Dog Trainer in Hailsham, East Sussex
Dog Training for Real-Life Challenges
Helping dogs feel calmer, more confident, and more comfortable in the world around them starts with understanding — not force.
At Bark & Stride, dog training is ethical, reward-based, and tailored to the individual dog. Sammi works with dogs of all ages and backgrounds, with particular experience supporting nervous, reactive, and sensitive dogs who may need a little more patience and care.
Training focuses on building trust, understanding behaviour, and supporting dogs emotionally as well as practically — helping them learn in a way that feels safe and positive.
Understanding Behaviour First
Dog training isn’t simply about teaching dogs what not to do — it’s about understanding why a behaviour is happening in the first place.
A dog’s emotional state, past experiences, environment, and even breed traits all play a role in how they behave. Fear, uncertainty, over-arousal, frustration, or past trauma can all affect how a dog responds to the world around them.
By taking the time to understand what’s driving a behaviour, training becomes calmer, kinder, and far more effective. The aim is not quick fixes, but lasting change built on trust, confidence, and clear communication.
Sammi’s Approach to Dog Training
At Bark & Stride, training is always ethical and reward-based.
Sammi focuses on:
- Encouraging the behaviour we’d like to see
- Rewarding calm, confident choices
- Building positive relationships between dogs and their humans
- Never using physical or emotional punishment
Training is as much about supporting owners as it is about supporting dogs. You’ll learn how to read your dog’s body language, recognise when they’re feeling comfortable or overwhelmed, and respond in a way that helps them feel safe and understood.
Learning happens best when dogs feel calm and supported — not pressured or corrected.
Support for Reactive & Nervous Dogs
Sammi has a particular passion for helping reactive and nervous dogs, shaped by both professional training and personal experience.
Reactivity often comes from fear, uncertainty, over-excitement, or previous negative experiences. Dogs may bark, lunge, shut down, or struggle to cope with their surroundings — not because they’re being “difficult,” but because they’re overwhelmed.
Training focuses on:
- Helping dogs feel safer in their environment
- Reducing overstimulation
- Building confidence gradually and at the dog’s pace
- Teaching dogs that they don’t need to react to everything around them
There are no quick fixes, and no expectations for dogs to “just cope.” Progress is built through patience, understanding, and consistency.
Dog Training Services & Pricing
Training starts from your home and takes place in real-world outdoor locations in and around Hailsham, helping dogs learn where it matters most.
Dog Training Walks
£30 per 30-minute session
One-to-one, practical training in real-life environments
Training walks are one-to-one sessions that combine walking with focused training and support in real-world environments.
These sessions are ideal for dogs who:
- Struggle on walks
- Become over-aroused outdoors
- Need help building calm behaviour in everyday situations
Training walks focus on:
- Improving engagement and focus
- Building confidence outdoors
- Helping dogs feel more settled and responsive while out and about
Training walks start from your home and are tailored to your dog’s individual needs.
Suitable for dogs of all ages
One-to-one support · By appointment
Reactive Dog Training Walks
£30 per 30 minute session
One-to-one, practical training in real-life environments
For dogs who struggle with reactivity, nervousness, or overstimulation, training walks offer calm, structured support tailored to their needs.
These sessions are designed to help dogs who may:
- Bark, lunge, or react to other dogs or people
- Become overwhelmed outdoors or feel anxious in certain environments
Reactive dog training walks focus on:
- Reducing overstimulation
- Building confidence at the dog’s pace
- Helping dogs feel safer and more comfortable in their surroundings
- Teaching alternative, calmer responses to everyday triggers
There are no quick fixes or forced interactions — progress is built through understanding, patience, and consistency.
Suitable for dogs of all ages
One-to-one support · By appointment
Who Dog Training Is For
Sammi has a particular passion for helping reactive and nervous dogs, shaped by Dog training with Bark & Stride is for owners who want a calmer, more understanding approach to supporting their dog. Whether your dog is nervous, reactive, overwhelmed by their environment, or simply needs help building confidence and focus, training is tailored to meet them where they are.
This service is especially well suited to dogs who need patience, consistency, and clear guidance, as well as owners who want ethical, reward-based training that supports both behaviour and emotional wellbeing.
Dog training with Bark & Stride is suitable for:
- Reactive or anxious dogs
- Nervous or sensitive dogs
- Dogs who feel overwhelmed by their environment
- Dogs with past trauma or difficult experiences
- Owners looking for ethical, understanding-based training
- Anyone wanting a calmer, more confident dog
Qualifications, Training & Experience
Bark & Stride was established in 2014 and is run by Sammi, who has over 35 years of experience in owning dogs and dog walking.
Before becoming a professional dog walker and trainer, Sammi worked with children, young people, and families after gaining a BA Degree in Youth and Community Work in 2004. Over many years, she continued professional development through various parenting programmes — experience that strongly influences her understanding of behaviour, emotions, and learning.
Sammi has since completed extensive canine-specific training, including:
- Dog Trainer Certification Program – Dog Training College
- Canine Body Language Specialist
- Puppy Training Certified Specialist
- Reactive Rascals Specialist
- Puppy Lab Programme – School of Canine Science
- Canine First Responder (First Aid)
- Professional Member (PPN)
Ongoing learning and ethical practice are central to how Bark & Stride operates.
Dog Training FAQs
Kind Words From Happy Humans
SOCS Puppy Programme Course
Although we only joined half way through the class Benji our 4 month puppy learned a great deal from the experience and so did I and Benji overcame his nervousness and all under the excellent instruction from Sammi and it was so much fun and we both loved it. I would highly recommend. We’re looking forward to taking part in another course soon.
Sammi’s approach is wonderful, at our initial consultation, she listened deeply and came back with a tailored proposal to help. She is positive, caring and enthusiastic, bringing games and fun to training, which have instant results and has helped me hugely with all aspects of being a dog parent, including home environment, food and behaviour. Sammi shares her experience and knowledge of dogs in a way that resonates and encourages. I feel so much more confident thanks to working with Sammi and I can’t recommend her enough!
Get Started with Dog Training
Getting started doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. A quick conversation can help you decide the best next step for your dog.