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Sawyer 🐾 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Reactive Dog | UGC

@thatcorgisawyer

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📍 Hampshire, UK
🧠 Normalising life with a reactive dog
🐶 Ambassadog for @dogownersguideuk
🤝🏼 Collabs | UGC : [email protected]

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Okay I am well and truly pushing myself out of my comfort zone here, but everyone seemed truly very interested in learning more about the human beings behind Sawyer and seeing more of us, so here goes 🫣🫣 Although in hindsight maybe I should’ve started with dog dad, that might have been easier 😂

For those of you who don’t know me or just know me as Sawyer’s human, I’m Ellan - pronounced the same way as Ellen, my parents just wanted to set me up for a lifetime of everyone spelling my name wrong 😂 but I’m the one usually behind the camera, posting the content, replying to comments and DMs (when im not overwhelmed) and generally just being bossed around by Sawyer!

So here’s a little bit about me, most of it you probably weren’t signing up for when you followed a reactive opinionated corgi but I think it’s nice to be reminded sometimes that there’s a human being behind the dog photos. Plus if you make it through all six word vomiting slides you’re my new hero 😂

Also dog dad WILL be introduced to the world properly at some point too, can’t have him thinking he’s escaped that easily (soz Mitch)

#corgi #pembrokewelshcorgi #dogphotography #dogmum #reactivedog Photograph of a smiling woman with long brown hair and glasses kneeling beside her red-and-white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Sawyer, on a grassy hillside overlooking misty countryside and rolling hills. The corgi sits beside her looking to the left while she faces the camera. Elegant white text reads: “The Human Side. Meet the humans. This is Dog Mum, Ellan.” An introduction to the person behind @thatcorgisawyer, a dog photography and reactive dog Instagram account. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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8 hours ago

Just in case I’ve not said it enough, having a reactive dog can be bloody hard work sometimes 🫣😂

After Sawyer’s little ‘blip’ last week (and by blip I mean tearing every last ounce of patience I thought I had left) I’ve been thinking quite a lot about the expectations we place on our reactive dogs (or dogs in general) compared to the expectations we have of ourselves and how unbalanced the whole thing is. Because we’re allowed to dislike someone, have a bad day, get overwhelmed, want people to leave us alone, and have days where we simply just cannot be bothered with certain situations, but expect our dogs to be able to take absolutely everything in their stride! Which i think is especially true when it comes to reactive dogs.

Now obviously I’m not for one second suggesting that we let our dogs run riot and excuse every reaction (although Sawyer would be absolutely DELIGHTED with that arrangement 😂) but I do think we forget sometimes that they’re allowed to have feelings and limits too.

Things with Sawyer are slowly heading in the right direction again 🤞🏼 we’ve stripped everything back, prioritised rest and decompression, and stopped expecting quite so much of him which I do think is something we got a bit carried away with, we saw he was doing well and kept pushing and pushing and this setback truly is on us. If anything this past week has reminded me that just because our dogs CAN cope with something doesn’t necessarily mean that we should expect them to, and that sometimes it’s our own expectations that need adjusting rather than constantly expecting him to adjust to ours 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anyway that’s my Monday evening ramble done, thanks for being my therapists 😂🤍

#reactivedogs #reactivedog #reactivity #dogreactivity #pembrokewelshcorgi Professional fine-art photograph of Sawyer, a red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, standing with his front paws on a woodland tree stump. He wears a blue checked dog harness and looks attentively to the right, surrounded by dark green forest foliage and softly blurred trees. The moody woodland photography features elegant ivory typography reading “We expect more from reactive dogs than we do ourselves.” The opening slide of an Instagram carousel discussing dog reactivity, canine emotions, realistic behavioural expectations and reactive dog advocacy. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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4 days ago

Biggest thing I’ve learnt this year is that having a reactive dog doesn’t mean you have to turn every single walk into a test how much your dog can cope with… or how well you can cope either 😂 I’m definitely not one to judge because it does become SO easy to start analysing absolutely everything and I have 🫣 how close did that dog get? How long did Sawyer stay calm? Did he react? How quickly did he recover? Did I move soon enough? Should I have stayed longer? Did I handle that right? And before you know it the whole walk has basically become one big anxious mess 😂

But progress with a reactive dog doesn’t always mean pushing for more and more. You can leave the park while they’re still coping and end on a high, or choose the quieter walk because you simply can’t be arsed with a difficult walk that day… guilty 🙌🏼😂 sometimes there’s still a reaction, but both of you recover much quicker afterwards which is AMAZING!

