If walks feel like a battlefield and your little dog has bigger feelings than their body suggests, you’re in the right place.
Your dog barks & lunges on walks
You hate walking the dog you dreamed of because they’re acting like a twat
You’ve tried treats, distractions, and hiding behind cars… but it’s not working
You want real behaviour change, not just obedience or tricks
You’re ready to change not just your dog, but you as well
The specialism
Small dogs. That’s the whole point.
There are so many dog training businesses out there, but almost nobody specialises in small dogs…. That’s where I come in.
Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, Cockapoos and other small breeds aren’t “easy mode”. They’re often spicy, opinionated, and wildly misunderstood. Amy built The Social Dog Trainer for them, and for the owners who are done feeling judged on every walk.
Built for small breeds
Training that respects how small dogs think, feel and move through the world.
Behaviour, not circus tricks
Barking, lunging, reactivity and confidence, the stuff that actually ruins walks.
Owners change too
Practical support so you understand your dog and stop guessing in the moment.
Spicy Daxies welcome
Meet the humans
Amy & Dani
Amy founded The Social Dog Trainer and leads the training. Dani keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes, client communication, membership admin, and all the details that make the journey feel looked after.
Together with Amy’s pack of 7 dogs (one Cockapoo, two dachshunds, three Chihuahuas and a mix breed), they help small dogs and their humans find calmer, happier walks.
Training rooted in dog psychology and behaviour, not labels, welfare first, with honesty and real world effectiveness.
Amy’s WhatsApp community brings together 100+ small dog owners who understand barking, lunging, reactivity and the hard days.
Every Sunday, the community comes together, not just to walk, but to rebuild confidence, resocialise dogs, practice what you’re working on, celebrate wins, and remind each other that progress isn’t always linear.
Words from people Amy has actually worked with, straight from Facebook.
“Before finding Amy walks were an absolute nightmare, sheer panic would set in as soon I laid eyes on another dog knowing full well Bueno would react, barking and lunging like crazy. Since working with Amy that has all changed, she’s not only helped to changed Buenos emotions but has also helped with my own mindset and the way I deal with situations that helps him. 1000% recommend for anyone struggling with their dogs.”
“Amy is a breath of fresh air in a world where training and understanding your dog can be difficult and overwhelming. She’s patient, always on hand for support and guidance (even outside of our sessions) and non judgemental. Thanks to Amy, my bond with Buttons grows constantly and nothing makes me happier than seeing our progress.”
“I had a call with Amy about my Pomchi who we were struggling with some people reactivity with around our flat building and frustration to some dogs on lead. She took her time talking me through an explanation of her behaviour and what drives it and how to help her with it. Amy gave me realistic advice that I could implement straight away and now a few weeks on, we’ve had a really positive difference with our girl and her behaviour.”
“Amy is an absolutely incredible dog trainer that has so much knowledge. Amy has helped so much with my dachshunds reactivity towards other dogs and people. The way she uses her pack to help train dogs is so helpful. The support that Amy provides throughout the training is amazing. She is always there to answer questions and provide guidance no matter when you drop her a message.”
“Amy is the most amazing dog trainer ever. After spending lots of money on 2 previous trainers and having no improvement, I really felt there was no hope, until I met Amy. She has completely changed mine and my two dog’s lives. I had two reactive dachshunds that loved to bark and launch at everything and we can now confidently walk anywhere without any reactivity. I feel more confident, my dogs are happier, it’s a dream come true.”
“We can not recommend Amy enough! She taught us so much about our dog’s body language and his interactions with other dogs that has given us so much more confidence taking him out. Stanley had a mixture of reactivity and so was always difficult to determine if it was fear or excitement which led him to have a lot of frustration and for us to stress about taking him out! He has improved massively and now we can all enjoy going out for a walk - we still get the occasional bark but over all he is so much more settled, calm and confident on his walks! I’m so grateful we have had this time with Amy and would definitely recommend if you are struggling with your reactive dog!”
