About Us

Clare Swanger’s lifelong love of animals, desire to enhance their lives, search for solutions to her own dogs' issues, and work in related fields, led her to the world of force-free professional dog behavior and training.
Clare's dog Lindsey provided the catalyst. He was wonderful in every way - except for leash pulling! Clare's search for a gentle, effective approach that respected Lindsey and their bond led her to the Tellington TTouch® Method. She completed the two-year certification program in 2007 and was promoted to Senior Practitioner in 2015.
Clare's wholistic approach incorporates force-free, fear-free, pain-free techniques; neuroscience; innovative best practices; and more. At the core of her philosophy are respect for each animal as an individual and the central importance of the human/animal relationship.
Clare works with private clients, teaches classes/workshops, travels-to-train, provides consultations and consults to organizations. In Missouri and Idaho she has taught staff and volunteers at animal shelters and been hired to work with special needs dogs. She is available to consult with and teach for shelters/rescues, veterinary hospitals, training programs and others.
In 2019, Clare taught a one-day workshop and presented at the annual national conference of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) in Portland, Oregon.
She is a member of the Tellington TTouch® Guild and The Pet Professional Guild. She is a member by invitation of the International Women's Forum, an organization with over 7,000 members in 33 nations that builds better leadership across careers, continents and cultures.
Clare holds a B.A. from Yale, cum laude, and an MBA from Stanford. She lives in Ketchum, Idaho.
Contact Clare about all-things-dog!
Testimonials
"“We were at a point where we were wondering if we were going to be able to keep our 2-year old cattle dog because of severe behavioral and reactivity issues. After a day and a half of class, she is a different dog. She is more connected to us, looking to us for guidance and is walking nicely on a leash. Amazingly she is walking past other dogs and ignoring them instead of snarling and trying to attack them. This class repaired our relationship with our dog and has given us hope for the future.”
~ Nancy Steele, Tacoma WA, 2017 ~
"Beyond learning the Touches themselves, this class provided an opportunity to connect with other humans and their animals in a supportive way that is quite unique. The two-day format provided time to deep-dive into both philosophy and technique while bonding with others who care deeply about their pets, and who are willing to do the work to empower them to live well in our human-centered world. I recommend this class for anyone who would like to add a bit of kindness to the world and be able to love their pet a little harder each day."
~ Lalena, 2018 ~
Clare's dog Lindsey provided the catalyst. He was wonderful in every way - except for leash pulling! Clare's search for a gentle, effective approach that respected Lindsey and their bond led her to the Tellington TTouch® Method. She completed the two-year certification program in 2007 and was promoted to Senior Practitioner in 2015.
Clare's wholistic approach incorporates force-free, fear-free, pain-free techniques; neuroscience; innovative best practices; and more. At the core of her philosophy are respect for each animal as an individual and the central importance of the human/animal relationship.
Clare works with private clients, teaches classes/workshops, travels-to-train, provides consultations and consults to organizations. In Missouri and Idaho she has taught staff and volunteers at animal shelters and been hired to work with special needs dogs. She is available to consult with and teach for shelters/rescues, veterinary hospitals, training programs and others.
In 2019, Clare taught a one-day workshop and presented at the annual national conference of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) in Portland, Oregon.
She is a member of the Tellington TTouch® Guild and The Pet Professional Guild. She is a member by invitation of the International Women's Forum, an organization with over 7,000 members in 33 nations that builds better leadership across careers, continents and cultures.
Clare holds a B.A. from Yale, cum laude, and an MBA from Stanford. She lives in Ketchum, Idaho.
Contact Clare about all-things-dog!
Testimonials
"“We were at a point where we were wondering if we were going to be able to keep our 2-year old cattle dog because of severe behavioral and reactivity issues. After a day and a half of class, she is a different dog. She is more connected to us, looking to us for guidance and is walking nicely on a leash. Amazingly she is walking past other dogs and ignoring them instead of snarling and trying to attack them. This class repaired our relationship with our dog and has given us hope for the future.”
~ Nancy Steele, Tacoma WA, 2017 ~
"Beyond learning the Touches themselves, this class provided an opportunity to connect with other humans and their animals in a supportive way that is quite unique. The two-day format provided time to deep-dive into both philosophy and technique while bonding with others who care deeply about their pets, and who are willing to do the work to empower them to live well in our human-centered world. I recommend this class for anyone who would like to add a bit of kindness to the world and be able to love their pet a little harder each day."
~ Lalena, 2018 ~
“Your passion to share and teach both animal and owner is evident every single moment. Your ability to do so in such a gentle, supportive, informative way is outstanding.”
~ Susan S. 2012 ~