Rachael – Owner/Trainer
I have always had a strong passion for animals and completed a Diploma in Equine Studies at Merrist Wood College. I gained extensive experience working on a variety of equestrian yards and achieved several qualifications within the equine industry before moving into a corporate career. Following redundancy, I chose to pursue my true passion and began working with dogs full-time as a dog walker in 2013.
After rescuing my first Romanian street dog, I travelled to Romania and personally rescued 28 dogs. This led to the start up of Dogs Walk This Way Rescue in 2014. Over the past 12 years, with the support of a dedicated team and more than 50 volunteers, the rescue has grown significantly and successfully rehomed over 3,000 dogs worldwide. In recent years, our focus has been primarily within the UK.
I have extensive hands-on experience with complex behavioural cases across all breeds and sizes, and have personally fostered over 500 dogs. My work has included visiting Romania to remove dogs from kill shelters and supporting frontline rescue organisations, as well as rehoming dogs from Bahrain and Morocco.
Alongside practical experience, I have continually developed my knowledge through courses and workshops, including IMDT programmes and the most recent being the PHXK9 mentorship. I support owners with both foundational training and behavioural challenges such as reactivity, resource guarding, aggression and separation anxiety. Having rehomed a large number of foreign rescue dogs, I have particular expertise in their rehabilitation and integration.
As a single parent to my daughter, I also have practical experience introducing dogs safely into family homes with children. I am passionate about helping owners build stronger relationships with their dogs and improving their confidence and skills.