“Amy is one of the few people I would trust with Solo (my 2-year-old male mini Daxie) just as I trust myself. We started with three months hybrid program that helped to unlock so many things, and afterwards we had two board-and-trains - one in winter and the other in summer this year. I simply cannot thank Amy enough. She is incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated to dogs. Her advice and approach are always tailored to your dog and their individual needs.”
“I started with Amy back in the summer last year, my Daxie Ronnie had some frustration based reactivity alongside a complete lack of recall - I was petrified to ever let him off the lead as I was sure he would run away! We did a 3 month programme and it was the best thing I’ve ever done for Ronnie, he has become such a confident little guy who loves to chase squirrels and have fun in the woods! I am a 2 hour drive from Amy so I opted for the hybrid programme. Honestly couldn’t fault Amy at all, any little dog that gets to work with her is a lucky pup!”
“We have been with Amy since May and have seen such a change in our dogs already. We are still working on their reactivity and behavioural issues, but we are in a much better place. Amy is always on hand for any questions, is very supportive and we always have a plan of action in place for next steps. Amy has filled us with huge confidence and has made the whole experience enjoyable. The team has also been incredibly helpful. We would 100% recommend The Social Dog Trainer!”
“My sister and I have had a few sessions with Amy so far, with our mini dachshund Benji. Already we’ve seen such a major turnaround in his behaviour; before we met her we weren’t even able to pass someone on the opposite side of the road without him lunging, barking, growling, and almost pulling himself completely out of his harness. On our first session he was able to happily trot along with Amy and her two dogs off lead - he had never been off lead before this. She has been a lifesaver for us.”
“Amy has worked wonders not only with my dog Goose but also with my confidence when dealing with issues that arise. We had so many trainers before Amy, all of them failed to address the issues but Amy took time to listen, watched Goose’s interactions (via video initially as we are a distance away) and within a week of following her guidance we saw slight improvements. A year down the line walking him is no longer stressful. My only regret is not finding Amy sooner.”
“I would highly recommend Amy. She has such an incredible understanding of dogs and all aspects of their behaviour, including pain, triggers, and the reasons behind certain behaviours. From my very first session with Amy, I immediately felt welcomed and supported. She explains everything in a way that is easy to understand, and I’ve already seen a massive improvement in my dog. You also become part of a lovely, supportive community, which is such a bonus.”
“When I first started working with Amy, I wanted Monty to become a socially aware, confident dog who was living his best life. What I didn’t expect was how much I would learn about myself in the process. The training has been about understanding why dogs behave the way they do, recognising behaviour patterns, setting clear boundaries and building a relationship based on trust. Monty and I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
“We started working with Amy in August 2025 for our 18 month and 6 month old dachshunds. She was extremely non-judgemental and listened to our struggles and showed empathy. We booked in for the 3 month program and haven’t looked back since! Amy and the team answer our questions and give advice all hours of the day and are so supportive and flexible! We live in Stourbridge and travel over an hour to see Amy and it is worth every minute.”
“Amy changed our life, thats not an exaggeration. Our corgi boy became dog reactive at about 2 years old and our world closed in completely. After our first session the reactivity dropped by about 70%, and by the end of our 3 month programme we were able to pass 90% of dogs without issue. He has become more confident and capable, and so have I! If you're struggling with your dog you dont have to keep struggling.”
“Plain and simple - Amy has changed our lives. Before this I was shying away from dogs, people and walks in general. I couldn’t walk near a dog with Pepper let alone seeing one in the distance. Fast forward to now, Pepper is completely off lead and living life as a ‘normal’ dog, playing with her friends and hunting for squirrels in the forests! Don’t get me wrong, it requires A LOT of work - if you’re willing to put the work in, you’ll reap the rewards.”
“I have spent 2 years with trainers, behaviourists and vet visits for my dog. I was told she was anxious and to avoid triggers and our walks were stressful trying to avoid anyone and everything. We have just finished 3 months training and the difference in my dog is incredible. Our walks are less stressful and her reactivity is down about 80% so far. If your walks are stressful and you feel like you are failing then Amy is the trainer for you.”
