Smith and Snout

20/04/2025

Hoppy Easter Everybody. May your days be filled with an immense amount of chocolate! Be careful not to let your pets get their paws on it though 💜 🐣 🐰

19/04/2025

Back at it 🌧️💨☀️

16/04/2025

So I may have told a little porky on my last post about resting my body… Truth is, I’ve walked more than ever, with the added back-breaking bonus of carrying a child everywhere 😳

I’ve “recharged” on a steady diet of wine, beer, pizza, pasta, and an alarming amount of ice cream — but I’ve come back with a full cup after precious time with my family in the most stunning country 🇮🇹

Catching up on messages today! Can’t wait to see all those furry faces soon 💜

11/04/2025

I had to have a go at the Chat GPT ‘Action Figure’ trend 😂

I’m aware I’ve got some messages in my inbox, I promise I’ll get back to everyone mid week when I return from beautiful Italy ☀️

01/04/2025

Smith and Snout is now offering Cattle walking. I will take groups of upto 40. Alternatively, if you have a cow that’s anxious around other cows, or just needs some 1:1 time, I can also do solo walks 🐄

31/03/2025

OUT OF OFFICE

As much as I love walking and training your dogs, my body needs a rest. I’m off to spend 2 whole precious weeks with Ian and my girls.

I will return recharged, and hopefully no longer feeling like I’ve got 90 year old shoulders and knees 🤞

Photo dump from the last 6 days of wonderful walks 🤩🩷

25/03/2025

This Saturday brought an end to my 6 week core competencies class. A big thanks to Channel View Dog Paddock for providing their lovely secure space.
Everyone did amazingly and the bond between them and their dogs grew noticeably each week. We discussed:
🐶 Predatory motor patterns and giving your dog an outlet to their instincts, preventing frustration and unwanted behaviours
🐶 The importance of enrichment and sniffing for dogs
🐶 The importance of really connecting with your dog on walks, noticing and rewarding any check ins that your dog offers
🐶 The importance of recall, loose lead walking and ‘leave it’
🐶 Understanding things from your dogs point of view and therefore being patient with them
🐶 Giving your dog enough rest
🐶 Getting them used to being handled and checking their eyes, ears, mouth, paws daily
🐶 Reactivity and introductions
And much more…
We covered:
🥎 Marker words
🥎 Recall
🥎 Loose lead walking
🥎 Emergency stop
🥎 Leave
🥎 Drop
🥎 Find it
🥎 Middle
🥎 Chin rest
🥎 Hand touch
🥎 Spin and twist
🥎 Send around

If you are interested in training, keep your eyes peeled for more classes or get in touch to discuss a 1:1 😌

21/03/2025

A very rainy Red Nose Day! 🔴

I spent the day hiding treats in a nose for a bit of fun, who pulled it off the best? 😂

20/03/2025

🌼 Spring Equinox 🌼

The last few days have made me very excited about warmer weather, longer days and more time for outdoor adventures. Doesn’t a bit of sunshine just make all the difference? ☀️

Unfortunately it’s currently raining outside so it may have been short lived 🫣

20/03/2025

A subject very close to the hearts of myself and other owners who have dogs that require space. Please help us in raising awareness 💛

💛🐶 DOGS IN YELLOW DAY – WHY IT MATTERS 🐶💛

You might have spotted a dog out and about wearing yellow – a yellow lead, harness, bandana, or even a coat. But have you ever wondered what it means?

Today is Dogs in Yellow Day, and it’s all about raising awareness that some dogs need a little extra space.
Dogs wearing yellow are saying, “Please give me room.”

They might be anxious, recovering from an injury, reactive, elderly, in training, or simply not comfortable with other dogs or people rushing up to them.

At Love Your Paws, we fully support the Dogs in Yellow campaign because we see first-hand how important it is to respect every dog’s individual needs.

For some dogs – like Sam, my collie – life feels overwhelming at times. Giving him space makes all the difference in helping him feel safe and supported.

But even if a dog isn’t wearing yellow, they might still need space. Not every owner knows about the campaign, and not every dog who’s struggling will have a yellow marker.

That’s why the real heart of Dogs in Yellow Day is about fostering understanding and awareness, whether the dog is in yellow or not.

So how can you help?

1️⃣ Pause before approaching. Check in with the owner – is it OK for your dog to say hello?

2️⃣ Teach your dog neutral, calm behaviour around other dogs. Not every walk has to involve greetings.

3️⃣ Advocate for your own dog. Whether they’re in yellow or not, it’s always fine to politely ask for space.

4️⃣ Share the message. The more people who understand what a dog in yellow means, the kinder walks will be for everyone.

Recognising when a dog needs space – and respecting that – is one of the simplest, most thoughtful ways we can make the world better for dogs and their people.