Sawyer is still reactive, he probably always will be to some extent. We’ve made a lot of progress but he still has bad walks and as of this week has lost off lead privileges, he still shouts (although not as loudly these days), and there are still situations we avoid completely at the moment because frankly neither of us have the capacity right now 😂 But I think one of the biggest changes for us has been realising that every walk doesn’t need to prove how far we’ve come because he doesn’t have to prove anything and neither do I 🤍

#reactivedog #reactivity #reactivedogs #dogreactivity #corgi A red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi running freely across an open countryside hillside beside his owner, with a misty rural landscape in the background. Text reads “reactivity doesn’t have to be a constant test.” A reflective post about living with a reactive dog, dog reactivity training, handler pressure and finding a healthier approach to reactivity progress. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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7 days ago

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOG DAD 🎉🥳

Thirty three whole years on the planet and Sawyer decided to celebrate by flinging his saliva into dog dads mouth, then sprinting away as if absolutely nothing had happened 😂

Luckily for dog dad (and us), I managed to capture the entire thing while he looked on in disgust… I personally found it hilarious 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOG DAD!!! We’re very grateful fir you and everything you do 🤍

#corgi #pembrokewelshcorgi #dogdad #reactivedog #dogphotography A man kneels in a misty English countryside near Newbury, Berkshire while his red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Sawyer, stands up against him and reaches towards his face. Candid dog dad and Corgi photography showing the close bond between Sawyer and his owner during an autumn countryside walk. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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11 days ago

This month means we’re two months away from two whole years of reactivity life which is actually slightly horrifying because it’s simultaneously been the longest and fastest journey 😂

When Sawyer first became reactive we sort of assumed we’d do some training classes, figure out what was causing it, and then get back to “normal” within a few weeks. Instead it’s been nearly two years of learning, unlearning, changing plans, changing expectations, having great walks, having absolutely horrific walks and slowly realising that not only progress looks nothing like I thought it would but neither does life with Sawyer and that’s okay!

There was a long time where every reaction felt like proof we were doing something wrong. If he barked, lunged, fixated or couldn’t cope somewhere I’d come home analysing the entire walk desperately wondering what we should have done differently and beat myself up over it. Now? I obviously still care that he reacts BUT it doesn’t carry the same weight anymore. He can have a bad moment without it becoming a bad walk. We can leave somewhere without feeling like we failed. We can choose distance without feeling like we’re avoiding the problem. And we can look at how quickly he comes back down afterwards and recognise that as progress too.

I’d never choose the reactive life (it chooses you), but almost two years in I do think it’s made us understand him and other dogs in a way we probably never would have otherwise. So in a weird way, I’m grateful 🤍

#reactivedog #reactivedogs #dogreactivity #reactivity #reactivedogtraining Red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi wearing a turquoise basket muzzle standing in a countryside field at golden hour. Text reads “lessons from my reactive dog” with a note that all reactive dogs are different. Reactive dog training, dog reactivity, muzzle training, Pembroke Welsh Corgi and reactive dog awareness content. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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14 days ago

Reactivity changes the human just as much as it changes the dog. I talk a LOT about Sawyer being a reactive dog (shocking news to absolutely nobody 😂) but not enough about what dog reactivity does to the human at the other end of the lead.

