Sam Ali
Behaviourist & Trainer
I’ve had such an enjoyable experience working with Sam who has helped me understand some of the trickier behaviours demonstrated by my dog both inside and outside the home. What stands out with Sam from the other dog trainers I have met is her willingness and passion to get to know and understand my experiences and situation and most importantly the unique personality and emotions of my dog which were driving her behaviour. Sam was incredibly honest, patient and compassionate with both myself and my dog and was forgiving of our mistakes. Rather than throwing tools and quick fixes to inform change Sam used her science backed knowledge of canine behaviour and her incredible ethics and values of positivity, honesty, patience and compassion to empower me to make meaningful changes to how I respond and communicate with my dogs needs. The impact of this has transformed my dogs behaviour and our relationship and has enabled my dog to live a far more enriching and fulfilling life. My road to achieving a well behaved everyday dog is by no means over, however thanks to Sam’s knowledge, understanding and guidance we have made amazing progress and the journey is so much more enjoyable and rewarding for both of us. Mrs Smith, East Boldon. I could not recommend Sam highly enough. She really cares about the well-being of the dog and the owner just as much as the end results.
Sam has worked with my two rescue dogs. At the time, one of them, Pippin, was a six-month-old puppy who had never received any training. She had been left in a garden and mistreated by a young man. She’s a gundog breed, so she needs structure, mental stimulation and plenty of daily exercise, none of which she was getting. When Sam met her, Pippin was wild, truly wild. She was highly strung, stressed, and had no training at all. She hated the lead, wouldn’t come into the house, was fearful of men, barked constantly, and was impossible to walk as she was so strong she would pull me over, and I’m a tall, strong person. I removed Pippin from an abusive situation, but I soon realised I was struggling and needed help. That’s when I contacted Sam. She carried out a full assessment, created a plan, and began working with Pippin. I can honestly say Sam has transformed her. Pippin is now a loving, affectionate young dog. She walks well on the lead, comes back when called, leaves things when asked, and is calm, relaxed and able to think. It’s still a work in progress and neither of us is perfect, but Pippin is now a much happier, more confident girl who feels safe and knows how to respond. Sam has always worked with kindness and positive methods. She understands Pippin’s many challenges, has always been there to answer my questions, and has supported me when I felt like giving up. She is ethical, knowledgeable about the science behind dog behaviour, and she takes her time and her methods truly work. I would absolutely recommend Sam to anyone, whether you need help with training, behaviour issues, or just support to understand your dog better and help them thrive.
We feel incredibly fortunate to have found Sam. She has built a strong, trusting bond with our dog, Snoop and he really loves her. Sam’s calm, confident approach has had a noticeable impact on Snoop, her dedication and understanding of dog behaviour and hard work has achieved great recall with him and has helped him make fantastic progress with his behaviour. We can’t thank Sam enough, she’s an absolute diamond and we feel very lucky to have her!
We cannot recommend Sam highly enough! Sam was recommended to us by a friend and we are so pleased that she was. Our Rottweiler, Rio, is our first dog and some might think we were nuts but with Sam’s expertise, guidance, and patience she has been invaluable in playing a part in his development. Sam has built a strong, loving bond with Rio, who adores her. Her knowledge & training methods have been incredibly effective, helping him grow from a cheeky pup into a well-behaved, loving, and intelligent dog. While we know the teenage phase will bring new challenges, we are confident in the foundation Sam has helped us build and I know her continued support will not only help Rio but us as a family.
Samantha has helped us with our working cocker spaniel. I can’t recommend her enough. She was kind, ethical, and very knowledgeable. She really listened to my worries about my dog’s lead pulling and took the time to explain why the behaviour was happening. She created a plan that was very easy to follow and broke everything down step by step which made a huge difference. The face to face follow up sessions were also very good. She really helped to build my confidence and made sure I was on the right track. I’ve seen such a positive change in my dog thanks to her support and knowledge. Maurice - North Shields
Both my husband and myself have mobility issues and needed someone to walk our young Boston Terrier Bella a couple of times a week. My niece posted on Facebook that 'Sam Ali, Behaviourist & Trainer'' had vacancies for dog walking. We contacted Sam and arranged to meet. After an initial get to know everyone and everything there was to know about Bella we decided Sam was the person we could trust to take care of our girl. That was the beginning of a friendship for both my husband and me and more importantly Bella. Sam walks Bella twice a week, Bella sits on the window sill watching for Sam to turn the corner, and she cries if Sam and I have a brief chat, she is so excited to be with her and to get on with her walk. Since walking with Sam, Bella now walks on a loose lead , her recall is much improved and she enjoys sniffing and exploring. Bella enjoys these activities much more than playing fetch the ball. Sam allows Bella to run and investigate her surroundings in a controlled and safe way. Also, Sam is always on hand to advise on things that may be concerning us as dog parents. We cannot speak highly enough of her! Mr and Mrs Haram - South Shields
We use Sam as a dog walker and for specialist support for the reactive behaviour of our cocker spaniel. The knowledge and genuine care she shows to our dog is second to none. He is so comfortable around her and also responds so well to her. The knowledge she has given us and the support is outstanding and would definitely recommend SA Dog Behaviourist and Training Specialist to everyone with a four legged friend. Julie - South Shields.
I got my Rosie from Romania as a rescue with limited history. She came to us as a scared little dog. She was fearful of everything, other dogs, people, cars, bikes, even the lead. At the time we had no idea how badly Rosie was struggling with the world around her. Sam was recommended to me by a friend. Sam visited my home and we went through Rosie’s issues. She reassured me that she could help Rosie and myself. She wrote out a detailed plan that explained what Rosie was going through and how we could work together to help her. I followed Sam’s plan and advice and after a few months I saw a big change in Rosie’s behaviour. She was more settled, calmer, and able to cope. I can now enjoy relaxing walks with her. Sam is very knowledgeable and uses positive, reward-based training. She really helped me understand what my dog was feeling and going through, and I can’t thank her enough. I would recommend Sam if you need some help with your dog. She is also lovely to work with and understood my worries as an owner. Her support and commitment to helping me was exceptional. Thank you Sam! Sally - Jarrow