Hello, I'm Laurie Johnson, owner and founder of Western Mass Dog Training and proud owner of Apple, my 30 lb golden doodle. As my first experience raising a puppy, she's been my best teacher and pawtner, and my inspiration for dog training!

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I specialize in puppy classes, private one-on-one training, and unique dog socialization programs. My deep passion is centered around nurturing dogs emotionally and fostering strong connections between them and their owners. This is crucial for the development of a collaborative relationship, where cooperation and trust lay the foundation for emotional resilience and the emergence of positive behaviors.

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If this resonates with you, let's connect and explore how we can work together to enhance your relationship with your furry friend. Get in touch here and let's embark on this journey together!

 

PHILOSOPHY

A lot of dog training relies on strict obedience and aversive tools to instill good behaviors. These approaches sometimes provide quick results, but they are often short-term, tend to neglect the underlying causes behind undesirable behaviors, and can lead to emotional shutdown in dogs or increasingly higher punishment levels for compliance. In the end, we see disappointment, frustration, and discontent for both dogs and their human companions.

 

Recognizing the limitations of traditional dog training methods, I've developed a philosophy that prioritizes the emotional well-being of our canine companions. Instead of focusing strictly on obedience, I'm interested in improving their mindset by fostering optimism, and teaching them to regulate emotions like fear, frustration, and over-excitement. Through compassionate training techniques, I guide dogs to feel safe and make healthier, calmer choices that fulfill their needs. This approach enables them to thrive emotionally, while also fostering a strong, rewarding connection with their owners.

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My approach focuses on teaching dogs how to access and enjoy relaxation on their own, helps establish clear communication between owner and dog, provides frequent rewards, and utilizes interactive games. Together, these practices foster a positive predictive mindset in the dog, supporting its ability to manage fear, anxiety, frustration, and over-excitement. The joy I experience seeing dogs become calmer, make safer choices, and interact confidently with owners and others is truly fulfilling. This process ideally begins during crucial early puppyhood years, but I firmly believe that compassionate and patient training can transform the behavior of adult dogs as well.

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TRAINING APPROACH

My work draws significantly from Mark McCabe’s innovative Training Between the Ears system (TBTE). TBTE aims to rebalance a dog's autonomic nervous system, addressing the root causes behind behavioral issues and emotions like stress, fear, and anxiety. TBTE also focuses on changing a dog's mindset away from predicting bad outcomes in the specific contexts that concern it, thereby removing its need to act out with maladaptive behaviors in order to cope with its discomfort. By focusing on fostering a more optimistic and relaxed demeanor, TBTE encourages better behavioral choices, eliminating the need to correct undesirable ones.

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Even what may seem like joyful hyperactivity could stem from underlying anxiety. Have you encountered someone exuding high energy but seemed slightly off-balance and potentially anxious? In many cases, what looks like joyful hyperactivity may actually indicate that the dog is attempting to manage underlying anxiety. This emotion manifests itself in over-excitement, a phenomenon known as eustress, but it shares similar root causes to distress.

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Many behavioral issues, such as leash reactivity or excessive exuberance, stem from an overactive "fight or flight" sympathetic nervous system in dogs. Like humans, dogs seek positive relationships and fun, and they want to learn. However, like us, they often struggle to relax, handle stress, or effectively learn in this heightened state. Consequently, dog owners can find themselves constantly managing their dog's behavior through obedience training without addressing the root cause. By rewiring a dog’s nervous system and mindset, TBTE aims to fundamentally alter a dog’s internal state, significantly reducing conflict and the constant need for behavioral management.

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If this sounds like the approach you and your dog need, get in touch with us and share more about you and your furry companion!

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MY JOURNEY

My journey into dog training is rooted in my earlier careers in behavioral economics and environmental justice. After earning my economics doctorate from the University of Washington in 1998, I taught undergraduate and master-level courses for fifteen years. Subsequently, I spent ten years working in the environmental non-profit sector, focusing on how different environments and reward structures could support people in reaching their full potential.

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Then came Apple, my thirty-pound golden doodle, my greatest teacher. She was my first experience raising a puppy and the reason for my career shift into dog training. Bursting with excitement, armed with research skills, and having sought a puppy bred for desirable traits, I thought it would be easy. However, Apple turned out to be a sensitive dog with a naturally nervous disposition, making her difficult to socialize with new dogs, hyperactively nervous (but thankfully very friendly!) with new people, and somewhat reactive to unexpected noises. Yet these unexpected challenges unveiled an incredible opportunity: having to learn how to help Apple ignited my passion to transition from my prior careers and become a dog trainer.

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Though it initially seemed like a radical departure, I quickly realized that my love of dog training was motivated by the same forces that drove my prior careers. Our canine companions are infinitely more intricate than I initially grasped, and working towards providing them equal opportunities for optimal social and emotional development has been so rewarding and interesting!

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EXPERIENCE AND CERTIFICATIONS

My professional journey with dogs began in 2021. I took a course with Rhonda Bilodeau, voted Best Dog Trainer in Vermont in 2022, on off-leash dog socialization in a day camp hiking context. Concurrently working at a doggy daycare, I ran an off-leash socialization and hiking service out of Shelburne Falls, MA.

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Subsequently, I delved into Rhonda’s Happy Rescue Dogs program, dedicated to assisting traumatized rescue dogs and their owners. Applying the concepts from that program, I initiated remedial training with my dog Apple, focusing on confidence building and relaxation skills.

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In 2022, I gained certification in dog training through the Dog Behavior and Obedience Program at the Dog Trainer College in Spencer, IN. This 180-hour comprehensive, in-person training program focused on canine behavior and rewards-based obedience skills, providing hands-on experience in obedience work with dogs. It also covered foundational knowledge in breed temperaments, canine first aid, and nutrition.

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Through my journey with Apple, I quickly discovered that basic obedience wasn't all that useful in resolving her emotional struggles. Driven further by curiosity about the inner lives of dogs and how to enrich Apple's life, I pursued further training with Rhonda in her year-long certification program on behavioral modification techniques, co-taught with Jessica Gorham. Among many approaches, Rhonda and Jess’s methodology draws significantly from the TBTE system.

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Studying with Rhonda and Jess, and learning about TBTE, transformed my approach to working and playing with dogs and their humans/owners, as well as my relationship with Apple. Dog training resonates with my understanding of human motivations in my former careers, aligning with my deep desire to understand the inner lives of all beings. I've witnessed this approach in action, inspiring me as anxious, scared, aggressive, unpredictable dogs learn to relax and open up to their owners and trainers. Observing their shift from being guarded and reactive to confident, optimistic, and able to listen to human requests, is truly heartwarming.

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CONTINUING EDUCATION

While I have completed core certification and training programs, my learning journey continues, and I expect it always will! I love staying updated on new methods and learning from diverse trainers, as the beauty of dogs and dog trainers lies in their diversity. It seems there's an infinite number of creative ways to adapt and create different methods. There's always more to learn, and so many distinctive approaches to explore, I'm pretty sure I will never get bored! 

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If you share the belief that learning is a lifelong journey, connect with us and let's keep discovering new ways to enhance the lives of you and your dog!