Towards the end of last year / the start of this one, I seriously questioned whether we were the right people for Sawyer. Whether someone else understood reactive dogs better and could help him more, or give him a life we couldn’t. I know now (and deep down knew then) that we ARE 100% the right people for him but questioning that never meant I loved him less. If anything I questioned it because I loved him enough to wonder whether love alone was enough to keep him with us 😔

Instead we learned… a lot! We’ve spent countless hours learning about dog body language, thresholds, trigger stacking, stress, decompression, breed traits and arousal, not just for our dog but all other dogs, and had to unlearn so much of what we knew before.

Then you look at this weekend where Sawyer sat outside a café, met a puppy, calmly passed people, children and bikes, and even walked away while two reactive dogs barked at him. Six months ago, all of that felt impossible now look at him! He’s still reactive and we’ll absolutely have shit walks again where he’ll shout at another dog or a bicycle and I’ll probably cry…again 😂 BUT I no longer need him to be the dog who can go everywhere and do everything, whatever he can offer us is enough 🤍

#reactivity #reactivedog #reactivedogs #dogreactivity #reactive A woman stands with her red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Sawyer, on an open heathland walk, bending down to gently touch his face. Editorial text reads “the human side of reactivity”. A personal post about reactive dog ownership, dog reactivity and the emotional experience of living with and supporting a reactive dog. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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25 days ago

a little Sawyer life update - as we talk so much about reactivity as a whole but very rarely about him specifically 🫣🤍

the weight issue - he’s making some amazing progress and as of Thursday he’s lost 1.4kg 🎉 we spoke a little bit about it on stories but losing that much in 15 days was a little too fast, so he’s had a small increase in his daily food allowance to hopefully keep the loss consistent without it coming off quite as quickly. we do still have a few kilos to go, but it’s safest for him if they come off a little slower 🤍

reactivity - he’s still a reactive king, BUT with a much higher threshold than he had at the start of the year!! His reactions these days are much more from over excitement and frustration that he isn’t allowed to go bounding over to another dog than fear, so it’s all steps in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong, his reacting bark still sounds terrifying to strangers, but it’s noticeably higher pitched than his fear bark and he does this frustrated huff and “aroowwww” that sounds a bit like a child going “ohhhhhhh” when they don’t get what they want 😂

social skills - we’ve learnt over the last few months that Sawyer actually has incredibly balanced social skills, which I’m very aware sounds fake when you pair it with the word “reactive” 😂 but he can coexist peacefully without needing to be in their faces, settle around them, advocate for himself when he’s had enough and recognise when another dog wants to be left alone. It’s also become a running joke that he’s earned the nickname “the fun police” for breaking up play between other dogs in the group 😂 he seems incredibly tuned into the environment, body language and vocal cues around him and has a habit of intervening when play starts getting a little too rowdy but that’s not going to stop us calling him the fun police though 😂😂

all in all somehow not much of an update and also quite a big one at the same time, and after 9 months of being so sure about the direction of this account, I’m feeling a little wobbly about it once again 🫣 but like always I’m sure that will pass 🤍

#reactivedog #corgi #reactivity #pembrokewelshcorgi #reactivedogs Pembroke Welsh Corgi Sawyer sitting on a wooden bridge during a quiet countryside dog walk, photographed outdoors beneath an overcast sky. Sawyer is a reactive dog and wears a blue checked harness while exploring a quieter walking location. Lifestyle dog photography showing everyday life, enrichment and outdoor adventures with a reactive Welsh Corgi in Hampshire, UK. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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a month ago

We get asked a lot what camera and settings we use for Sawyer’s photos and the incredibly unhelpful answer is… it depends 😂 so I thought I’d share the settings behind a few of my recent favourite photos instead…

All of these were shot on my 85mm lens which is probably my favourite lens for photographing Sawyer outdoors, my 35mm is a firm fave for indoors. But each 85mm photo has pretty different settings depending on the moment and Sawyer’s cooperation level.

