MEET YOUR Trainer
Lauriel Leachman
Professional Dog Trainer
Hi, I’m Lauriel, owner and trainer of PNW Pack Leader. My passion for dog training grew through my work in animal rescue and shelters, where I saw firsthand how often dogs lose their homes due to behavioral challenges, lack of guidance, or misunderstandings between dogs and their owners. Those experiences inspired me to help bridge that gap by giving people the tools, knowledge, and support they need to build successful, lasting relationships with their dogs.
Over the past four years, I’ve worked professionally with dogs of all breeds, ages, and temperaments. I believe training is about more than teaching commands, it’s about communication, trust, and creating a partnership that allows both dogs and their owners to thrive together.
My own dog Ayla has played a huge role in shaping my journey as a trainer. I adopted her through rescue knowing she had a bite history and struggled with resource guarding and overexcitement. Working through those issues together has given me valuable firsthand experience with behavior modification and reinforced my belief that many dogs simply need the right guidance, structure and consistency to succeed. Today, Ayla works alongside me as a training partner, helping with socialization opportunities and supporting dogs during Walk & Train sessions and Pack Walks.
My training philosophy is rooted in dog psychology, body language, and clear communication using both classical and operant conditioning to create lasting behavior change. I use a balanced approach with positive reinforcement and fair corrections when needed for clarity and safety. This helps dogs build better emotional responses while also learning clear, reliable behaviors. Rather than just managing symptoms, I focus on the root cause and help owners better understand and communicate with their dogs.
Whether you’re working through reactivity, anxiety, overexcitement, impulse control, social skills, or general obedience, my goal is to help you better understand your dog and build a calmer, more connected relationship. Nothing is more rewarding to me than helping dogs stay in the homes they belong in and giving owners the confidence to enjoy life with their dogs for years to come.
Why choose a balanced trainer?
At PNW Pack Leader, dog training focuses on building a strong, trusting relationship between you and your dog while creating clear communication and lasting behavior change. I help owners understand dog body language, meet their dog’s physical and mental needs, and communicate with calm, consistent guidance.
Training uses both classical and operant conditioning, which work together to change emotional responses and teach clear, reliable behaviors. Classical conditioning changes how a dog feels about triggers such as reactivity, anxiety, or overexcitement by creating new, positive associations. Operant conditioning teaches clear behaviors through structure, rewards, and fair consequences so dogs learn what is expected of them.
Using a balanced approach with rewards, tools, redirection, clear boundaries, and fair corrections, we create structure and communication without force or fear. The result is a more confident dog and an empowered owner working together in harmony.
