUND OTHER DOGS. I cannot stress this enough!

Socialization IS introducing new situations in a safe, confidence building way, encouraging neutrality. This will NEVER include dog parks. If you dog need to get out energy, there are many ways to do this in a way that fulfills their breed needs. Having a dog sprint around a dog park, barking and jumping all over people and dogs isn't it.

10/27/2022

Some things to consider before starting training:

Is this the best TIME for me to commit?

At all my consultations, I talk to my clients about if this is the right time for them to commit to training. Are you financially and mentally prepared? Are you a new parent, grieving, super busy, about to go on an extended vacation, etc? Dog training doesn't happen over night and takes patience, consistency and daily work. Though I LOVE finding ways to add training into my client's busy daily routine, sometimes it may just not be the right time to commit and THAT'S OK. We will be here when you are ready :)

Am I willing to follow through with what I am being taught?

If you are not following through with a command you are asking your dog to do, they will NEVER learn that they need to follow through. If you are not willing to set the boundaries recommended or want to pick and choose what you listen to, Pawlite Pups may not be the dog training for you.

Is everyone in my household willing to get on board?

This is a SUPER important question to consider. I will never expect all people in the household to train the dog especially children, but I do expect everyone to follow through with the boundaries set. If your partner or children are constantly reinforcing unwanted behaviors when you're not around, your dog will NOT learn. Everyone needs to be on the same page. If your children are too young to understand, you need to feel comfortable taking charge of the situation. I will always teach you how to do this.

I pride myself on being transparent and communicative every step of the way. if you're ready to commit!

10/25/2022

EVERY DOG IS UNIQUE. But, from a BREED standpoint, the GENERAL demeanor of a dog such as a Chihuahua versus that of a Labrador are going to look pretty different. We can't expect a Chihuahua to act exactly like a Lab or vise versa. If you know your dog's breed(s) or if you're looking to add a new dog into your home, I urge you to do some research on what breed will work best for you, and if/how you can meet their breed fulfillment needs. Again, every dog is different, I've worked with fearful labs, and chihuahuas that are social butterflies, but like humans, we can't expect pups to be something they are not bred to be.