Dog Training in San Diego

From an early age, it was evident that Sparky had a deep passion for dogs. His path into dog training began in Port Townsend, WA, where he worked as an apprentice with a Police K9 trainer. During this time, Sparky was introduced to Schutzhund (IGP), and by the age of 11, he became the youngest competitor in Washington State.

By 13, Sparky had earned Schutzhund Level 1 and Tracking Level 3 titles, along with several ‘High Tracking’ awards with his German Shepherd. Sparky then advanced his training at the prestigious Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers, where he participated in the Long Term Immersion Program under one of the leading trainers globally.

Currently, he is a successful Mondioring competitor and recently won the 2024 USMRA National Championship at Level 2 with his dog Archie. They will compete in the FCI Mondioring World Championship in Greece in October of 2024, and have also achieved a notable tie for the highest Mondioring Level 2 score in US history with 298/300 points.

Sparky’s dedication to the human-canine bond goes beyond working dogs, encompassing all dog owners and their dogs. Achieving high level scores with a working dog requires a a deep bond and intuition with animals and meticulous eye for behavior changes. This is what makes Sparky incredible to work with.

He has a keen eye for what individual dogs and their people need in order to reach their goals.

My interest in dog training began when I got my first dog, Scout, in 2017. He had severe reactivity toward dogs and humans, and his behavior worsened over time. I struggled to manage his reactions, which led me to the Michael Ellis School for Dog Trainers. I completed a 5 month immersion program, which inspired a passion beyond training my own dog.

I wanted to help other owners find the same relationship and peace with their reactive dogs. In the last 8 years I have worked with dogs and their humans, helping families all over the world, including in Greece, Colorado, Washington, California, and Oregon. I look forward to helping more dogs and their people achieve a brighter and more fulfilling life together.

Lorie has joked that “once you raise ½ dozen kids you might as well train dogs, right? She absolutely loves her job and takes “Train To Transform'' seriously. After working for years in a dog training job that limited the true power and range of Balanced Training, Lorie is excited to partner with the Koru K9 Team and help ALL dogs.

She took her passion to Oregon where she attended and passed the Koru K9 Balanced Training Master’s Program. One of her strongest areas is confidence building. Both in the dog and within the dog owners as well. She understands that oftentimes it can be a daunting journey but coaching is where she shines.

With a great sense of humor and lots of understanding, patience and guidance, Lorie is passionate about helping you and your dog be the best you can be and truly partner with one another. As an in-home and private session trainer, Lorie will be with you every step of the way! Beginning your training journey in the comfort of your own home, Lorie will help you build a training foundation to carry out anywhere.

Her expertise and compassion extends to the entire family and Lorie loves to get the whole pack involved and help you all grow together. Lorie lives on a 35 acre horse ranch in Wine Country, Temecula with her husband, son and two Queensland Heelers (Gimli and Frodo) as well as a collection of loving ranch cats.