Sally Gutteridge

22/09/2024

It’s hard to find awareness that you don’t have to fix everything for others when you never learned it.

As children we can easily believe we are responsible for the wellbeing of people around us, especially if our parents had poor emotional intelligence.

We have to teach ourselves the nature of self care and advocacy, often for the first time, as adults.

We get to tackle questions like..

Where do we draw the line?

How do we know our own needs, let alone know how to meet them?

Are we not just being horribly self centred by not giving all we have to help others?

Fixing things for others when we are still living from an unfixed space causes us problems.

It also makes us less effective.

It really does!
Being there for everyone else when we haven’t learned to be there for ourselves steals away our time and even our life.

Often even our health too.

Excessive givers, empaths and fixers .. how do you take care of yourself?

Do you know what you need?

Join my coaching page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566379913260

22/09/2024

Dogs, like humans, have rich emotional lives. As research continues to unfold, we're gaining new insights into the emotional capacity of dogs, allowing us to understand them on a deeper level. One important aspect of dog guardianship is the ability to respect and respond to our dogs’ emotional states in a way that honours their individuality.

Canine Emotions

22/09/2024

Fear in dogs is like a shadow. It clings to them, shaping how they move through the world, but that doesn’t mean it has to define them forever.

These dogs, the ones who shy away, tremble, or bark defensively, aren’t broken—they’re just scared.

Fear is something that’s been imprinted on them, often through experiences that left them unsure of what’s safe. But fear isn’t permanent. With the right care and patience, they can learn that the world doesn’t have to be so frightening.

When a dog is fearful, they might cower, avoid eye contact, or freeze at the sound of a loud noise. But with gentle guidance, we can help them find their confidence.

Step by step, we can show them that not every sound signals danger and not every touch is something to fear. Through calm, positive experiences and consistent reassurance, we can replace their fear with trust.

In time, their once timid, dull eyes will start to look up with curiosity, and shine their small, tentative steps will turn into a wagging tail and a brighter, more confident dog.

Read or listen to Holly's story here: https://amzn.to/4e9FYNu

21/09/2024

Just hanging around in the reservoir 🥹

21/09/2024

Puppies that come from places like puppy farms or classified ads, often start life at a disadvantage.

From the moment they’re born, their world is filled with chaos, and confusion, leaving little room for safety or trust.

They’re torn from their mothers far too soon, not given the love or nurturing they need to grow into confident dogs. They often go into homes who don't value or understand them.

These little souls, they start out anxious, and that fear sticks. It shows up in trembling, hiding, or even aggressive barking. You see it in the way they cower or chew obsessively, trying to make sense of a world that hasn’t been kind to them.

They don’t know how to trust, not yet, because they’ve been let down before.

But just like us, dogs can heal. With patience, kindness, and a safe environment, these traumatised pups can learn to feel secure. It takes time, yes, but the transformation is nothing short of incredible.

Slowly, they begin to trust again. Their eyes start to shine. They learn that not all humans hurt, and that there’s a place for them in this world where they can just be themselves.

And to everyone who takes on the task of rehabilitating these sad, scared, and traumatised dogs, this is for you. It’s not an easy job. You’re saving lives. You’re creating safety. You are shining your light into the darkest spaces.

And I know it hurts.
I know it’s heavy.

But what you’re doing is nothing short of heroic. You’re giving these dogs what they’ve always deserved—a chance to feel safe, loved, and understood. And for that, the world is a better place.

Because of you, the World is better.

Join me on Monday 23rd at 7pm (BST) https://www.sallygutteridge.com/challenge-page/8721ec84-cac1-4bf2-b95c-b146eee8b48b?programId=8721ec84-cac1-4bf2-b95c-b146eee8b48b

21/09/2024

Living with a fearful or traumatised dog requires a unique and compassionate approach. Understanding fear, anxiety, and trauma in dogs is essential to helping them overcome their challenges.

Whether you’re living with a dog who struggles with these issues or working as a professional, knowing how to apply trauma-informed methods is key to making progress.

Join this live webinar to learn about:

The nature of fear, anxiety, and trauma in dogs
Practical steps to help dogs heal and regain confidence
Proven methods to foster calm and happiness through positive guidance and scent work
You’ll leave with a toolkit to support your own dog or any dog in your care, enabling them to feel safe and understood.

About Sally Gutteridge:

Sally Gutteridge is a highly qualified Level 6 dog behaviourist, family dog mediator, and passionate ethical canine advocate. With extensive experience, she has served as a dog trainer for the British Army and as an instructor for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Through her work, she has helped thousands of dogs and their guardians achieve harmony and understanding.

Sally’s dedication to ethical training and trauma-informed practices ensures that dogs and their people build lasting, positive relationships.

Join me and explore the delicate process of rehabilitating dogs suffering from fear, trauma, and anxiety. Unlike typical dog training, rehabilitation

21/09/2024

Not all dogs become aggressive when they are scared. Some shrink back into themselves and hope the scary thing goes away.

This becomes a kind of freeze state and is as crucial to respond to as the aggressive response is, because freeze state is awful for dog welfare. A dog in freeze response is experiencing an intense physiological shutdown of all their systems which maintain good health.

Sadly and because of the way they are often treated and misunderstood, there are many scared dogs in our communities. When we live or work with dogs who fear things, or even fear us, we have to adopt certain strategies and communicate slightly differently. Supporting a fearful dog is not about forci...

21/09/2024

Ooo this is so sweet! 🥹😅

20/09/2024

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard! Here’s Eddy with a bonio 💕

Jayne Draper, Stacy Jephcote, Nikki Ivey, Amy Kee

20/09/2024

Every dog has their own way of showing confusion. While one dog might sniff and yawn, another might pant and scratch. These signals are very similar to those of mild stress, so it’s important to pay attention and adjust your approach if necessary. If you notice signs of confusion, whether during a training session or in daily life, your dog is trying to tell you something. If their confusion is ignored and they’re pushed further, it could escalate into a more serious stress response, such as fight or flight.

