Know Your Dog - Behaviour & Training with Sally Lewis

01/09/2025

Autumn update 🍂

As we start September, I thought I'd do a little business update.

🐾 I am fully booked for September & October, and have begun releasing November dates to existing clients, and those on my waiting list. I am doing this pretty slowly given that it is 1st Sept, but if you are an existing client and you are eager to book your follow ups early, then just drop me a message.

🗓 Some of you will remember I had a little boy at the end of 2023. He is getting ready to start his own big adventure of going to nursery 🥹 as I also have a school aged child, I am currently planning to reduce my weekend working. I will still be offering a limited number of Saturday appointments throughout the month, but I won't be working every Saturday. So if you are a "Saturday-er", it is best to book your appointments well in advance. I will be increasing my week day appointment offerings.

🐕 The next cohort of those on the Wellbeing on Walks Online Development Programme will be starting at the end of this week. I have one final space for somebody to enrol by Friday. See my website for more information.

🐶 Social walks - as always, these remain very popular, and are something many of my one to one clients progress on to. Because of this, I don't typically advertise them. If you are interested in social walks (managed group walks, small group numbers to set everyone up for success, personal soace respected) then just message me and we can chat about them.

📖 I have recently made some big decisions about new skills and qualifications, and once I have worked out the financial side, I will have some exciting news coming...so watch this space!

🌐 Lastly, for those who expressed interest in my reactivity seminar going online, I'll be sorting this out for Nov/Dec.

31/08/2025

In September, I'll be embarking on a challenge to walk 100km to raise money for DogStar. DogStar help street dogs in Sri Lanka - providing food, medical treatment, and spaying/neutering through catch, neuter, release programs. In some areas of the world, street dogs are sadly culled. Catch, neuter, release offers a humane way to manage the street dog population in certain areas of the world.

I am aiming to raise £100, which is only £1 per kilometre. You can donate here. Every penny makes a difference, helping to provide food and medical care to free ranging dogs.

I will post regular updates as we go through September.

Thank-you 🐾❤️

Help Sally Lewis raise money to support Dogstar Foundation

29/08/2025

𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 - 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞!

Are you a dog walker, sitter, boarder, or thinking of starting your own dog care business?
Do you want to stand out from the crowd?
I have a final few places available on my September 2025 intake of the Wellbeing on Walks Online Programme, beginning on 5th September. Info below. The next opportunity to join this programme will not be until next year.

This flexible, in-depth online programme is designed to give you the knowledge and confidence to support every dog’s wellbeing on your walks – ensuring happier, safer dogs and a stronger, more ethical business.

What’s it all about?
This course is packed with practical, essential knowledge to elevate your professional practice. You’ll learn how to truly understand the dogs you work with and make informed decisions that prioritise their emotional and physical welfare every single day.

Here’s what you’ll discover:
✔️ Dog body language – play bows, splitting, and ‘fun policing’
✔️ Trigger stacking, decompression, and the emotional bucket
✔️ UK dog law (focused on England & Wales)
✔️ Understanding healthy vs. unbalanced play
✔️ Supporting sensitive dogs on walks and recognising their triggers
✔️ Social preferences and how dogs choose their friends
✔️ Group walk management – matching dogs, introductions, and resource considerations
✔️ Working as part of the dog’s wider team, communicating with owners and professionals, and what to do when a dog’s behaviour suddenly changes

How does it work?
Life is busy – I get it. That’s why this programme is designed to fit around your schedule. Every two weeks, you’ll receive an email with access to your next module. Each module includes clear, practical content for you to work through at your own pace, plus short questions to complete and send back before your next module arrives. This helps you apply what you’ve learned directly to real-life situations.

I’ll provide personalised feedback on every submission, and you’re welcome to ask questions as you go.

✔️ 8 modules in total
✔️ Approximate duration: 16–18 weeks (or complete sooner if you prefer – study bugs welcome!)

What will I receive?
✨ In-depth knowledge and confidence for your professional toolkit
✨ Personalised feedback throughout the programme
✨ Electronic certificate upon completion
✨ A logo to display on your website or social media, showcasing your commitment to canine wellbeing

How much does it cost?
💷 £85
(Please note this price may change in future.)

Ready to sign up?
Simply send me a message via my website or email [email protected] to find out when the next intake begins. Spaces are limited for each cohort to ensure I can dedicate quality time to your learning journey and provide individualised feedback to support your growth.

27/08/2025

Maize has learnt a new trick since I Iast saw her! This is my best photo of her doing it 😂
Tonight we checked in to see how Maize is doing with being less over stimulated on walks (pretty well!!) and went on a street walk to see how we can help her out in this environment. We slowed things down, giving her time and space to process, and unpicked her feelings about motorbikes which are something she'd like to chase.
She did so well! See you soon Maize.

