welcome to
the menagerie.

We’re all a little feral here.

WE TRAIN DOGS

FOR REAL LIFE.

Hikes, breweries, visitors, cats, chaos, and everything in between. From brand new puppies to complex behavior cases, our focus is clear communication, strong leadership, and real world skills that actually stick.

Meet the Team

  • Lauren

    LEAD TRAINER

    Lauren began her work in the dog world in 2015 when she founded a non-profit rescue for aggressive dogs in Kansas. Her passion has always been with the underdogs. The problem dogs. The ones labeled “too difficult” or “too much.” Her training focuses on communication with you and your dog, creating a shared language, mutual understanding, and trust through teamwork. By changing your dog’s emotional state through relationship building and purposeful work, we create clarity. When dogs understand what is expected of them, they gain confidence, see the world differently, and truly thrive.

  • Bert

    PROFESSIONAL BAD BOI

    Bert is a purebred black pug born in January 2020 and rescued from Oklahoma. He is my right hand man and many dogs’ very first friend. You will usually find him running buck wild at Dog Club, assisting in lessons, or holding down the fort from the center console of the pink Jeep. He goes where I go. A true small town celebrity and loved by just about everyone he meets.

  • Vera

    CHIEF CHAOS COORDINATOR

    Vera is a purebred Malinois and was born in September of 2025 out of the SaltoXVendetta litter from Joel and Maddie Clercq. She is my Mondio sport dog prospect, and we have high hopes for her! She loves her brother.

  • Pearl

    WILDLIFE CONTROL SPECIALIST

    Pearl was born in 2017 and she has always been an indoor outdoor cat, even when we lived in downtown Kansas City. She once busted through a second story window screen and returned three days later just to prove she cannot be contained. These days she spends her time patrolling the property and killing chipmunks and other vermin. Pearl plays an important role in training by helping dogs safely learn how to coexist with cats in real life situations. She takes her job very seriously.

  • Gilligan

    SENIOR DIRECTOR OF SELECTIVE AFFECTION

    Gilligan joined me in January 2023 after his previous owners passed away. He is 41 years old and has only ever had two owners. He is a grumpy old man who does not particularly care for anyone but me, which is not uncommon for birds. He serves as an excellent distraction for board and train dogs and is a very loved and respected member of our zoo.

where sass
meets science.

Qualifications matter. Anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, believe it or not. Proven success and documented results in the specific areas you are seeking help with are non negotiable.

Choosing a trainer based solely on social media presence or vibes is not enough. Whether you choose us or someone else, we strongly encourage you to ask to see real work and proof of real results. Great training is a serious investment, and you deserve to feel confident that your time and money are being well spent.

Another equally important factor is that you genuinely like and respect your trainer. We will be spending a lot of time together, and that relationship matters. You should feel engaged, confident, and even excited to show up and put in the work.

Lauren is a certified Training Without Conflict professional, certified by Ivan Balabanov, two time IGP World Champion.
 https://www.trainingwithoutconflict.com/find-trainer/lauren-paige

She has mentored under Paul Deschamps, a 2x Mondio World Team competitor and nationally recognized speaker, and is an AKC evaluator, offering Canine Good Citizen evaluations and additional AKC certifications.

Pawgrams

  • We require that all clients begin with private lessons before becoming eligible for additional services such as board and trains or sleepovers. We offer one on one lessons covering a variety of topics including raising a new puppy, recall, reactivity, and aggression.

    Starting with lessons allows us to get to know each other and gives your dog the opportunity to build a relationship with our team, creating a smoother transition into future programs if needed. These lessons are tailored to the goals you set and allow you, as the owner, to be an active participant in the learning process. Repeated hands on practice is key to creating skills that stick long term.

    Lessons are primarily held in the Richmond area but may take place in a variety of locations depending on what we are working through and the type of environment needed to accomplish your goals. We train dogs to have real world skills, which means getting them out into the real world to work through the exact situations you are here to fix.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • This program is ideal for owners who need additional help getting in the reps, want to jumpstart their puppy’s training, or are dealing with more severe behavioral issues such as reactivity or aggression that cannot be fully addressed through private lessons alone.

    Board and trains run for a minimum of four weeks and may span six to eight weeks depending on the issues at hand and how quickly your dog progresses. Dogs are not kept in a commercial kennel or facility. They live in our homes with us, and we only take two to three board and trains at a time to ensure they receive the same attention and structure as our own dogs.

    Dogs in this program go home on weekends to allow owners time to practice reinforcing newly learned behaviors and to ensure communication and leadership translate back into the home environment. This also allows us to assess what is working and what may need additional attention, while giving you the opportunity to see your dog regularly.

