Hi, I’m Summer, and if you’d told me years ago I’d end up running my own dog walking and training business, I probably would’ve said, “Sounds fun — but not likely… unless the world throws me a curveball or two.” (Plot twist: it did).
A lot of you reading this may know me already, and I thought a nice idea for my first blog was to tell you a little more about me, and how I got here.
🐾 It All Started With a Dodgy Sign and a Terrified Puppy
I’ve loved dogs since I was tiny. When I was six, I saw a handwritten sign for puppies on the side of the A3 and convinced my mum to pull over (classic “we’re just looking” energy). We walked into what turned out to be a horrible puppy farm. We left with a Shar Pei who’d been crammed into a cage far too small for her, scared of everything and honestly, we had no idea what we were doing, but we weren’t leaving her behind.
My family later reported the place and helped shut it down, which was a small win, but we were now the proud and very underprepared owners of a deeply reactive, human and dog-aggressive pup who’d just been failed by life (and soon, by a long list of trainers).
She got kicked out of puppy class. More than one trainer told us she was “unfixable.”
But as I got older and her behaviour got worse, I became fascinated. I wanted to understand her. Help her. Get to a point where we could walk down the street without it turning into a scene. She wasn’t the “right dog for us,” not even close, but she was ours. She lived for 14 years — a long, complex, but deeply loved life. And she was my first little slice of how challenging dogs can be and the reason the spark was lit.
📚 College, Grooming, and the Big Plan
Still trying to work out what career I wanted, I went on to study Animal Management in college while working at a dog groomer’s on the side. And here the plan was clear: join the police, become a detective, and eventually move into the K9 unit as a dog handler. I went to university to study Criminology, where I graduated with First Class Honours which meant I could jump straight in at detective level. I passed all the training and it was all lining up. Except it wasn’t. Personal life threw a spanner in the works and suddenly the timing wasn’t right. I was absolutely gutted.
I didn’t know it at the time, but it turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened.
🐶 Enter: Mia (AKA The Dog Who Accidentally Changed Everything)
Around that time, my aunt became very ill and asked if I could look after her rescue Staffy, Mia, for a few weeks.
Three years later, Mia’s still here. So… “a few weeks” might’ve been optimistic.
Mia wasn’t new to me, I’d lived with her between uni terms and had already helped train her through some of her fears. She came into our lives at four years old, full of baggage and very little confidence. When she moved in full-time, I wanted to give her the best life possible.
The problem was, I didn’t want to leave her alone all day. I looked for a dog walker but no one was ticking all the boxes. So I did what any normal, totally rational person would do… I started a dog walking business so I could bring her to work with me.
And just like that, Lead & Ramble was born.
🐕 From Dog Walking to “Accidental” Training
Alongside my own business, I started walking for a local dog walking company. I also began teaching puppy classes for them and learned loads from shadowing their current trainer, who I eventually took over from. That hands-on experience was massive.
Meanwhile, my own business was picking up fast. Within a year, I was working solely for myself.
As it grew, I got clearer on what I wanted it to stand for. When I looked for a dog walker for Mia, I struggled to find someone who checked all the boxes — reliable, professional, safety-focused, training-aware. So I built what I couldn’t find:
• I started using GPS trackers on every dog.
• Kept group sizes small and safe.
• Took photos and videos so owners could see what their dogs were up to.
• And I always incorporated a little obedience and structure into every walk. Because a walk should support your dog’s training, not undo it.
Basically, not just “lob them in a field and hope for the best”.
🌶️ Then Came Chilli: Cute, Spicy, Slightly Feral
In 2023, after a long search (and rejecting a truly ridiculous number of puppies), we brought home Chilli. A driven, sharp, fiery little pup with just the right amount of chaos.
She was exactly what I wanted, and nothing I was remotely ready for.
From day one, she was… intense. But I wanted a dog with spice. And wow, did I get one.
That’s when the real obsession began. I was reading, watching, learning every day. I became that person who drives four hours on a weekend for a dog training class and somehow enjoys the trip. I fell completely head-first into the rabbit hole of dog behaviour, communication, structure, and sports.
Chilli became the perfect stooge dog, neutral, confident and the best little assistant I could ask for. We’re just starting to dip our toes into dog sports, including GRC, which is the next big learning curve, for both of us.
📈 Expanding, Rebranding, and Leaning In
As I started sharing our training on social media, people began reaching out.
They had puppies who were struggling with foundations. They wanted structure, training and support, but through walks and real-life handling. So I started offering training walks.
I invested in more courses. Shadowed more trainers. I made sure every walk, every session, and every client felt the impact of what I believed in. Not chaos, but calm. Not control, but communication.
Eventually, I made the leap: Lead & Ramble became more than walking, it became training too.
💬 What This Blog Is Actually About
I want to share what I’ve learned, not just from books and courses, but from reactive dogs, rescue dogs, spicy puppies, and a road that’s been anything but straight.
Not because I think I have all the answers, but because I know what it feels like to feel stuck. To be told your dog is unfixable. To wonder if you’re doing it all wrong.
To be crying in the kitchen at 3am… while your puppy bites your ankle and looks weirdly smug about it.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unsure, or like maybe you were the problem. I’ve been there. And so have so many other people!
I’ll be using this space to share what I’ve learned (and continue to learn): real-life stories, training tips, mindset shifts, and the honest stuff that no one tells you when you’re staring at the chaos of a chewed up TV remote and wondering what just happened.
Thanks for being here. Whether you’re just starting out with a wild puppy, figuring out life with a reactive dog, or just being nosey, I’m glad you’re here. I hope you stick around!
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