About Me
Hi, I’m Lauren Whittemore.
I've been a passionate behavior nerd since I was young. It started with family dogs and childhood horses, and a curiosity about what makes animals — and people — tick. From the science of learning theory to the joy of teaching a silly trick, I've always been drawn to the connection between people and their dogs.
That curiosity led me to the University of Colorado, where I studied animal behavior with Marc Bekoff and earned a degree in biology. For a time, I put that degree to use working for the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department as an environmental educator and wildlife tech. That work led me into a master's program in wildlife management at Colorado State University and eventually founding a wildlife research consulting business. I’ve worked on a variety of species, from endangered mice to wolves, mule deer and elk.
While I was deep in behavioral science, I joined two local volunteer search and rescue teams: Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and Front Range Rescue Dogs. With the help of fantastic teammates, I trained and deployed with two of my own canine partners — Chapin and Seeker — in wilderness, water, and human remains searches. We searched for everyone from lost children and overdue hikers to plane crash and drowning victims.
This challenging work became one of the most meaningful parts of my life. Partnering with Chapin and Seeker was an endlessly fascinating journey – one that demanded an understanding of how my dogs perceived the world, the ability to read the subtle nuances of their body language, and training to a level that would hold up when lives were at stake. I also got to see a lot of Colorado by headlamp with some outstanding people.
A request from OSMP to teach their brand new off-leash voice and sight control standards to the public changed my trajectory completely. I sold my wildlife consulting business, stepped out of my master's program, and founded Dog Gone Good Training. I've never looked back.
Helping people and their dogs find better understanding, joy, and connection is the most playful, impactful, and purposeful work I can imagine. Every day is an adventure and an opportunity to make new friends and help build a better community.
When I'm not working, you'll find me adventuring in Colorado with my husband, our three (grown) kids, and our three dogs — hiking, camping, paddleboarding, and playing pickleball.
My Approach
My training is rooted in behavior science, understanding what drives your dog’s behavior and using that knowledge to build skills that actually stick. In practice, that means finding what motivates your dog and making the right choice.
Different dogs and different goals call for different approaches. I don’t follow a single rigid methodology, because dogs aren’t rigid. They’re individuals with different histories, temperaments, and needs. What works for a confident, food-motivated lab puppy looks different from what works for a fearful rescue or dog being prepared for reliable off-leash freedom in the real world.
What stays consistent is that I’m paying attention to the dog in front of me, communicating as clearly as I can and adjusting based on what they’re telling me. That’s what good training looks like, regardless of the context.
