Proper Dog Academy
How Proper Dog Academy Works
Professional guidance. Personalized training. A better way to learn together.
We put a professional dog trainer in your corner — without sending your dog away.
Your Personal Dog Advisor works alongside your family to understand your dog, create a personalized training plan, and teach you how to put that plan into practice. Through weekly private sessions, education, and guided practice at home, you'll learn not only what to do, but why it works.
Your Training Journey
1. Start With a Free Consultation
We begin with a complimentary 30-minute consultation to learn about your dog, your challenges, and what you'd like to accomplish. We'll answer your initial questions and determine which program is the right fit.
2. Tell Us About Your Dog
Once you enroll, you'll complete a detailed questionnaire covering your dog's history, routines, environment, current behavior, and your family's goals.
3. Get Your Personalized Plan
We use what we've learned to create a structured 6- or 12-week training plan built around your dog, your family, and the areas where you need the most support.
4. Meet Weekly With Your Personal Dog Advisor
You'll meet privately with your dedicated Advisor for 45 minutes each week. We'll educate, demonstrate, troubleshoot, review progress, and teach you exactly what to work on next.
5. Practice. Progress. Adjust.
The real progress happens between sessions. You'll put each week's strategy into practice at home while your Advisor reviews your progress, helps troubleshoot challenges, and adjusts the plan as your dog develops.
The Proper Dog Framework
A Layered Approach to Building Calm, Reliable Dogs
Dogs don't improve through quick fixes. They improve when the right foundations are built in the right order.
At Proper Dog Academy, training is built step by step. Each layer strengthens the next, helping dogs develop clarity, confidence, everyday manners, and reliable behavior.
1. We Create the Right Environment
Where dogs are set up to succeed.
2. We Build Attention and Engagement
Where the dog learns to focus on you.
3. We Make Learning Worth It
Where rewards build motivation to try.
4. We Communicate Clearly With Markers
Where a clicker or “yes” marks the correct behavior.
5. We Teach Skills Step by Step
Where we capture, shape, target, or guide behaviors.
6. We Turn Skills Into Everyday Manners
Where dogs learn leash walking, place, recall, and calm greetings.
7. We Test Behavior Under Distractions
Where behaviors hold up around places, people, and real-life situations.
