About

About Temerity Dogs

“Temerity” is a great word. It means “audacity,” as in, “oh, that’s far too bold!” I hear an edge of admiration to the word. I believe the best way to approach a problem is from a place of determination and positivity. The person who taught me to see the world this way is Vesper, the dog that graces my logo. She’s taught me that anything worth doing is worth doing with enthusiasm, so let’s get in there and play.

Tegan’s Training Philosophy

There is no single way to train a dog, just like there isn’t one way to teach humans. Every dog needs something a little different. The best person to tell you what they need is the dog. By paying attention to body language and context, a dog will eventually make clear what guidance or experience would help them. It requires patience, experience, and a whole lot of creative problem solving, but I do believe that positive, reinforcement- and game-based “fun” training can solve most common dog problems.

Also, string cheese helps too.

About Tegan Moore

As much as we love our dogs, we misunderstand them all the time. Misunderstandings lead to disconnection, chewed furniture, frustration–on the part of the human and the dog both–and, occasionally, really bad situations. It’s my job as a dog trainer to help bridge those misunderstandings so our species can live together in the kind of stupid doggy bliss that we were meant to. C’mon, you know what I’m talking about.

I began training dogs in 2013. I believe that anything worth doing should be done with enthusiasm, a philosophy taught me by my first rescue dog, Vesper.

If a dog is not having fun while learning a skill, then I will work to find a way to make the learning fun. Animals–humans included!–do not learn well when under stress! I help clients look at the holistic picture of their dog’s world and make small changes with big impacts.

I am a Certified Trick Dog Instructor and Stunt Dog Judge. I’m finishing my credentials to be a Certified Dog Parkour Instructor and will sit for the Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed exam in September 2018. I believe instructor certifications are important to ensure a baseline of knowledge and encourage dog trainers to use science-based methodologies, though it’s no replacement for hands-on experience.

I believe trainers should remain current on research and work to improve their own skills via feedback and continued education. Some of the in-person continuing education I’ve done includes:

Agility: One Mind Dogs Methodology Workshops with Chris Ott (2014) and Rachel Sanders(2016), Young Dog Sequencing with Justine Davenport(2018)

Seminars: Stunt Dog Workshop with Kyra Sundance(2017), International Dog Parkour Association Workshop with Karin Coyne and Abigail Curtis(2017), Shape Up with Lori Stevens(2018), I-Cue with Kathy Sdao(2018)

I subscribe to the Hierarchy of Procedures for Humane and Effective Practice (the “Humane Hierarchy”) and LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) problem solving for behavior change. I am an APDT member since 2016.

But What You Really Want To Know Is

Vesper

Vesper was born in 2012 in Eastern Washington and relinquished to a shelter in Yakima between 7-8 months. She was pulled from the shelter by a rescue group. I met her when she was 9 months old and immediately saw that she was my own beating heart.

Vesper’s genetic tests show she is a German shepherd, Doberman pinscher and border collie mix. She is dog-aggressive and hypervigilant. It was through helping her function in the human world that I became a dog trainer.

In 2016 Vesper ranked 6th nationally for Coursing mixed breed dogs. She was clocked at 32mph in a 100m sprint! In addition to coursing, Vesper is trained in Agility, Parkour, Fenzi TEAM, and Barn Hunt. She has multiple high-level trick dog titles and loves to help out around the house, putting laundry in the hamper, recycling cans, finding my keys for me. She trains to compete in Nosework and Rally Obedience, as well as learning to hunt morels and truffles in the woods.

Reckless 

Recky (Avalon’s Reckless Hope) is Kanye West in a muppet suit. He was born in 2015 at Avalon Coolies in Canada. He is an Australian Koolie or German Coolie, depending on who you ask, and is the handsomest boy on the planet.

Reckless is an up-and-coming Agility superstar. He’s trained in Parkour and Fenzi TEAM and has shown herding instinct. Koolies are known for versatility, and Recky is a credit to his breed: he is talented at every skill he’s been asked to perform. His only limit is his  trainer’s time and interests!