Spicy Dogs, Galle (2026)

31/12/2025

This year taught me one thing above all else: trust your dog a little more!!

With my own dogs, and with the incredible guardians of free-living and village dogs I’ve worked with, the biggest lesson was learning to let go.

It sounds simple. But it’s probably the hardest advice to give.

Because letting go requires trust. And trusting feels terrifying when you love another being who doesn’t speak your language.

You want them safe. So you overprotect. You micromanage.
You assume you know better how to keep them alive..

But village dogs… they’re different! They are literally built to survive. Their instincts are there for a reason.

Yes, they’ll make questionable choices sometimes.
Yes, it will test every fibre of your nervous system.
But unlike many pet dogs, they haven’t lost their ability to read the world.

They don’t need more control. They need more trust!!

And when you finally allow yourself to loosen the grip (even just a little) something shifts.. In them and in you.

It’s magical. And incredibly hard. I know...

But trust me on this., it's totally worth it 💙

I want to thank all the incredible village dogs who teach me something new every single day. And all the beautiful guardians who trusted me, worked with me, and allowed me into their lives and their dogs’ journeys.

My best wishes to the entire village and street dog community here on social media.
Thank you for questioning, learning, unlearning, and for standing up for dogs who don’t fit the mould.

Here’s to a new year of deeper understanding, more trust, and fewer labels.
May 2026 be a year where more dogs are seen, respected, and met with compassion, exactly as they are! 🐾🌻

23/12/2025

If a dog bites you, take it seriously. Every time. This is not about panic. it’s about safety.
Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear, but also 100% preventable if treated correctly and promptly.

Here’s what everyone needs to understand:

Rabies is transmitted when infected saliva enters the body through:
• Broken skin (most commonly via bites)
• Scratches or wounds that break the skin and are then contaminated with saliva
• Mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth), a kiss in the mouth/nose or eye or on that mosquito bite?
- - -
• Not through intact skin
• Not through touching, petting, or being near a dog
• Not through fur, urine, or f***s
• Not airborne

Also:
• You cannot really tell by looking at a dog if they carry rabies
• Waiting to “see how it goes” is not an option really
• Immediate medical care saves lives

If you are bitten:
➡️ Wash the wound immediately with running water and soap for at least 15 minutes
➡️ Apply antiseptic if available
➡️ Seek medical attention as soon as possible for post-exposure prophylaxis
➡️ Do not delay. Do not self-diagnose. Do not ignore it.

Rabies is not inevitable. It is preventable through vaccination, TNVR programs, and respectful human behaviour around dogs.

Not all bites = rabies. Most bites happen because:
• Dogs feel threatened or cornered
• Humans misread body language
• People force interactions or ignore warnings

You do not need to be afraid of dogs. You need to be informed, respectful, and cautious. Street dogs are not the enemy. Ignorance is!!

Smart interaction, vaccination programs, and education are how we protect both people and dogs.

💬 Save this post. Share it. Education is key to prevent fear.

17/12/2025

Let’s be very honest for a moment.

Western countries removed dogs from the streets, put them into shelters, and today those shelters are overflowing, collapsing, or euthanising healthy dogs because there simply aren’t enough homes. That system has already failed millions of dogs.

So when tourists come to Sri Lanka and demand that street dogs be “taken somewhere safe,” what they often mean is: “Put them into the same broken system we created at home.” Simply because a problem it's easier to accept when hidden behind walls. Easier to forget.

But street dogs here aren’t lost pets. They aren't meant to be shelter dogs.
They’re free-living beings with territories, social networks, survival skills and emotional lives shaped by agency & freedom, not confinement.

Sri Lanka doesn’t need more cages.
It needs education, vaccinations, TNVR, community programs, and coexistence strategies that actually respect who these dogs are.

If you care about dogs, truly care, then you’ll understand that “rescue” isn’t always the kindest option. Sometimes the kindest thing we can do is protect their world, not remove them from it.

If you truly understand street dogs, you would probably agree with this.
What have you learnt about street dogs, and what are you ready to rethink?

💬 If you don't agree, please prove me wrong!

15/12/2025

Free-living dogs aren’t lost pets; They’re experienced, socially skilled beings who’ve learned how to survive in a human world, often better than we expect.

Interacting respectfully means letting go of the idea that every dog wants affection, saving, or physical contact.

You wouldn’t walk into someone’s home and hug them without permission. Street dogs deserve the same respect!

