Mainely Hounds LLC

10/21/2026

An incident involving a 7 week old baby and family dog has shaken a local town nearby. This kind of loss is unimaginable. My heart goes out to all involved. As I stated in yesterday’s post we do not know all the details nor is it up to us to fill in the blanks. We can however, talk about dog behavior and safety without pretending we know what happened.

Prey drive is something most family dog owners don’t know alot about. There is an instinct behind behaviors like stalking, chasing, and biting. Those behaviors can often be influenced by movement and sound. They aren’t the same as a dog being “upset or angry” and lashing out and they can happen without the growling or snarling people expect before a bite.

I’ve seen how much context matters with my own dog, Tallulah. She can be fine with small dogs on the ground, but when they are picked up or squeal it can trigger her prey drive to attack. That is a serious safety concern. Seeing her comfortable in one situation does not mean I can assume she is safe in another.

I’m sharing this because “they’ve always been fine together” or “my dog has never” doesn’t tell us how a dog will respond when something changes.

That example does not tell us what happened to this baby. And I don’t pretend to know what happened. But it illustrates why understanding the individual dog, recognizing risk, and managing access matter.

Babies move, sound, and smell differently from adults. A dog being affectionate with its family, well trained, or comfortable with older children does not establish that the dog is safe around an infant.

Please keep comments compassionate. There is room here for education and prevention. ❤️‍🩹

10/19/2026

There is a side of working with dogs that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough. And I’m sure it’s going to ruffle some feathers 🫣

When someone hands me their dog they are trusting me with a member of their family. I understand the weight of that. I feel it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It’s why I continue to invest in education, equipment,review safety protocols, and the countless other little details that go into caring for everyone’s dogs responsibly. It’s why I pay attention to group dynamics, environment, body language, and the individual needs of every dog in my care.

Here’s the part I wish more people understood. We are handed a dog and expected to “fix it”. Like a machine. Replace the faulty part. Make it work again. After all we are the professionals. BUT…Dogs are living breathing beings, not pieces of equipment.

We can train them. We can study behavior. We can prepare, plan, supervise, and put safeguards in place. And we absolutely should. But we cannot eliminate every variable or guarantee every outcome. In our home, your home, or the outdoors.

A dog can become startled. Equipment can fail. A medical emergency can happen without warning. A dog who has demonstrated excellent recall for years can respond differently under extraordinary circumstances.

Acknowledging those possibilities isn’t an excuse for negligence. It’s the very reason responsible professionals work so hard to prevent emergencies in the first place.

And when something goes wrong (as it sometimes does with two imperfect beings), the responsibility doesn’t disappear. There should be communication, documentation, honest evaluation, accountability where warranted, and a willingness to learn and improve. I believe deeply in all of those things.

And I also believe in compassion. For the families of the dogs, the animals who trust us, and the professionals doing their best to care for them.

In the digital age that we live, and the access to be able to see and hear about a variety of situations almost immediately, sometimes (oftentimes) we’re fed bits and pieces of information without knowing the full story. (Continues in comments)

10/17/2026

STOP IT! Jesse T.H I love these with my whole heart. Thank you for capturing my babies. I will treasure these forever. You are amazing!

08/26/2026

08/12/2026

Something BIG is coming to Mainely Hounds. 🌲🐾

Introducing the Mainely Hounds Resource Library — coming soon.

Over the years, I’ve created countless handouts, guides, recommendations, and resources to help dog owners better understand their dogs and feel more confident navigating life with them.

Now, I’m bringing it all together in one place.

The Resource Library is being built to give you practical, easy-to-understand information on topics like:

🐾 Puppy raising & socialization
🐾 Training & behavior
🐾 Recall & off-leash skills
🐾 Reactivity
🐾 E-collar education
🐾 Rescue & newly adopted dogs
🐾 Senior dog care
🐾 Nutrition & feeding
🐾 Preventive care & informed decision-making
🐾 Cooperative care
🐾 Enrichment, play & biological fulfillment
🐾 And plenty more

No endless scrolling through conflicting advice.

No expectation that you need to do everything perfectly.

Just thoughtful, practical resources designed to help you understand the why, make informed decisions, and build a better life with your dog.

Some resources will be quick-reference tools. Others will be in-depth guides you can keep coming back to.

This has been a BIG project behind the scenes, and I’m so excited to finally start sharing it.

The Mainely Hounds Resource Library is coming soon.

Because helping you and your dog shouldn’t end when the training session does. 🌲🐾

07/03/2026

A little favor… ❤️

Every year the Windham Eagle holds its Eagle Choice Awards, and this year Mainely Hounds can be found in two categories!

