About The Underdog Project
For dogs who deserve the chance to show what they can do.
The Underdog Project is all about helping dogs and their people discover what they’re capable of through Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Work.
I’m Amy, and I believe dog training doesn’t have to be about perfect obedience or fitting every dog into the same mould. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is give our dogs a job they love, the space to make their own decisions, and the opportunity to surprise us.
Hi, I’m Amy 👋
I’m the person behind The Underdog Project, helping dogs and their people build confidence, strengthen their connection and have more fun together through Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Work.
If you’ve ever worried that your dog is “too much”, “too nervous”, or simply doesn’t quite fit the mould, you’re very much in the right place.
Working professionally with dogs since 2013
🐾 Qualified Mantrailing Instructor
🐾 Qualified Scent Work Instructor
🐾 Qualified Tracking Instructor
🐾 Animal Care Qualified
🐾 Level 3 Canine First Aid
How I got here – I didn’t always plan to work with dogs…
I actually started out at university studying Theology, but it didn’t take me long to realise it wasn’t the path for me.
A friend’s mum ran a cattery in Lincoln, so I went down to get some hands-on experience and absolutely loved working with the animals. There was just one problem… I realised I’d much rather be doing it with dogs!
That led me to an apprenticeship in Animal Care at a boarding kennels and training centre, and in 2013 my career working professionally with dogs began.
Since then, I’ve worked with dogs of just about every size, shape, breed, age and background imaginable. From puppies taking their first steps into the world to older dogs who need life to slow down a little; confident dogs who throw themselves into everything and nervous dogs who need more time, space and understanding.
And it’s probably those dogs who need that little bit of extra understanding that have taught me the most.
Then Peanut changed everything…
My journey into Mantrailing became personal when Peanut came into my life.
After Pumpkin, my showline German Shepherd who had always been a fairly straightforward dog, Peanut was quite the contrast. A working-line German Shepherd, he was busy, intense, easily over-aroused and absolutely needed something to do.
Then, at just ten months old, Peanut was hit by a car. Following the accident, he became reactive towards people and dogs practically overnight.
Suddenly, life looked very different. Walks became stressful. Space became essential. And I learnt first-hand what it feels like to avoid other dogs, worry about what other people might think and feel as though everyone else has the dog who can just… cope.
I knew Peanut needed more than simply going for walks.
He needed a job.
That search for something we could enjoy together led us to Mantrailing, and I never looked back.
It gave Peanut an outlet for that busy brain, something he was genuinely good at and an opportunity to work independently and use his incredible nose.
But it changed things for me, too.
Living with Peanut gave me a much deeper understanding of the person standing at the other end of the lead. It’s why I care so much about creating sessions where nobody feels embarrassed by their dog, nobody has to apologise for needing space, and nervous handlers feel just as supported as nervous dogs.
Sometimes the dogs who challenge our expectations are the ones who lead us somewhere completely unexpected.
Understanding dogs when life has to look a little different
For two years, I worked at a canine rehabilitation centre, where I gained hands-on experience with dogs recovering from injuries, managing pain and living with long-term conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia.
My role was varied. Alongside running the administration and creating content for the centre, I got to know our clients and their dogs incredibly well. I regularly supported dogs during their rehabilitation sessions, helping to hold and reassure them when needed, caring for them before and after treatment, and I also completed additional training that allowed me to deliver laser therapy as part of their rehabilitation programme.
It gave me a real appreciation for dogs whose physical capabilities might be different from those around them. A dog who can’t manage long walks, run around a field or take part in high-impact activities still deserves opportunities to explore, learn, problem-solve and have fun.
That experience is one of the reasons I love nose work so much. Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Work can all be adapted to the individual dog, giving them an opportunity to use their brain and their incredible sense of smell without enrichment having to revolve around physical exercise.
Every dog deserves to have something they love doing, even if what that looks like needs to change.
How I work – There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all
After more than a decade of working with dogs, one thing I know for certain is that no two dogs are the same. And neither are the people at the other end of the lead.
There are often lots of different ways to teach the same thing, so rather than expecting every dog to fit into one method, I adapt what we’re doing to suit the individual team in front of me.
For me, good training should be fun. It should build confidence rather than knock it, give dogs opportunities to make choices and help you understand each other a little better.
I particularly love working with nervous dogs and handlers who might feel a little apprehensive themselves. There’s no expectation for your dog to arrive knowing how to behave, no pressure to keep up with anybody else and absolutely no judgement if they need a bit more space or support.
Sometimes the things we find most difficult about our dogs are also the things that make them brilliant at something else.
My job is to help you discover what that something else might be.
Meet my own Underdogs 🐾
A lot of what I’ve learnt about dogs hasn’t just come from courses or professional experience. My own dogs have challenged me, taught me, made me rethink things and helped shape the way I work today.
Pumpkin 🎃
Showline German Shepherd
The OG and undisputed matriarch of the household. Pumpkin is chilled, incredibly food motivated and has always been the relatively “easy” one.
She loves using her nose and is generally very happy to participate in anything providing snacks are included in the contract.
Peanut 🥜
Working-line German Shepherd
Busy, intense, sensitive and happiest when he has a job to do.
Peanut is the dog who led me to Mantrailing and completely changed the direction of my life with dogs. Living with reactivity has taught me an enormous amount about confidence, patience and advocating for the dog at the other end of my lead.
He’s also a brilliant reminder that the traits that can make everyday life challenging can become incredible strengths when we give dogs the right outlet.
Póg 💋
Irish Terrier
Small dog. Enormous opinions.
Póg joined the family a little underconfident, but watching her confidence grow has been brilliant. She’s feisty, affectionate, loves having something to do and has a fantastic nose.
She’s also proof that sometimes confidence isn’t about changing who a dog is. It’s about giving them opportunities to discover exactly what they’re capable of.
You don’t need the “perfect” dog to join us.
Maybe your dog is nervous of new places.
Maybe they’re reactive and you’ve become used to scanning the horizon on every walk.
Maybe they have more energy than you know what to do with, struggle in traditional training environments, or need their activities adapting around what they’re physically capable of.
Or maybe you have a perfectly happy, confident dog and you’re simply looking for something brilliant to enjoy together.
You’re all welcome here.
The Underdog Project is about giving dogs opportunities to use their incredible noses, build confidence and discover what they’re capable of, while helping the humans at the other end of the lead understand and appreciate them a little more too.
You won’t be judged. You won’t be expected to keep up with anybody else. And you certainly don’t need to apologise for your dog being a dog.
We’ll meet them where they are, celebrate the little wins alongside the big ones and, most importantly, make sure you both have fun along the way.
Because life with our dogs shouldn’t be something we simply manage.
It should be something we enjoy together.
Ready to see what your dog can do?
Come and discover Mantrailing, Tracking and Scent Work with The Underdog Project.
Confidence. Connection. Adventure.