Observe first. Move slowly. Let them choose. And remember: you are the visitor in their world!

Respect is the first step to real coexistence.

12/12/2025

Finding an injured street dog can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re travelling and don’t know what to do. But there is a right way to help, and it starts with staying calm and assessing the situation safely.

Not every dog needs to be “rescued” or removed from its environment.
Some need on-the-spot first aid, some simply need monitoring, and a few need veterinary intervention .. but always in the least stressful and safest way possible for the dog and the person.

A few things tourists often don’t realise:

• Not all vets are equipped for emergencies: some only handle routine care
• Shelters are not all hospitals, and many are overflowing
• A frightened or painful dog may react unpredictably; your safety always first!
• Local rescuers can guide you on what’s actually best for that dog
• Transport and handling should be done only when truly necessary (moving a hurt dog can cause more trauma or injury) and by professionals

If you’re here in Sri Lanka and unsure what to do: 💬 DM me, I’ll be happy to guide you through it so the dog gets the right support, not unnecessary stress.

09/12/2025

Falling in love with a dog while travelling is one of the most beautiful parts of visiting Sri Lanka… but it’s also one of the most emotionally complicated.

PLEASE NOTE: Adopting a dog you met abroad isn’t wrong. It just comes with a level of responsibility that many travellers are not prepared for.

Street dogs aren’t “blank slates.” They have histories, routines, territories, community members who feed them, dog friends, and a lifestyle built around freedom and familiarity. Moving them across the world can be deeply stressful and sometimes traumatic...

This flowchart isn’t here to stop you from adopting. It’s here to help you understand the full picture so your decision supports the dog, not just the emotion of the moment.

Sometimes adoption is the right choice. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do is support them where they already are through TNVR, sponsorship, or local caregivers.

A dog is not a souvenir. They’re a life you commit to for the next decade or more: a life that depends entirely on you!!

If you truly want to help the dog you fell in love with, slow down, learn their context, and choose the path that honours them, not just your heart.

💬 Travellers: if you have questions about helping street dogs ethically, my comments are open.

05/12/2025

If you’re travelling around Sri Lanka (or any country with street dogs) and find a puppy or a street dog in need, the first instinct is always the same: “Let’s call a shelter.”
“Maybe a local family will take them.” .. “Someone here must want this puppy.”

I know it comes from a good place, but here’s the honest reality:
There are millions of street dogs in Sri Lanka.
And only a handful of shelters in the entire country.
Every single one of them is full.
Over capacity. Struggling. Turning dogs away every day because they physically have nowhere to put them.

Shelters are not a magical solution. Most dogs who enter them never leave again...

And about leaving puppies “with locals”? People here either already have dogs, or if they want to adopt, they will take one from the street or from a shelter.
Why would they adopt the puppy you found, instead of the hundreds waiting at their local temple or at the shelter nearby? It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth.

Bringing a puppy to a local house or a shelter is not helping, it’s passing the problem to people who are already overwhelmed!!

So what should you do?

👉 First: assess the situation properly (mum present? safe environment? healthy puppy?). See my previous post!
👉 Support the dog on the spot when possible.
👉 Contact NGOs for guidance, not placement.
👉 Use local vet clinics for treatments or vaccinations, medications etc.
👉 And most importantly: If you pick up a puppy, be prepared to take responsibility for what happens next. Not the locals. Not the shelters. YOU!!

Sri Lanka doesn’t need more dogs pushed into overflowing shelters.
What the country needs is support for TNVR, respectful coexistence, and tourists who take responsible actions, not emotional ones that create more damage than good.

If you care, thank you.
But please care in ways that actually help.

💬 Want the next post in the tourist/helping series? “What to do if a street dog follows you?” Tell me which one you want next.

03/12/2025

It’s high season, which means many travellers will come across puppies during their stay. So here’s a simple guide to help you make the right decision: not the emotional one!

Because not every puppy needs rescuing, and sometimes the kindest thing you can do… is pause and observe.

✨ Before you pick up a puppy, check three things:
• Is the mother around?
• Is the area dangerous?
• Is the puppy sick or injured?

Many puppies who look “alone” actually have a mum close by, scavenging or resting.
Removing them too early can cause lifelong emotional and behavioural issues.

If the puppy is healthy and safe, the best option is often to leave them in their territory. Support the family with food and water, not separation.

If the puppy is in danger or injured, then yes: help is needed.
Move them to a safer area or take them to a local vet or NGO that can guide you properly.