27/08/2025

If I ran an online Understanding Reactivity seminar (live), could you attend, and what days/time can you do? Please comment!

26/08/2025

Last chance to enroll on the recall course starting NEXT WEEK, on 3rd Sept! This will be my last recall group course of the year.

Does your dog come when called on walks, UNTIL they see a dog, person, car, cyclist, jogger, the sea, a river...anything they think looks fun?!
Do you want to have more relaxing walks with your dog?
Do you want to improve their engagement and recall?

Join us for our recall group course in September, training around other dogs, people, and in real-life walking environments.
3rd Sept 7.15pm
13th Sept 9am
20th Sept 9am

FINAL SPACES REMAINING. £59 for the course plus electronic recaps.

This course is NOT suitable for reactive dogs.

25/08/2025

A review following this weekend's reactivity seminar. Thank-you! I am passionate about helping people understand the WHY behind their dog's behaviour, as well as the HOW, and this is why I run these seminars. Soon, I will be running this seminar live online for the first time, so keep your eyes out!

23/08/2025

Recently, Pet Remedy chose Frankie & I as a winner of their Love Story competition in the Summer of Love Awards. Frankie is the dog that changed everything for me and set me on the career path I ended up on. Everything I have done, every dog and person I have helped - we owe a lot of this to him!

Many of you ask about Frankie and some of you have met him. You can read a bit about our story together below.

He really is such a wonderful boy. He's been there for highs, lows, and watched our family grow alongside us. He's helped other people overcome their fear of dogs and bull breeds. He's helped me become the behaviourist I am today.
Life with him is just better. Love you pupster.

Our first SOL Love Story Writing Competition winner is Frankie and his owner Sally. She writes...
"My wonderful boy is Frankie. He is a nearly eight year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Frankie was found abandoned by the bins, in a little box, with his litter mates at around 24 hours old - on bin day. Thankfully they were found by a member of the public, who took them to the nearest vets, and the litter found themselves at Animals in Distress - Torbay & Westcountry rescue centre were they were hand-reared by staff. Six out of seven pups made it.

It is no exaggeration to say that Frankie has changed my life. Hand rears can have their challenges, and when I adopted him, I went in to a deep dive of learning about dog behaviour...and then everything I could possibly learn about dogs! Which lead to a total career change, in to working in the dog behaviour industry.
Frankie has (indirectly) helped hundreds of dogs, that he doesn't know, and won't meet. I wish I could tell him.

He has overcome so many things. Hand rears not only have some challenges when it comes to impulse control, but can be more prone to anxiety and frustration. At around eighteen months old, he was bitten badly by an off lead dog, and this really affected him for a while, but we got over that hurdle together.
Nowadays, he bounces in to every day with a wag, wiggle, and lots of love to give. He has no idea what personal space is!

Frankie has helped multiple children overcome their fear of dogs. He is been a blessing to me in so many ways. He's been there through my highs, my lows, difficulties in life, and celebrates many things with us. He has welcomed two little humans in to our home and has a wonderful relationship with both of them. He is just such a joy to be around and I am truly blessed that he came in to my life when he did."

21/08/2025

This is going to be a great day out on Sunday 31st August in Exminster. Come say hi! I'll be doing a talk on recall at 2pm (including some top tips!) and will be around all afternoon.

19/08/2025

When we embark on a training journey with our dogs, we often have a picture in our minds of what success looks like. The reality of a dog's behavioural progress is rarely linear and often goes unnoticed by the outside world.

You might be walking your dog, and to a passerby, it looks like just another dog walk. They don’t see the years of frustration, the countless hours spent on coaching, or investments you have made in your dog's wellbeing - financial investments, investments of time, and emotional investments, too. All they see is a dog that is barking a little too loudly, or pulling a little too hard.

But you know the truth.

You know that the walk you're on today, with only the occasional bark instead of twenty, is a monumental victory. You know that the moment your dog looked at another dog and then chose to look back at you instead of lunging or panicking, is a huge step forward. You know that they were once too fearful to even step outside the front door, and now they can sniff and explore in a busier space.

This is a personal journey between you and your dog. The progress you've made is not for public consumption or validation. What matters is the trust you've built, the communication you've established, and the small, silent triumphs you celebrate every day.

So, when someone offers an unsolicited comment or a judging look, remember that they don't know your story. They don't know the progress you have made. Only you, your dog, and the professional who has guided you through the hard days truly understand the journey you've been on. Your dog's success is your success, and it's something to be immensely proud of, even if no one else sees it.