And because there’s a reactive dog angle to almost everything we do here 🫣 photography has actually become one of my favourite ways to slow our walks down be because we stop, take photos, have some treats, a sniff, then carry on and there no rush and absolutely no requirement for Sawyer to be doing something exciting for us to have a good walk. 🤍

#corgi #dogphotography #reactivedog #pembrokewelshcorgi #reactivity

📸 85mm • 1/2000 • f/2.8 • ISO 400

1/2000 might seem excessive for a dog lying completely still… but Sawyer can go from stationary to launching himself into another postcode without warning so I like being prepared 😂🫣

📸 85mm • 1/1000 • f/5.6 • ISO 250

I wanted both Sawyer and the hand/treat to feel part of the moment here, rather than his nose being sharp and everything else immediately disappearing into blur so used a smaller aperture for a little more depth of field.

📸 85mm • 1/2000 • f/2.5 • ISO 320

Muzzle photos are some of my favourites to take. Not because reactivity needs to be in everything we post, but because I love having beautiful photographs of Sawyer just existing in his everyday gear 🤍

📸 85mm • 1/640 • f/2.0 • ISO 400

Technically the best? Not in the slightest. Sloppy sit and he’s looking at dog dad but you know what? I’m just impressed he sat on the log 😂 Outdoor dog photography portrait of Sawyer, a red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, sitting on a fallen tree in a green woodland. Photographed with an 85mm lens at f/2.0, creating a soft blurred forest background and fine art pet photography style. Sawyer is a reactive dog and this carousel shares the camera settings used for his professional-style dog photography. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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a month ago

Talking about having a reactive dog so much means that one of the questions I get asked most is “my dog isn’t reactive, but how can I help?” which I LOVE because reactive dog owners spend so much time thinking about everyone else on walks that sometimes it would be quite nice if other people were thinking about us too 😂

9 times out of 10 we’ve seen you before you’ve seen us, are watching where you’re going, where your dog is going, where our dog is looking, how much space we’ve got, whether we need to cross the road, whether that dog in the distance is coming towards us, whether there’s another one about to appear from behind a bush, and all while trying to make sure our own dog is okay. But truly the smallest things can make SUCH a difference. So if you see us moving away, let us. If your off lead dog starts heading towards an on lead dog, recall them. If we say they can’t say hello, please believe us. And if our dog does react, please don’t assume that what you’ve seen in those 30 seconds tells you everything about them or the person on the other end of their lead.

Sawyer became reactive after being attacked by an off lead dog when he was six months old. We didn’t cause it, he isn’t a bad dog, and two years of training later we’re still learning things about him and figuring it all out as we go. But if you’re curious, just ask us! Providing Sawyer is in a place where it’s safe for us to stop and chat, I would MUCH rather someone ask me why he’s wearing a muzzle, why we’ve moved away, what he’s shouting about, or what reactivity actually means than quietly make their own mind up about him 🤷🏼‍♀️

We don’t for a second expect the world to revolve around our reactive dog, but a little consideration can make our world a hell of a lot easier 🤍

#reactivedog #reactivity #reactivityawareness #reactivedogs #reactivedogtraining Pembroke Welsh Corgi Sawyer featured in an educational carousel about how to help reactive dog owners. Three photographs show the reactive Corgi resting calmly, interacting with his owner and wearing a turquoise dog muzzle outdoors. Text reads “how you can help reactive dog owners.” Reactive dog education, dog reactivity awareness and responsible dog ownership. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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a month ago

Sawyer’s favourite season is heather 💜 legitimately never seen this boy happier than few weeks of the year he gets to frolick amongst the heather bushes in the new forest… now also with the knowledge of being mindful of adders 🫣🐍

The humans have been off work this week and while we did consider going somewhere for a few days with Sawyer or scheduling in a couple of day trips, ultimately we decided to opt for staying home and getting some longer walks and training in than we’d usually be able to offer Sawyer during the week. He’s done absolutely AMAZINGLY and yesterday even went off lead in public for the first time.

