SamSa Dog Training & Behaviour

21/07/2026

Sadly, only three days after my last post about my boy Sam, he suddenly became seriously ill and passed away a few days later. Today marks a week since I lost my heart dog and his devastating absence is felt in every moment.

I will never be able to put into words how much he meant to me or how grateful I am for every adventure, every lesson, every laugh and every moment we shared. We had the most incredible life together and I wouldn't change a second of it. So many dogs are living happier lives because Sam was part of their journey, including my two dogs Sadie and Alex. He was truly such a special boy, happy, gentle and resilient. We met at MADRA - Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption back in 2016. He was completely shut-down and fearful but flourished into an optimistic, confident boy who adored dogs and people.

Thank you, my beautiful boy, for trusting me, for teaching me and for sharing your heart with so many others. He will always be my heart dog, my greatest teacher and the love of my life. Forever loved. Forever missed.

I will be taking some time off to process this profound loss and I want to apologise to anyone who is waiting on me to get back to them, I am gradually working my way through messages, so please bear with me.

Carrie 💔

08/07/2026

School's Out! 📚

Sam is officially on his school holidays! We have finished up our MADRA Talking Dogs Workshops with schools and summer camps until September.

Sam has been working hard all year visiting schools weekly to help children learn how to read dogs and to practice having safe interactions. From a completely shut-down "tricky" dog at all those years ago, a dog who sat huddled in his bed terrified for months, to now absolutely loving life and adoring his school visits with children. He's truly the most incredible dog.

He brings such joy to children, many whom are scared of dogs or who have never pet a dog. The children loved seeing all his cool tricks and giving him lots of chopped up carrots as a reward.

Thanks to all the schools who welcomed us! 🐾

09/06/2026

I'm delighted to be supporting Doing It for the Dogs, a fantastic fundraiser in aid of MADRA - Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption, this Sunday ( June 14th) and I'd love to see you there.

I'll be available for a dog training Q&A, so if you've got questions about your dog's behaviour, training or general canine life, come along and have a chat!

There'll also be:

Expert advice on dog health and grooming
A fun walk along the prom with your dogs
Pet portraits
Lots of pet-related stalls
A wonderful community of dog lovers coming together to support a great cause

It's a brilliant opportunity to meet like-minded dog people, learn from local experts and help raise funds for the incredible work MADRA does rescuing and rehoming dogs.

As it will be a busy event with lots of dogs and people, it may not be the best environment for more nervous or reactive dogs. However, if your dog enjoys social outings and a bit of excitement, they'll have a fantastic day out!

Every ticket, donation and visit helps support dogs in need. We hope you'll join us for a fun-filled day for a great cause.

Doing It For The Dogs is back at the Claddagh Hall on June 14th. Join them for their biggest celebration of rescue dogs yet.

21/04/2026

🐾 Bring fun, interactive learning into your classroom with our Talking Dog Workshops! 🐶💙

These FREE sessions help children build confidence and stay safe around dogs, while having plenty of fun along the way (and yes, meeting a dog is always a highlight! ✨)

💡 Pupils learn how to:

🐾 Understand dog body language
🐾 Safely approach and interact with dogs
🐾 Be responsible and confident around dogs

🤩 Perfect for 3rd & 4th class pupils, our workshops are engaging, practical, and age-appropriate.

🏫 We are taking bookings for the rest of this term and from September✨.

📩 Book now 👉 [email protected]



Galway City Council Galway County Council

17/04/2026

Please don't use laser pointers with your dogs.

I know it might look like harmless fun, but I can’t tell you how many cases I’ve worked with where this one game completely changed a dog’s behaviour for the worse.

Dogs are wired to chase and that's normal. The issue with laser pointers is that they trigger the chase and never allow the catch. That might not seem like a big deal, but from a behavioural perspective, it’s huge. Research shows that when a dog can’t complete the natural hunt sequence it creates frustration, confusion and stress.

Over time, this can turn into obsessive behaviours like staring at walls or floors, chasing reflections or shadows, scanning rooms constantly for the dot and struggling to switch off.

This is called laser pointer syndrome and it’s very real. Some dogs become so affected that everyday things like sunlight reflections or TV flickers trigger them. Once that obsessive loop starts, it can be really difficult to undo.

Give your dog games where they can win and where the chase ends with something real.
You can use a toy, food, a tug, a find etc.

If you’ve used a laser pointer before, don’t beat yourself up over it, but stop now and reach out if you’re noticing fixation or obsessive patterns starting.

16/04/2026

We love our school visits! 🥹💙

15/04/2026

Another fabulous day of primary school workshops! How cute is my boy Sam?!😍 He absolutely loves visiting schools and meeting lots of children.

If any teachers would like us to visit their school for free workshops, please email [email protected] 🐾

With thanks to Galway City Council and Galway County Council for funding our fun and educational workshops.

23/03/2026

Sadie checking in with me earlier on our walk in the woods. Isn't she absolutely beautiful?!

Recall isn’t just about calling your dog back, it’s about connection. Even out in the woods, where there are a million interesting smells and distractions, Sadie still chooses to check in with me regularly.

That doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from building a relationship where being near me feels safe, rewarding and worthwhile.

When your dog wants to come back, that’s when you get the kind of recall that really matters, the one you can rely on when you actually need it.

A solid recall is what allows dogs like Sadie to have more freedom, like being off lead, while I am confident she’ll come straight back when I call her in different environments.

Recall is one of the most valuable skills you can teach your dog,not just for training, but for giving them a safe, fuller life.

Get in touch if you would like to supercharge your dog's recall!

20/03/2026

19/03/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Dog walkers, please be extremely careful if you walk your dogs in Kylebrack Woods.

A case of Alabama Rot has been confirmed in the area and very sadly a young dog has passed away after picking it up here.

Alabama Rot is not visible and can quickly lead to liver failure. It has a 80% mortality rate so be extremely careful walking your dogs.