Sighthound Training Specialist in Derby, Burton-on-Trent + Online
Specialist support for greyhounds, lurchers, whippets, salukis, and the humans who love them.
Because your sighthound isn't broken. They just need someone who actually gets them.
Sound familiar?
Your sighthound is glued to your side at home but the moment a squirrel or rabbit appears on a walk, they're gone, and no amount of calling brings them back.
Walks feel like a constant battle. They lunge, they pull, they're hypervigilant. You've started dreading going out.
You adopted your greyhound to give them a good life, but nobody told you quite how different life would feel after the racing kennels.
You've tried the advice online. You've Googled it. You've even tried a local trainer, and they treated your dog like any other dog, and it didn't work.
You feel like you're failing them, and you're not sure where to turn.
If any of that resonates, you're in the right place. Sighthounds are not like other dogs. And the people who know them best understand that the hard way.
“ Mitch has been near three people so far wearing big headphones / ear muffs and no growls... overall, walks are way less reactive”
- Leanne & Mitch (Whippet x Bedlington)
Sighthounds aren't difficult. They're just deeply misunderstood.
I say this a lot, and I mean it every time.
Most generic dog training advice was written with a Labrador in mind. Sighthounds (greyhounds, lurchers, whippets, salukis, borzois, deerhounds) are wired differently, and they need an approach that actually accounts for that.
Here are the five things I want every sighthound owner to know:
1. Their nervous systems run hot.
They go from calm to activated in seconds, and they stay activated long after the trigger has gone. Recovery time is everything.
2. Ex-racing dogs are learning life from scratch.
Stairs. Carpet. Glass doors. The washing machine. If your dog has come from kennels or racing, they're encountering all of this for the first time. That's not a behaviour problem, it's a huge life adjustment.
3. High prey drive is not a flaw.
It's not aggression. It's not your fault. It's a deeply bred instinct that needs to be worked with, not suppressed. Off-lead freedom matters for sighthound wellbeing, we'll work toward it safely (however that looks).
4. Reactivity in sighthounds is usually misread.
That lunging, barking, pulling toward movement? It's almost never aggression. It can be high arousal and prey response, it could be that they aren’t used to other breeds of dog, and these things respond really well to the right approach.
5. Regulation comes before training.
An anxious or over-aroused sighthound cannot take in new information. Calm first. Foundations second. Everything else follows. Rushing this is the most common mistake I see.
I understand this because I've lived it…
I'm the dog mum to two rescue lurchers, Bonnie and Oliver, and they are the reason I do this work the way I do.
Bonnie started showing extreme dog reactivity. Walks were genuinely miserable. I was embarrassed, exhausted, and convinced I was the problem. I cried more than once coming home from a walk that had gone badly. I even questioned whether I was the right person for her.
Oliver was different, but in his own way, just as challenging. He was profoundly nervous. Thunderstorms sent him into a spiral. Fireworks were a crisis. A chopping board would make him run as far away as possible in the house. Simple things that other dogs barely registered, jumping over a small obstacle, moving through a doorway, were enormous for him.
What both of them needed wasn't more training. They needed someone who understood their nervous systems, respected their pace, and didn't try to push them through their fear.
That experience, the reality of loving and supporting two anxious sighthounds through real life, is woven into every session I deliver.
I'm not working from a textbook. I'm working from genuine, first-hand understanding.
Private Client Review
“Sian's ability to identify the causes of challenging behavioural problems … in a complex household has been phenomenal. She has listened, observed, explained and guided us humans to bring out the best in my dogs and we are all much happier together as a result.
Sian is an absolute star. Having come across various dog trainers over the years, I genuinely believe that her approach is the only one which properly takes into account the best needs of the dogs lucky enough to receive her care.”
Dawn, Bella & Alfie
Hey! I’m Sian…
I'm a certified, ethical dog trainer and trauma-informed coach based in Burton-on-Trent. I've been working with nervous, reactive, and complex dogs for over six years, and sighthounds hold a very particular place in my heart.
Beyond my qualifications and hands-on experience, I bring something most trainers can't offer: I know what it feels like to be on your side of the lead. I know the weight of a walk you're dreading. I know the guilt of wondering if your dog would be better off with someone else.
They wouldn't. You just need the right support. And that's what this programme is.
What the Sighthound Specialist Programme includes…
This is my Nervous Dog Private Client Programme, tailored specifically for sighthound owners. The structure is the same. The approach is the same. But the knowledge, the language, and the lived understanding behind it? That's specific to your breed.
Initial 1-hour Zoom Consultation - we go deep on your dog's history, background, and current challenges. If they've come from a racing or kennel background, we'll spend real time here. This shapes everything that follows.