Sure there will be some voices who think that at two years old Sawyer should’ve been off lead ages ago, but slow and steady wins the race! We’ve spent so long focussing on his reactivity that it’s only really been in the last few months that we’ve been able to focus more on the obedience side of things, he is of course still reactive but now there are systems in place freeing us up a bit to focus on recall and engagement etc.

He’s also not about to be an always off lead dog either, being off lead is a privilege and not a right so if we go somewhere and it’s a bit busier, if there’s more wildlife around than expected, or if he’s simply not engaged and listening then he will be firmly back on his long line. But it’s all a step in the right direction and we did have quite an emotional moment yesterday where both us humans said we never thought we’d see the day he was off lead on a walk 🥹🤍

#newforest #reactivedog #reactivity #corgi #dogphotography A Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Sawyer peeking through vibrant purple heather during a countryside walk in the New Forest, Hampshire. Sawyer is a reactive dog photographed surrounded by flowering heather, with his face and large ears visible above the purple flowers and a dark woodland background. Outdoor dog photography of a Corgi exploring the New Forest during heather season. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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2 months ago

* NOW CLOSED - congratulations @mollyandthecollies 🎉 *

🚨 CALLING ALL REACTIVE DOG OWNERS, OH BOY DO WE HAVE THE GIVEAWAY FOR YOU 🚨

Having a reactive dog can be tough, so thanks to some of Sawyer’s absolute favourites we’ve put together an incredible bundle for one lucky reactive dog and their human 🤍

To enter:
• follow @thatcorgisawyer
• follow ALL of the businesses listed below - I’ll be checking 👀😂
• most importantly leave one comment telling us all about your reactive / nervous / anxious / spicy pup and their journey 🤍

THE PRIZE:
• @the.muzzle.movement - x1 “muzzled dogs are loved dogs” snootie charm
• @taylor_and_floof - x1 settle mat & x1 bumbag
• @pupandkit - x1 feeding station bundle with slow feeder insert
• @popandtedthreads | @valepetfoods - x1 lead, x1 poo bag holder, £20 voucher, and a natural treats bundle
• @peamuttbutteruk - bundle of peamutt butter goodies
• @play9world - x1 Roolo, x1 Roolo Mini, variety pack of Tuki’s treats

Know another reactive dog? Send this post to their human so they don’t miss out 🤍

Entries close Monday 7th September 2026 at 6pm BST

Unfortunately this giveaway is open to UK residents only. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or Meta. Please be wary of fake accounts - the winner will be announced on our Stories after the giveaway closes and will only be contacted by @thatcorgisawyer and/or one of the official giveaway partners listed above.

GOOD LUCK 🤞🏼🤍

#reactivedog #reactivity #reactivedogs #anxiousdog #nervousdog Reactive dog giveaway for UK dog owners featuring Sawyer, a red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi, running through purple heather in the New Forest, Hampshire. Large text reads “reactive dog GIVEAWAY – prizes… not giving away my dog”. UK giveaway created for owners of reactive dogs, nervous dogs and anxious dogs, with prizes from dog training, enrichment and pet brands. taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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2 months ago

two whole years since we brought Sawyer home 🥹🤍

It only feels like yesterday that us humans were crazy enough to go to the Eras Tour at Wembley the night before, then the next day drive from London to Coventry, pick Sawyer up from his birth parents, and then do the drive from Coventry to Hampshire… listen no one can say that we do things by halves 😂🫣

Being completely honest it does legitimately feel like it was just yesterday and I’m not entirely sure I even remember him being that small rugby shaped puppy but now here we are! It’s not been a smooth ride but it’s sure been a fun one and I can’t wait to see where our adventures go from here.

Happy gotcha day Sawyer 🤍

#gotchaday #corgi #pembrokewelshcorgi #pembrokecorgi #corgis Red and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi sitting in purple heather in the Hampshire countryside for his two year Gotcha Day anniversary. Sawyer the Corgi looks to the side with his tongue touching his nose beneath text reading ‘Happy Gotcha Day Sawyer’ taken in Hampshire by @thatcorgisawyer

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2 months ago