Pupsters - Dog Grooming in Totnes

29/11/2025

I’ve been part of the training and behaviour sector for nearly a decade now. I’ve seen so many professionals working tirelessly, studying, refining, advocating. And yet, when I’m on the shop floor, I don’t see a huge shift in how the general public understands dogs. In fact, I’m seeing more confusion, more outdated ideas, and more disconnect than ever.

It’s made me ask some uncomfortable questions.
Why, when we’re working so hard to get the message out, is it not landing where it matters most? Why are we still seeing dogs misunderstood, mislabelled, and mishandled in everyday life?
I think part of the answer is this: we’re stuck in an echo chamber.
As trainers and behaviourists, we tend to work with the people who already believe in what we do. The ones who seek us out. But that’s a tiny slice of the community. And let’s be honest, many of us are priced out of reach for a large portion of the public. We’ve become a specialist service in a world that desperately needs general understanding.

And in our push for regulation and standards, important as that is, have we drifted into elitism? Have we climbed so high on our professional horses that we’ve lost sight of what’s happening on the ground?

Yes, we deserve to be paid well. We’ve poured years into education, spent thousands on CPD, and carry the emotional weight of care work. But “should” isn’t always reality. Nurses, carers, support staff, they all should earn more too. The truth is, care work has never been fairly valued in our society. That’s a fight worth having, but it’s a big one. And it needs a wider lens.

Personally, I’ve slashed my prices. Not because I don’t value myself, but because I do. I want to reach the people who need help but can’t afford it. I want to leave this world knowing I contributed, even in small ways. That’s selfish, in a way. When I’m on my deathbed, I won’t be counting money, I’ll be remembering the moments I made a difference.

Now, I’m not saying every professional should drop their rates. But maybe we can all ask: What can I give without expecting something back?
• A talk at a local school
• A free workshop at your library
• A few volunteer hours for a rescue
• Letting an aspiring ethical trainer shadow you
• Offering reduced rates for charities or community groups

Let’s stop being afraid of what others might “take” from us. Let’s remember why we’re here in the first place: for the dogs and their humans. If money is your main driver, this probably isn’t the job for you.

I have deep respect for the professionals in this field. But I do wonder, has our fight for regulation pulled us away from the places where real change happens?
Because change doesn’t always start in policy. Sometimes, it starts in a pet shop. Or a school. Or a quiet conversation with someone who’s never heard our message before.
Let’s not forget the ground we stand on.

29/10/2025

29/10/2025

Cute Isn’t Always Kind: A Seasonal Reflection on Dogs, Dress-Up, and Misunderstanding
I worry sometimes that when I speak up about things like this, I sound like the Grinch at Christmas. I know people love their dogs. I know they find joy in dressing them up, sharing festive photos, and celebrating the season with their companions. And I know it’s coming from a place of affection.
But I also know what misunderstanding looks like. I’ve seen it in shelters, in homes, and in the aftermath of well-meaning choices. I’ve spent a decade helping people, many of whom have had dogs all their lives, learn how to truly listen to them. And I’ve seen the cost when we don’t.

As Halloween and Christmas approach, I see more dogs in outfits. More social media posts. More normalisation of something that, for many dogs, is deeply uncomfortable. And before you dismiss this as overprotective, I ask you to consider a few things.

Children Don’t Understand Dog Body Language
Many adults don’t either. Children often mistake a growl for a smile. They copy what they see. When we normalise dressing dogs or other animals up, we teach children that dogs are props for our amusement. We teach them that dogs tolerate anything we do to them. And we miss the subtle signs that say otherwise. Sadly this see's a large proportion of bites happen every year. And dogs lose their lives when they are misunderstood. And children are put n dangerous situations. We need to set the example.

Listening Isn’t Easy
A head turn. A shift in weight. A flick of the tongue. These are signs of discomfort. Stillness, often mistaken for calmness, is frequently a dog’s last resort, a quiet surrender after trying to say no and being ignored. We grow up being told we “get” dogs. But understanding them takes humility, not ownership. We often get it wrong and there really is no need for the sake of a funny picture of them.

Who Is This Really For?
When we dress dogs or other animals up, who benefits? Is it them, or is it us? Are we honouring their species, or humanising them into something they’re not? If your dog genuinely enjoys it, perhaps keep it private. Because your dog doesn’t care about their photo being shared. That part is about you.

Coats Are Different
Some dogs need coats. That’s about their wellbeing, not our obsession with cuteness. There’s a difference between functional care and aesthetic indulgence. One respects the dog. The other risks turning them into fun with a risk to their wellbeing.

I know this isn’t easy to hear. I know it challenges something that makes people smile. But I believe we can love dogs and still be brave enough to look in the mirror. To ask: what about us needs animals dressed in human clothes? What are we missing when we treat dogs like little humans?
Let them be dogs. Let them communicate. Let them say no. And let’s be the kind of people who listen.
They deserve that.

16/10/2025

18/05/2025

02/02/2025

02/02/2025

Sleepy head 💜

23/01/2025

If you would like to learn more about holistic ways to support your dog friends check it out
Lots of info for £10 per month

I'm very excited to be getting more dates in the diary for The Dog Witch.

We meet once per month online at our Sage Gathering to talk about our dogs and our own whole health. We discuss ways of reducing stress for us all, different food options depending on budgets, ethics and health. Ww look at how to add whole foods and herbs easily. We basically talk dogs 🥰

We now have a guest Hour every month. This isn't your usual webinar or talk. This is a chance to actually talk to proffessionals about various topics to support both yours and your Dogs health. I will have a 30min chat with them.about what they do and then we open up the floor to all. True Community is where learning really happens. No pedestals, no jealousy, judgement or feelings of inadequacy. We are all equal here.

And then I share regular webinars on varying subjects. It's a space for all, both professionals and guardians. Anyone who wants to dealve into the mind and body of both humans and dogs.

Here's the current list of what's to come. See still to be added 🥰

Dates For your Diary

February 1st 7pm U.K time: Monthly Sage Gathering. We will be discussing how our stress can impact our dogs and vice versa and what we can do about it.

February 17th 6.30pm U.K Time: Guest Hour with Emma Cox: Emma will be sharing how we can use NLP to reduce our stress when supporting our special needs dogs.

February 20th 7pm UK time: From P**p to Plants with myself, Rebecca Hanlon. A webinar on the weird and wonderful things our dogs eat and some insights into why they may be doing it.

March 12th 7pm U.K time: Monthly Sage Gathering

22nd March Lizzie Marden. 7pm UK time. Chat about Reiki. Lizzie will be actually giving me a reiki session just before and we will be together for this chat.

March 29th 10am U.K Time: The hidden Pressure of Food webinar. With me: Rebecca Hanlon. A webinar looking into the coercive side of using food in teaching our dogs.

April 1st 7pm U.K Time: Guest Hour with Professor Andrea Breen, discussing the dog-human bond in different cultures and what we can learn from others.

April 10th 7pm U.K time: Autonomous Dogs/Harmonious Homes. A webinar with me about intra household aggression.

April 29th 7pm U.K time: Guest Hour with Stephanie Costello. A chat about the endocrine system and how hormones have such an impact on our dogs behaviour.

All this for £10per month. Plus access to a growing library of health related articles and print outs. Recipes, behaviour support etc. Really hope you can join but if you want,,please share 🙏

07/12/2024

Yes , you can take a pic of my beautiful eyelashes

29/11/2024

29/11/2024

Before , during and after