    Upon completion of the program, a comprehensive go home lesson is provided covering everything that was taught. For clients living within Vermont, we provide an in home follow up lesson one to two weeks post program to ensure a smooth transition. Additional private lessons are included and scheduled in the weeks following completion.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • Sleepovers are our version of boarding, but they are more than just boarding. While your dog is with us, they stay in our home, and we continue reinforcing foundational training through daily life.

    Dogs may also participate in lessons, giving them exposure to situations you may not regularly encounter at home. This provides valuable proofing opportunities and allows us to assess how training is holding up in real time. This is especially beneficial for dogs working through reactivity or aggression toward humans or other dogs.

    Sleepovers are available only to current clients who have completed a training program with us and are extremely limited.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • Dog Club is where we put our training to the test in the real world through group outings around Vermont with like minded dog owners and their dogs. Outings vary month to month and may include hikes, BBQs at Menagerie HQ, brewery meetups, or swimming holes.

    These structured outings allow you to practice the situations you may feel nervous attempting on your own. You will be surrounded by others working toward similar goals, speaking the same training language, and holding consistent expectations for their dogs.

    Dog Club provides live support and guidance from a professional trainer, with the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback in real time. This is our continuing education program for teams who have completed a training program and participation is by invitation only.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • Sit. Stay. Send It. is our adventure series offering classes, courses, and seminars throughout the year designed to teach you how to safely incorporate your dog into adventurous activities or learn something new. Think mountain biking, cross country skiing, camping trips, backcountry skiing, sport dog training, and more.

    We bring in experts in each discipline while we handle the dog training component to ensure both ends of the partnership are prepared and capable.

    Are you an instructor or guide in an adventurous hobby and interested in collaborating? Reach out.

    Keep an eye on our Instagram for announcements about upcoming events.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • Head Trainer Lauren offers mentorship programs for newly established trainers across a variety of capacities. Topics may include case consultation, business development, client communication, and more.

    She also offers shadowing opportunities during private lessons and board and train sessions, allowing trainers to gain hands on experience and observe real time problem solving and case management.

    There is occasional opportunity for long term collaboration and independent contractor roles within The Menagerie.

    Please reach out for pricing.

  • We are proud to partner with several local rescues throughout Vermont to support their most challenging behavioral cases through private lessons with fosters and board and train programs.

    Once a rescue dog completes our board and train program, we provide complimentary follow up lessons to the adopter to ensure a smooth transition and long term success in their new home. Ongoing phone support is also included.

    We offer rescues a significant discount of over 50 percent on all services. In addition to training support, we have been fortunate to help many dogs find homes through social media exposure, participation in client lessons, and attendance at Dog Club.

    Fosters working with rescues we have established relationships with are welcome to attend Dog Club free of charge after completing an initial lesson to review expectations and ground rules.

    We do not offer initial intake or foster evaluations for rescue dogs.

  • "Bella and I truly live a better life because lauren is in it.

    She is consistently in our corner, always there with guidance, training, and support whenever we need it. Lauren is an absolute badass, and I can promise you that if you trust her process, you will see real, meaningful results with your dog. What sets her apart is that she doesn’t just work on the ‘problem’ behaviors. She creates opportunities to practice in the real world by organizing group walks and connecting you with other dogs and people she has trained in the community. Her support goes far beyond individual sessions, and we are so grateful for her."

    — Danielle A.

  • "Lauren opened up the world for my dog which before was very small and limited.

    Because of the skills we learned we now have a conflict free life. We recently had the pleasure of joining her for a seminar, where Paul Edwards demoed bite work, Ashley Prine demoed search and rescue and Dylan Jones and Lauren Paige talked human aggression and dog training. An uncommon combination but what was a weekend of intrinsic learning and wonderful connections made across communities.”

    — Elizabeth P.

  • "If you have a reactive dog and are feeling discouraged with how to manage their behaviors - Lauren is your girl!!

    We had tried a few other forms of training for our 5-year-old rescue, but nothing stuck, and over time his reactivity worsened. Lauren's approach is clear, logical, and she is incredibly knowledgeable about animal behavior. We noticed improvements after the first session, but now, after several, we are able to take our dog anywhere. He can walk off-leash around our neighborhood, and is able to make good choices around previous triggers (other dogs, people, bikers, kids, squirrels, etc.). The greatest gift is seeing how happy our dog is, and the improved bond we have with him thanks to Lauren's support.”

    — Gina

  • "In just 4 lessons with Lauren we have already seen a huge positive change in our pup.

    Lauren has helped us built a common language between us and our dog. Now that he knows his expectations he is not only much happier, but our bond has grown as well. Today he stopped on a dead run after a bird with a simple recall! We will continue to work with Lauren and will be bringing our other dog along as well!”

    — Megan C.

Let’s work together

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