Bespoke Behaviour Plan - a personalised, easy-to-follow plan built specifically for a sighthound's nervous system. We start with regulation and foundations before anything else. This plan evolves as your sighthound does.
Pre-Visit Resources - including my 15-day Relax Programme to start building calmness and settledness before our first in-person session.
Six 45-minute Training Sessions (in-person locally or remote) - each one builds on the last, at your dog's pace. We will not rush exposure or push your dog into situations they're not ready for.
WhatsApp Support Throughout - for questions, updates, and the moments between sessions when you just need a sense-check.
Full Access to My Resources - every guide, training video, and online course relevant to your dog's journey.
Emotional Wellbeing Tools for You - because sighthound ownership can be genuinely hard, and you deserve support too, not just your dog.
Investment:
Pay in full: from £575
Pay in 2: from £287.50 x 2
Pay in 3: from £192 x 3
For full transparency: travel up to 5 miles from DE13 is included in the price above, if you’re working with me remotely online this price won’t change. Beyond 5 miles a small additional travel fee will be added
Why Work With Me in my 1:1 Training Programme?
I actually know sighthounds.
Not just from a textbook - from years of living with, learning from, and working with them. Bonnie and Oliver have been my greatest teachers.
2. I specialise in nervous systems, not just behaviour.
Sighthound behaviour is nervous-system behaviour. I don't work around that, I work with it.
3. I won't rush your dog.
I know how tempting it is to want fast progress. But sighthounds who are pushed too quickly often shut down or bounce back harder. Pace is part of the approach here.
4. I'm bespoke, not formulaic.
There is no one-size-fits-all protocol for a newly adopted greyhound, lurcher pups learning all about life, or a lurcher with reactivity. Your plan is yours.
5. I support you, not just your dog.
You're carrying a lot. This programme acknowledges that and builds your confidence and emotional toolkit alongside your dog's.
6. Emotional Support for You
I’ve got the backing from a fully qualified therapist. You can trust that you’ll have expert guidance, not just for your dog’s behaviour, but also for managing the stress and anxiety that often come with these challenges.
Who this is perfect for
Perfect for you if…
You have a sighthound who is reactive, nervous, or struggling to settle, or all three
You've just adopted a sighthound, ex-racing greyhound or have a new sighthound puppy and you want proper support from the start, not generic advice
You've tried other trainers and felt like they just didn't get your breed
You want ethical, science-led support that goes at your dog's pace
You understand this isn't a quick fix - and you're in it for real, lasting change
You want your walks back. You want your evenings back. You want to actually enjoy your dog.
Who this isn’t right for
Not the best fit if…
You're looking for a results-guaranteed, fast-track solution
You'd prefer a prescriptive, directive approach with no reflection, tracking or observation
You want immediate off-lead training or high-distraction exposure from the very first session
You're not comfortable with a process that involves adjustment, patience, and gradual progression
Here’s just a handful of my recent Private Client updates…
You can see more of these on my Happy Clients Instagram highlights…
Give me a follow @lavendergardenanimalservices
“We now have a relaxed dog, especially in the evenings, and we can just enjoy our dog again... she’s even been joining me in my office when working from home.”
Laura & Mia the Cavapoo - Private Client
Questions I hear a lot from sighthound owners…
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Actually, getting the right support early can make a huge difference. The first few weeks at home are a critical settling-in period, and having someone who understands that process can mean you avoid accidentally building habits or anxieties that are much harder to unpick later. We'd start gently, with foundations.
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Yes, but I'll be honest with you. A reliable recall in a sighthound (especially an ex-racer who has been taught to chase!) can take time, consistency, and a real understanding of prey drive. It's absolutely something we can work toward. Off-lead freedom is important for sighthound wellbeing and I take that seriously. We'll build toward it safely.
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It can be sometimes, but I'll assess what's driving the reactivity before we do anything else. For example, for ex-racing greyhounds, it can be because they don’t know how to deal with any other breed except greyhounds!
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No. Sighthounds are independent and sensitive, which can look like stubbornness to someone who doesn't understand the breed. They're also deeply affected by their environment and emotional state - if they're anxious or over-threshold, they genuinely cannot process new information. That's not stubbornness. That's a nervous system doing its job.
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Absolutely. Lurchers are some of my favourite dogs to work with. They're sighthound and collie, sighthound and terrier, sighthound and goodness-knows-what - and that mix can produce the most wonderfully complex characters. I work with the dog in front of me, whatever their paperwork says.
Your sighthound deserves support that actually fits.
Not generic. Not rushed. Not one-size-fits-all.
I take on a small number of private clients each month so that every dog gets the attention they need. If you're ready to stop guessing and start getting somewhere, I'd love to hear from you.