Dogs communicate their confusion with us in no uncertain terms. When a dog becomes confused, it's simply their way of expressing uncertainty about what’s happening, what’s intended, or what’s required of them. Without clear guidance or if they feel pushed too far despite their confusion, they ...

20/09/2024

Just quickly letting you know that my canine trauma webinar is nearly upon us.

I decided to do this webinar after seeing a few dogs who were clearly struggling but their struggle was unseen and unrecognised by the people they were with.

There are certain behaviours a dog shows when their nervous system is out of natural rhythm. The behaviour associated with fear, fight or flight show up in environments that we might consider out of context but that present as serious danger or threat to the dog.

There are also behaviours which show us a dog is in freeze state. Constant freeze state is sure sign of nervous system disregulation. It means that the dog's health is suffering, and they are living in a survival state, nothing in their body or mind is working well when a dog is in freeze state.

Trauma can be overcome though and we can help our dogs to regulate in the way they should be able to.

Join me Monday 23rd September (7pm UK) to learn about canine trauma and why we should be trauma informed when we live and work with dogs.

I would love to see you there, if you can't make it, the recording will be available shortly afterwards.

Join me and explore the delicate process of rehabilitating dogs suffering from fear, trauma, and anxiety. Unlike typical dog training, rehabilitation

19/09/2024

Let's recognise confusion for what it is.

Not naughtiness, just confusion.

A dog who looks away, licks their lips, fetches a toy, frantically scratches themself, sniffs the ground in a certain way or carry out any other behaviour which seems out of context is potentially confused.

Misunderstanding confusion leads to stress.

Let's protect our lovely dogs from unnecessary stress.

It's hard enough living with us after all.

Learn your dog's language: https://amzn.to/3zxlkYn

19/09/2024

There are parts of modern dog training that are not quite modern. We still consider that dogs need to act like they are wolves in some cases, Here's why this happens (and why it should stop)

There are parts of modern dog training that are not quite modern. We still consider that dogs need to act like they are wolves in some cases, let's stop doing that. The rise of misguided dog training starts many years ago with a study conducted by Rudolf Schenkel in the 1930s. Schenkel studied a gro...

19/09/2024

"This is brilliant guide for anyone either thinking of or someone, who has just adopted an ex-puppy farm dog. The information, though scientifically based is easy to understand and the paragraphs are in 'bite-size' pieces, making it easy to find the information you may be looking for.

I bought the book in April 2019 & although I read it immediately, I refer to it constantly if I have any concerns about my little dogs.

I have had my first little 3year old ex-breeding bitch for almost a year & she was lucky enough to have lived for a while with an incredible foster family. My second little dog was not so lucky, She was thankfully rescued by Many Tears Animal shelter, but I adopted her directly from there, so she came to me with numerous issues caused by the puppy farm.

Sally's book has guided me through the mine field of issues the little dog came with. I Highly recommend it"

Get it here: https://amzn.to/3yVCsqE

19/09/2024

A lovely lady emailed me today to ask about my trauma coaching for people. Marketing for that been a little neglected I'm afraid - I have so many more ideas than hours - but I have just created a page where you can follow that side of my work & access my Mental Wellbeing Company website for a nosey.

So if you're interested in trauma education and how somatic coaching works for humans - give me a follow over there.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566379913260

19/09/2024

Any dog behaviour out of context is potentially sign of confusion in our dogs.

Here are some common signs of canine confusion and how to respond to them:

🐶 Pacing - When confused or stressed, some dogs will pace to burn off energy and distract themselves from the situation.

🐶 Scratching - Dogs may scratch themselves frantically when confused, hoping to shift focus away from the source of their confusion. It’s their way of trying to escape the situation and give it time to resolve.

🐶 Sniffing - A confused dog may sniff the ground, even though there’s no obvious scent. If this happens during a training session, it’s a good sign that your dog is overwhelmed and unsure of what’s being asked. This is the perfect moment to reassess your approach.

🐶 Turning Away or ‘Ignoring’ - When a dog turns away from you, they aren’t being defiant. They’re simply confused and hoping the problem will disappear. Misinterpreting this as disobedience or anything else could lead to unnecessary stress for the dog.

Learn your dog's language: https://amzn.to/4e9WjBE

19/09/2024

Just wandered into to Amazon to find this as a number #1 Bestseller That's made my day 🥰 Thank you so much guys!

Easy Walks With Reactive Dogs eBook : Gutteridge, Sally, Smith, Dayle: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

18/09/2024

This dog has come to my attention, she's very sad, good with dogs and kids, 2 - not neutered and free to good home 😟 any ideas guys?

18/09/2024

Can we just learn about dogs?

Can we just take time to understand that when they move away, they don’t want to be touched?

Can we?

Can we just be aware that every ear flick means something?

Every lip lick.

Every pose.

Every posture.

Every movement no matter how small, means something.

Can we please just learn about dogs?

Can we understand that they feel everything?

That they have needs.

That they deserve freedoms:

To choose.

From abuse.

Over their own bodies.

Can we just put what we think aside?

Stop projecting.

Start observing.

Start listening and loving dogs for who they are.

Allowing them to be.

Without too much interference, let them be free.

Can we please, please just learn about dogs?

Join my live webinar: https://www.sallygutteridge.com/challenge-page/8721ec84-cac1-4bf2-b95c-b146eee8b48b?programId=8721ec84-cac1-4bf2-b95c-b146eee8b48b