“Working with Amy has changed mine and Snoop’s life so much already. Before we met Amy Snoop would bark at everything and anything that moved. I couldn’t take him anywhere without him dragging me down the street and/or barking from the minute I left the house to the minute we returned. With some hard work and consistency Snoop can now control his excitement better on walks. The only thing I regret is not reaching out to Amy sooner!”
“Before finding Amy walks were an absolute nightmare, sheer panic would set in as soon I laid eyes on another dog knowing full well Bueno would react, barking and lunging like crazy. Since working with Amy that has all changed, she’s not only helped to changed Buenos emotions but has also helped with my own mindset and the way I deal with situations that helps him. 1000% recommend for anyone struggling with their dogs.”
“Amy is a breath of fresh air in a world where training and understanding your dog can be difficult and overwhelming. She’s patient, always on hand for support and guidance (even outside of our sessions) and non judgemental. Thanks to Amy, my bond with Buttons grows constantly and nothing makes me happier than seeing our progress.”
“I had a call with Amy about my Pomchi who we were struggling with some people reactivity with around our flat building and frustration to some dogs on lead. She took her time talking me through an explanation of her behaviour and what drives it and how to help her with it. Amy gave me realistic advice that I could implement straight away and now a few weeks on, we’ve had a really positive difference with our girl and her behaviour.”
“Amy is an absolutely incredible dog trainer that has so much knowledge. Amy has helped so much with my dachshunds reactivity towards other dogs and people. The way she uses her pack to help train dogs is so helpful. The support that Amy provides throughout the training is amazing. She is always there to answer questions and provide guidance no matter when you drop her a message.”
“Amy is the most amazing dog trainer ever. After spending lots of money on 2 previous trainers and having no improvement, I really felt there was no hope, until I met Amy. She has completely changed mine and my two dog’s lives. I had two reactive dachshunds that loved to bark and launch at everything and we can now confidently walk anywhere without any reactivity. I feel more confident, my dogs are happier, it’s a dream come true.”
“We can not recommend Amy enough! She taught us so much about our dog’s body language and his interactions with other dogs that has given us so much more confidence taking him out. Stanley had a mixture of reactivity and so was always difficult to determine if it was fear or excitement which led him to have a lot of frustration and for us to stress about taking him out! He has improved massively and now we can all enjoy going out for a walk - we still get the occasional bark but over all he is so much more settled, calm and confident on his walks! I’m so grateful we have had this time with Amy and would definitely recommend if you are struggling with your reactive dog!”
“Amy is one of the few people I would trust with Solo (my 2-year-old male mini Daxie) just as I trust myself. We started with three months hybrid program that helped to unlock so many things, and afterwards we had two board-and-trains - one in winter and the other in summer this year. I simply cannot thank Amy enough. She is incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated to dogs. Her advice and approach are always tailored to your dog and their individual needs.”
“I started with Amy back in the summer last year, my Daxie Ronnie had some frustration based reactivity alongside a complete lack of recall - I was petrified to ever let him off the lead as I was sure he would run away! We did a 3 month programme and it was the best thing I’ve ever done for Ronnie, he has become such a confident little guy who loves to chase squirrels and have fun in the woods! I am a 2 hour drive from Amy so I opted for the hybrid programme. Honestly couldn’t fault Amy at all, any little dog that gets to work with her is a lucky pup!”
“We have been with Amy since May and have seen such a change in our dogs already. We are still working on their reactivity and behavioural issues, but we are in a much better place. Amy is always on hand for any questions, is very supportive and we always have a plan of action in place for next steps. Amy has filled us with huge confidence and has made the whole experience enjoyable. The team has also been incredibly helpful. We would 100% recommend The Social Dog Trainer!”