Have you come across a dog in yellow before? Or do you use yellow to advocate for your own dog? Would love to know. Please share.

16/03/2025

A day off in our happy place 💚

I try and get up to Dartmoor a few times a year, to switch off and explore with Ian and my dogs. No time pressure, nowhere to be, just endless moorland and hiking possibilities. It also has great Ale🍻😝

To me, walking isn’t just my job, it’s a passion of mine and a way of life 🐾👣

10/03/2025

ASHER and DELLA are still looking for their forever homes ❤️
Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of walking these two. Getting them out and about and socialising them with lots of different and new places, animals, things and smells. They are both wonderful dogs.
Currently living with a lovely foster in Carnell Green, they are both rescued from Romania.

Asher is approx 10 months old and is a collie type. Hes a typical puppy with lots of energy and excitement 🤩
Della is approx 3 years old. She can take her time getting used to new people but is loving and loyal once she trusts you 😍
Both of them live with cats 🐈

If you think you might have space in your heart for one of them, please get in contact and please share 🐕

01/03/2025

Farewell February!!
What a wonderful few weeks of walks we have had!
Many happy pups going into March 😃
Bring on Spring 🌺🌸🌻

25/02/2025

*** Unpopular Opinion ***

I am going to risk writing an epic of war and peace proportions but we all need to be talking about the problems becoming more common in our domestic dogs.

I have an observation to share that is not going to make me popular. I believe that people are losing sight of what dogs are and not addressing their basic needs. This leads to people foisting unrealistic expectations on their canine companions.

We live very abnormal lives in this time. Humans are struggling to navigate our modern world - so is it really so surprising that our canine best mates are struggling too.

We can't let them live as they would wild without us. Our world is far too dangerous. Dogs were not made for this world we made. I often wonder if humans were either but that's another conversation.

Because our lives are so different we need to do more to help our dogs thrive. My grandpa and his dogs used to roam all over the place when he was a child. They were living in a less restrictive time. The world wasn't so big and so urbanized and dangerous and people weren't always plugged in.

Dogs are getting less of our time. People are busy and dogs are missing out on interaction with people, interaction with other animals and becoming more and more isolated.

We field many inquiries where people are unable to attend 4 puppy preschool sessions. This is critical socialisation time. By the time your puppy is 6 months old your puppy's critical socialisation periods are over. You have 7 years to do with a human child what you have 5 1/2 months to do with a dog. If you don't have time to do this properly you don't have time for a dog.

Many dogs are not getting off their own property. Remember COVID lockdowns - that was a glimpse of what life is for many dogs. It wasn't great for our mental health and it's not great for theirs either.

Many dogs don't get play, enrichment or adventures. These are basic needs for them. Humans and dogs have had friendships because we are both a species that thrive on companionship. If your dog is going to spend most of their life alone don't expect them to be well adjusted.

You cannot expect a dog to be a polite canine citizen if their basic social needs have not been met. You can't just put them in your home and expect them to be adaptable or well adjusted. Imagine if children were kept in their rooms until they are 7 years old. Would you expect a child raised like this to be well adjusted or would you expect issues? I would expect issues.

The community at large would have safer dogs if research was done about the needs of a dog prior to getting one. What will he/she need? Can I commit to that?

They need training, socialisation and guidance as to how our world works and they need guardians invested in understanding dogs and covering off more than just the necessities of keeping them alive.

They need our TIME.

Are you someone who thinks about your dog in the frame of meeting your needs or are you the guardian who ensures that your dogs needs are met too?

Get off the couch. Unplug. Participate in the friendship. Include them. Train them. Have a life!

23/02/2025

Ted 😍

It’s always hard when clients move away, but I’m so proud of how far Ted has come. Just six weeks ago, his owner was struggling—walks were miserable as he reacted to every person, car, and dog they passed. He was often on edge at home and couldn’t settle.

I have worked with Ted intensively since then. We built his confidence in many different environments, slowly decreasing distances to triggers while rewarding calm behavior and carefully monitoring his body language.

He eventually met a couple of my calm, indifferent dogs and handled it beautifully. We gradually built up to the point that he was happy in a small group, and he had started to ignore the majority of his past triggers, such as strangers and vehicles.

Seeing dogs feel more comfortable and confident in themselves, and making walks more enjoyable for their owners, is the reason I love working with anxious and reactive dogs
Good luck on your new adventure, Ted 🐾

20/02/2025

The Secret Dog Walker hit the nail on the head here 👏

I love this job and the animals more than anything, but it is extremely tiring, can be frustrating, dangerous, sometimes heartbreaking, and it’s certainly not for the faint hearted. I don’t think people realise how much goes into it ‘behind the scenes’ 🐕

To my fellow dog walkers and trainers, I salute you 🫡

20/02/2025

Dora taking the prize for the muckiest pup so far this year 🤎🌧️🙈