And the most important reminder: Once you pick up a puppy, you become responsible for what happens next. Make sure you have a real plan, not just good intentions.

If you can't take on the responsibility, what's the best thing you can do?
Support TNVR, support local caregivers, support coexistence.

Saving puppies is not always about taking them. Sometimes it’s about understanding what they actually need.

Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping in ways that truly support street dogs, not harm them.

💬 If you want a “What to do if…” guide for another situation, let me know in the comments!

01/12/2025

Struggling to connect with your rescue dog?
You’re not the only one. And that doesn’t make you a bad guardian, it makes you human.

When we adopt, we all carry an invisible story with us: A story about the dog we imagined. The dog we thought we were getting. The dog we wanted to love..

And then the real dog arrives. With their history. Their trauma. Their instincts. Their boundaries. Their pace!

And sometimes… there’s a grief in that. A mourning of what you expected, so you can learn to accept what is.

Acceptance is not giving up. Acceptance is seeing the dog in front of you with clarity, compassion, and honesty.
Educating yourself about who they are: their breed, their background, their genetics, is a huge part of that!

Understanding fosters acceptance.
Acceptance fosters connection.
Connection changes everything.

These dogs come into our lives for reasons we don’t always understand.
They stretch us. They soften us. They teach us in ways we don’t expect.

Let them be who they are. And let yourself become who you’re meant to be alongside them.

💬 If you’re in this phase, my dms are open for you.

27/11/2025

This is what agency really looks like: A dog choosing when to move. A dog reading traffic. A dog deciding what’s safe and what isn’t.

Nobody told him to wait. Nobody micromanaged his body. He just… knows. Because life taught him.

Free-living dogs remind us of something the pet industry often forgets: Dogs are incredibly good at making decisions when we let them.

When we strip away their choices, we create dependency, confusion, anxiety, and reactivity.
When we give them freedom and the space to think, they become calmer, more thoughtful, more regulated.

❗Agency isn’t a luxury. Agency is safety! And moments like this are the proof ❗

I’m grateful for these incredible free-living beings. for the lessons, the perspective, and the daily reminders that coexistence is possible.
While much of the Western world removed dogs from their streets, replaced them with control systems, and sold obedience as “good behaviour,” places like this still show us the truth:

🔻Dogs don’t need micromanagement.
🔻They don’t need constant obedience.
🔻They don’t need behaviour modification for simply being dogs.

✨They need understanding.
✨They need agency.
✨They need the freedom to live as dogs were designed to live.

If we remove them from the streets, we lose the living proof of what real coexistence looks like.

19/11/2025

“Slowly” is probably the cue I use most with my dog: not as obedience, but as co-regulation. It’s my way of saying, “Hey, let’s settle together. Let’s move through this moment at a pace that keeps you safe and grounded.”

No drilling. No rehearsed training sessions.Just a social request that grew naturally from our relationship.

I use it when excitement builds, when we’re around other animals, when we’re approaching roads, when the beach gets chaotic…and most of the time, my dog checks in, softens his pace, and adjusts with me.

This is not about control: it’s about connection. When dogs feel understood, they respond. When they feel pushed, they resist. “Slowly” works because it respects their nervous system. Fast movement feeds arousal. Slowing down helps them regulate, breathe, and stay present with me rather than spinning out.

It’s one of those tiny moments that shows just how much shared language you can build when you focus on the relationship first.

If you try it, let me know how it feels for you and your dog :)

19/11/2025

“Slowly” is probably the cue I use most with my dogs: not as obedience, but as co-regulation. It’s my way of saying, “Hey, let’s settle together. Let’s move through this moment at a pace that keeps you safe and grounded.”

No drilling. No rehearsed training sessions. Just a social request that grew naturally from our relationship. I use it when excitement builds, when we’re around other animals, when we’re approaching roads, when the beach gets chaotic… and every single time, my dogs check in, soften their pace, and adjust with me.

Because it’s not about control: it’s about connection. When dogs feel understood, they respond. When they feel pushed, they resist. “Slowly” works because it respects their nervous system. Fast movement feeds arousal. Slowing down helps them regulate, breathe, and stay present with me rather than spinning out.

It’s one of those tiny moments that shows just how much shared language you can build when you focus on the relationship first.🤍

If you try it, let me know how it feels for you and your dog :)

🤍

Spicy Dogs

31/12/2025

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17/12/2025

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