“My sister and I have had a few sessions with Amy so far, with our mini dachshund Benji. Already we’ve seen such a major turnaround in his behaviour; before we met her we weren’t even able to pass someone on the opposite side of the road without him lunging, barking, growling, and almost pulling himself completely out of his harness. On our first session he was able to happily trot along with Amy and her two dogs off lead - he had never been off lead before this. She has been a lifesaver for us.”
“Amy has worked wonders not only with my dog Goose but also with my confidence when dealing with issues that arise. We had so many trainers before Amy, all of them failed to address the issues but Amy took time to listen, watched Goose’s interactions (via video initially as we are a distance away) and within a week of following her guidance we saw slight improvements. A year down the line walking him is no longer stressful. My only regret is not finding Amy sooner.”
“I would highly recommend Amy. She has such an incredible understanding of dogs and all aspects of their behaviour, including pain, triggers, and the reasons behind certain behaviours. From my very first session with Amy, I immediately felt welcomed and supported. She explains everything in a way that is easy to understand, and I’ve already seen a massive improvement in my dog. You also become part of a lovely, supportive community, which is such a bonus.”
“When I first started working with Amy, I wanted Monty to become a socially aware, confident dog who was living his best life. What I didn’t expect was how much I would learn about myself in the process. The training has been about understanding why dogs behave the way they do, recognising behaviour patterns, setting clear boundaries and building a relationship based on trust. Monty and I can’t recommend her highly enough.”
“We started working with Amy in August 2025 for our 18 month and 6 month old dachshunds. She was extremely non-judgemental and listened to our struggles and showed empathy. We booked in for the 3 month program and haven’t looked back since! Amy and the team answer our questions and give advice all hours of the day and are so supportive and flexible! We live in Stourbridge and travel over an hour to see Amy and it is worth every minute.”
“Amy changed our life, thats not an exaggeration. Our corgi boy became dog reactive at about 2 years old and our world closed in completely. After our first session the reactivity dropped by about 70%, and by the end of our 3 month programme we were able to pass 90% of dogs without issue. He has become more confident and capable, and so have I! If you're struggling with your dog you dont have to keep struggling.”
“Plain and simple - Amy has changed our lives. Before this I was shying away from dogs, people and walks in general. I couldn’t walk near a dog with Pepper let alone seeing one in the distance. Fast forward to now, Pepper is completely off lead and living life as a ‘normal’ dog, playing with her friends and hunting for squirrels in the forests! Don’t get me wrong, it requires A LOT of work - if you’re willing to put the work in, you’ll reap the rewards.”
“I have spent 2 years with trainers, behaviourists and vet visits for my dog. I was told she was anxious and to avoid triggers and our walks were stressful trying to avoid anyone and everything. We have just finished 3 months training and the difference in my dog is incredible. Our walks are less stressful and her reactivity is down about 80% so far. If your walks are stressful and you feel like you are failing then Amy is the trainer for you.”
“Working with Amy has changed mine and Snoop’s life so much already. Before we met Amy Snoop would bark at everything and anything that moved. I couldn’t take him anywhere without him dragging me down the street and/or barking from the minute I left the house to the minute we returned. With some hard work and consistency Snoop can now control his excitement better on walks. The only thing I regret is not reaching out to Amy sooner!”
Yes. Amy specialises in dachshunds and other small breeds. If you’ve got a spicy little dog with big opinions, you’re in the right place.
No. The focus is real behaviour change, reactivity, barking, lunging, confidence and the relationship between you and your dog, not tricks for the sake of it.
Program clients join the exclusive TSDT WhatsApp group, a kind community of small dog owners, plus personal 1-2-1 WhatsApp support as part of the program.
No. The discovery call is a relaxed chat to see if you’re a good fit. If you are, amazing. If not, that’s okay too.
All three are the same 3 month program, with different ways of meeting Amy. In Person is five sessions with her at Sutton Park, plus weekly social walks, monthly neutrality walks, WhatsApp support and the community. Hybrid is mostly online (four Zoom sessions) with one in person session, the same walks and community, and is UK only. Virtual is fully online: five Zoom sessions, WhatsApp support and the community, available worldwide with no travel.
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