Dog Trainers UnPACT

In this episode, Steve sits down with the incredibly inspiring Dee Watts, a PACT student and trainer who is breaking down barriers, challenging industry norms, and redefining the world of dog training. From childhood barn owls to criminal profiling, and overcoming a life-altering functional neurological disorder (FND) diagnosis, Dee’s journey is nothing short of a masterclass in resilience, adapta...

In this episode, Steve sits down with Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) and rescue powerhouse, Sarah Tapsell. From her hilariously inventive childhood tactics to get her very first pet rabbit (involving 100 printed signs and a very confused neighbor), to a sliding-doors moment that steered her away from sports dietetics and straight into ethology, Sarah’s path is anything but linear...

Ever wondered how a childhood obsession with garden woodlice can spiral into a top-tier career as a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist? This week, Steve sits down with the incredibly talented Honour Smith (BSc, MSc, CCAB, ABTC-ATI) to unpack her brilliant journey through the animal behaviour world. Honour shares how she navigated multiple "animal careers" before finding her true calling. We...

Welcome back folks :) In this episode, Steve sits down with the incredible Charlie Houghton , founder of Houghton’s Hounds . We navigate through Charlie's fascinating 10-year career as a Logistics Officer in the Royal Navy and discover how teaching leadership to sailors perfectly prepared her for teaching puppies (and their humans!). We covered: The Navy-to-K9 Pivot: How a passion for adult educat...

In this episode, Steve sits down with the wonderful Haych Brassil . We take a "Scooby-Doo" trip back to the Northeast coast of Ireland to discover the journeys that sparked a lifelong mission to help the helpless. What We Covered: The "Otter Trauma": How 80s wildlife documentaries created an emotional blueprint for empathy. Manga & The European Road: the fascinating story of five years traveli...

In this weeks episode I got to sit down with Jason Cortis—a man who has lived several lives already, all of which have given him insights into the world of training and behaviour that are well worth listening to.  We'll hear about his early careers as part of the parachute regiment, a military dog handler and paramedics technician . Jason shares the exact moment of realisation, standing in the bac...

In this episode, Steve sits down with Rachel and Marilyn, the force behind the Canine School of Trailing . We explore how two trainers with completely opposite backgrounds found common ground in the world of scent, leading to a partnership built on friendship, a little prosecco, and a very specific boundary line on the M6. This was so much fun!  In this episode, we "un-pact": From Penguins to Dolp...

In our debut episode, Steve sits down with the multi-talented Emmanuel Oloyede—a veterinary surgeon and PACT student who is bridging the gap between medicine and behaviour. From childhood observations of squirrels in London to the "lightbulb moment" that shaped his career, Emmanuel shares a unique origin story about finding his place in an industry where he rarely saw himself represented. We dive...