🐾 Dog Training (listed)
🐾 Pet Boarding / Daycare (fill in my name in the “other” section for boarding and dog camp)

If I have ever helped you and your dog build confidence, enjoy more adventures together, or simply made life a little easier, I’d be incredibly honored to have your vote.

The rules: the ballot requires you to vote in at least 10 categories for it to count, so while you’re there, don’t forget to support some of your other favorite local businesses too. Whether you vote for Mainely Hounds or another local business you love, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to support the small businesses that make our community special. If Mainely Hounds has earned one of your votes, I’d be incredibly grateful. You can also vote once per day or email (should you choose to do so).

Although I’m currently full and not accepting new clients and still out on recovery recognition like this means more to me than you probably realize. As a one-woman business, every lesson, every camp day, every trail hike, every late-night email, every dirty towel, and every happy tail has been worth it.

Thank you for trusting me with your dogs. ❤️

Vote for:
🐶 Mainely Hounds LLC under Dog Training
🐾 Mainely Hounds LLC under Pet Boarding / Daycare (Dog Camp & Boarding in the other category)

Voting started yesterday and ends July 22.

With all my love and gratitude 🫶
Megan and the Crew 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

FOR VOTES TO QUALITY YOU MUST FILL OUT A MINIMUM OF 10 CATEGORIES. ONLY ONE VOTE PER EMAIL ADDRESS IS COUNTED. While we try to include as many businesses as possible and keep our listings accurate, we understand there may be an error or exclusion at times, please email [email protected] if....

06/18/2026

Just a reminder that Mainely Hounds will be closed beginning today while I take some time off for surgery and recovery.

I already miss seeing all of your dogs and our daily adventures together! ❤️ Feel free to send updates, photos, or cute stories while I’m out. I would absolutely love to see them when I’m feeling up to checking messages.

For those of you with boarding reservations, everything is still scheduled as planned.

If you have questions, I’ll do my best to respond as soon as I’m awake and feeling well enough to do so. I appreciate your patience as I focus on healing. As soon as I have a better idea of what activities I’ll be able to resume and when, I’ll be in touch with updates. For now I am closed until at least 7/5.

Thank you all for your support, trust, and understanding. Give your dogs an extra treat from me, and I’ll see everyone soon!

With Love,
Megan & the crew 🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

06/12/2026

A logo is just a logo.

Until it represents something bigger.

When I started Mainely Hounds, I thought I was building a dog training business.

And while training will always be at the heart of what I do, over the years I realized that training was never really the destination.

It was the vehicle.

Because what I truly love is helping people build a life with their dogs.

The quiet mornings on a trail.

The camping trips.

The muddy paws.

The confidence that comes from a dog who can join you wherever life takes you.

The nutrition that fuels adventure.

The deep breath you take when you’re finally able to enjoy your dog instead of constantly managing them.

My own dogs taught me that the goal was never perfect obedience.

The goal was creating a life we could enjoy together.

Somewhere along the way, Mainely Hounds became something bigger than dog training.

It became a philosophy.

A belief that dogs deserve more than a backyard.

That fulfillment matters.

That nature heals.

That simple adventures can strengthen the bond between dogs and their humans in ways we never expected.

This rebrand reflects that evolution.

The dog remains at the center of everything I do. But now the mountains, trees, and wilderness that have shaped so much of my journey are part of the story too.

Because Mainely Hounds isn’t becoming something different.

It’s becoming more of what it was always meant to be.

A place where dogs and their humans can learn, grow, fuel their bodies, build confidence, explore new places, and create a life together.

Fuel • Train • Explore.

To every client who has trusted me with their dog, supported this small business, attended a class, joined camp, followed along online, or simply cheered me on from the sidelines—thank you.

This business has grown in ways I never imagined, and this new logo feels like the first one that truly reflects the vision behind it.

Here’s to muddy paws, deep breaths, new adventures, and the next chapter of Mainely Hounds. 🐾🏔️

05/19/2026

For a long time, I thought Mainely Hounds was just about dogs and training.

And while the training dogs will always be a huge part of what I do… over the years, this “brand” slowly became something deeper.

It became early mornings loading dogs into the van.

Wet paws.
Mountain trails.
Campfire nights.
Learning patience.
Learning regulation.
Learning how to breathe again beside a dog that needed me to slow down.
Honoring the other end of the leash

Somewhere along the way, this stopped being about “fixing dogs.”

And started becoming about connection.
Adventure.
Healing.
Community.
A slower, more grounded way of living alongside our dogs.

This next chapter reflects that.

A new look.
A clearer vision.
The same heart behind it all.

Mainely Hounds is growing into the lifestyle brand it was always meant to become.

Fuel 🐾 Train 🐾 Explore

Coming soon 🖤