About The Trainer
Hello! My name is Meghan, I’m trained and certified by Tenderfoot Natural Dog Training. I began working with dogs professionally back in 2019 when I became a dog walker. At first, it was something I did on the side of my other jobs, a way for me to get some time with dogs when I was living away from my childhood dog. I realized that dog walking was one of the best jobs I’d ever had and I wanted to find a way to have a greater impact on the people and dogs I was working with. I found Tenderfoot in 2021 when I moved to Boulder, CO. After observing one of their lessons I fell in love with their method and decided to complete their trainer certification program. Since getting my certification I’ve moved back to Amherst. I’m excited to train dogs back in my hometown and to help people feel secure in their relationship with their dog.
About the Training
The Tenderfoot 3-step method outlines 3 simple drills that help us build the foundations for everything we want to do with our dogs. We go back to the basics of how to communicate with our dogs in a way that makes intuitive sense to them. We won’t be utilizing treats or devices as motivation but rather will work out of the respect we have for each other.
Here’s a little more about the three foundational drills.
The Post Drill teaches our dogs about patience and calmness, as well as about respecting a boundary. As owners, we learn how to read their body language and anticipate their actions.
The Dance Drill teaches us how to walk fluidly together on the leash without pulling or reactions. We will see how our energy flows into our dogs and impacts their actions.
The Out Drill helps us set boundaries with our dogs and teaches us how to claim space. Our dogs learn to respect space, setting the stage for other cues like “stay” and “leave it”.
These drills teach us strategies to communicate more clearly with our dogs - in ways that they already understand. We will develop our leadership skills as owners, helping our dogs succeed by becoming calm and confident in our own abilities. The structure we bring to our lives together will allow us to open our dogs to an even larger world than they have known before.