Tender Touch Training and Behaviour, Stoke-on-Trent (2026)

Tender Touch is a progressive reinforcement training and behaviour business owned and run by Tegan Stirk in Stoke-on-Trent.
'From Zoomies To Zen - The Gentle Way' Tegan is a certified force-free dog trainer and animal behaviourist (DipCABT) through COAPE International.

09/07/2026

A little update from Tender Touch Training & Behaviour 🐾
Firstly, I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your continued support. It truly means the world to me.
As many of you may know, alongside running Tender Touch Training & Behaviour, I also work full-time in veterinary practice. I've recently moved into the role of Practice Administrator, and whilst I'm incredibly grateful for this opportunity, it does mean that my schedule is much busier and less predictable than usual while I settle into the role.
Because of this, I've made the difficult decision to temporarily pause taking on any new one-to-one training or behaviour clients from 9th July onwards.
This is simply to ensure I can continue providing the best possible support to my existing clients, rather than stretching myself too thin.
If you're already an existing client: don't worry! All current behaviour programmes and training sessions will still be going ahead. I just ask for a little patience while things settle, as appointment availability may be more limited than usual and my response times may be a little slower. I promise I'll get back to you and fit everyone in as soon as I can.
If you're a new enquiry: please don't hesitate to get in touch. While I'm not able to take on new one-to-one cases at the moment, I'm still happy to offer a little guidance where appropriate or recommend a trusted force-free professional who will be best placed to help you and your dog.
If you're interested in joining one of my group training classes, these will continue as normal and can be booked through Doggie Day Club, Silverdale (https://doggydaycare.me.uk/).They'd be delighted to help you find the right class for you and your dog.
I don't yet know how long this pause will be, but I'll post another update as soon as I'm in a position to welcome new one-to-one clients again.
Sometimes the best way to support both my clients and myself is to recognise when I need to temporarily reduce my workload. I'd much rather do that than risk offering anything less than the level of care and support that my clients and their dogs deserve.
Thank you all so much for your understanding, kindness and continued support. Your support over the years has allowed me to continue doing something I'm incredibly passionate about alongside my veterinary career, and I genuinely appreciate every single one of you. 💙🐶

31/05/2026

Hello hoomans
Anubis and Aurora here. We are pawleased to announce our pawrents did get married yesterday and we are now all on honeymoons. Due to this no enquiries or messages will be answered until 15 June 2026.
Thank you for your understanding
Signed the Best Pawsman and the Pup of Honour🐕💒

09/03/2026

It’s National Napping Day today… and in our house, the dogs are taking it very seriously! 🐶💤
Sleep and rest are incredibly important for our dogs. Just like us, good quality sleep helps them process their day, regulate their emotions, and recover both physically and mentally. Puppies and younger dogs may sleep 18–20 hours a day, while most adult dogs still need around 12–16 hours of rest and sleep across the day.
If a dog doesn’t get enough rest, they can become overtired — which often shows up as being extra excitable, struggling to focus, or finding things more frustrating than usual.
So today is a good reminder that rest is just as important as walks, training, and playtime. A cosy nap spot and time to properly switch off can make a big difference to your dog’s wellbeing.
Now it’s your turn…
📸 Share a photo of your pets enjoying their naps in the comments! I’d love to see them.

13/02/2026

Training Challenge Update… slightly behind schedule 🙈
I had every intention of posting weekly updates… and somehow we’re already two weeks into February 😅
The posts may be late, but the training hasn’t been. We’ve trained every single day.
Some sessions have been structured at home.
Some have been 5-minute top-ups on a walk.
Some have been built into hydrotherapy and everyday life.
Because training doesn’t just happen in a formal session – it happens in real life.
This week was a big one… Anubis had his first swimming session 💦
His goal wasn’t fitness or performance.
It was confidence. Helping him feel safe in the pool, explore calmly, and build positive associations.
Aurora’s role?
Learning that she can wait her turn without the world ending.
Impulse control and emotional regulation can be just as challenging as physical skills – sometimes more so 👀
Over the last two weeks we’ve worked on:
✨ Target stick training – building clarity, precision and understanding
✨ Stacking rings – shaping skills and problem-solving
✨ Position changes & maintaining positions – improving posture, balance and body awareness
✨ Loose leash walking – engagement and connection
✨ Walking with their feet on mine – proprioception and rear-end awareness (and mild chaos at times 😅)
✨ Fading hand signals & adding verbal cues – backing up, spin and a few others
✨ “Wait” – duration, understanding and self-control
✨ Looking at the camera on cue – because wedding photos are happening in a few months and I would quite like cooperation 📸🐶
And tonight?
In true “why not?” fashion… we taught them to take my socks off 🧦😂
Initially they both looked at me like I’d completely lost the plot. But once they realised what behaviour was earning reinforcement, they picked it up quickly – proof that strong foundations make learning new skills much easier.
What I love about this challenge is that it isn’t about flashy tricks or perfection.
It’s about: • Clarity
• Communication
• Emotional regulation
• Body awareness
• Confidence
• And having fun together
Some days are polished.
Some days are messy.
Some days are spontaneous sock-related decisions.
But every single day builds our relationship.
If you’re still training along – well done.
If you’ve missed days – that’s okay too. Progress isn’t ruined by imperfection. Even the odd session makes a difference.
February, we’re ready for you 🐾✨

27/01/2026

Day 27 – Crossing Paws (with a twist 🐾)
Today we worked on crossing paws, but with an extra challenge.
Both dogs already know “cross” (right paw over left), but I’d love them to also understand “switch” (left paw over right).
This was our first session introducing it, so we went right back to basics. We started by asking for a simple “tap” (left paw) while they were lying down, rather than sitting.
And… it was tricky 😅
Both dogs found this harder than expected — partly because we’ve practised “cross” so much that it’s become their default, and partly because generalising behaviours to different positions and scenarios takes time. A cue learned in one context doesn’t automatically transfer to another.
This is a really good reminder that:
Dogs aren’t being stubborn or “forgetting”
New variations = new learning
Progress comes from breaking things down and being patient
We’ll keep this one slow and clear, building understanding step by step. Baby steps now mean stronger, clearer cues later 🐾✨

26/01/2026

Day 26 💪🐾
Today was all about physio-style exercises, with a big focus on placement and position rather than flashy skills.
Both Aurora and Anubis have their own aches, pains, and past injuries, which means they each have ways of compensating with their bodies. Those compensations can be sneaky – they get the job done, but not always in a way that’s helpful long-term.
So today we slowed things right down and worked on:
Thoughtful positioning
Making sure weight was being shifted correctly
Encouraging them to use their bodies in a more balanced, supportive way
Some of these exercises were done using objects to help with body awareness. Mine happen to be unstable (wobble cushions), which adds an extra challenge. Ideally, these exercises are best started on stable objects, so that’s something I’ll be improving once I track some down.
Not the most exciting session on the surface… but hugely valuable for: ✨ Body awareness
✨ Injury management
✨ Long-term comfort and confidence
Sometimes the quiet, careful work is the most important 💛

Address

Stoke-on-Trent

Website

http://tendertouchtraining.co.uk/

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