Since a young age I knew that I wanted to work with animals. Throughout my childhood I had several pets which consisted of cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, a chinchilla, hamsters, rats, mice, chickens, a tortoise and the family’s first dogs Candy and Sherbet, two border collie crosses in my mid teens. I was a member of the Surbiton Pet Club for many years where, as a child I would enter my animals into the pet shows and now on occasions attend the pet shows as a judge. At the age of 21 I got my own dog, a black Labrador named Shadow, which I have trained and am pleased to say has turned out to be a great companion, and in 2006 got my second dog
Max, a very gentle Lurcher, which I rescued at the age of 18 months. In 2011 I got my third dog Jasper, an English Cocker Spaniel who I took on due to him having aggression problems and was too much for his previous owner to handle. Jasper had another owner and had been taken in by Cocker rescue previous to this. Jasper has turned out to be a great little dog and we participate in agility together.
After completing my GCSE’s I attended NESCOT college where I completed a First Diploma in Animal Care. Whilst at college I did work experience at a children’s farm, at which I was offered a part time job. I worked there every Sunday whilst at college and started in a full time position after completing my course. I worked at the farm for two years and enjoyed it so much that I decided I wanted to work with farm animals and so applied at a tourist attraction / working farm that was much bigger. Here I worked with a variety of livestock and was in charge of breeding and selling small mammals and was Farm Park Supervisor and tractor driver. I continued my employment at the farm for six years.
At a young age Candy developed nervous aggression towards strangers. My family consulted an animal behaviourist and we were told that there was nothing that we could do. I did not want to accept this and so took it upon myself to find a solution. I read several books and tried out several methods and, although not cured, I had managed to make Candy’s last experiences with strangers more enjoyable. Sadly Candy is no longer with us as she passed away due to a heart problem, Her sister Sherbet passed away in 2013 at the age of 14. The more I learnt about her behaviour and the reasons behind it, the more I wanted to learn. I had developed a thirst for Canine knowledge. I could now see my career path taking a different turn and so decided to follow my new ambition of becoming a canine trainer and behaviourist. I enrolled on a part time course at Merrist Wood alongside my employment at the farm, and after a year I had completed a National Award in Animal Management and Kennel and Cattery Management to distinction level. I then completed a certificate in Advanced Canine Behaviour to distinction level at Sussex Canine Centre.
I was very excited when I was offered a place at a boarding and training establishment in Surrey in October 2008. Although I had little practical experience in training dogs other than my own, I was grateful for the chance to prove myself and worked my way up through accommodations as a trainee trainer to full time trainer and even Assistant Manager, and whilst the Manager was on maternity leave I even had a chance to try my hand at Manager, during which time I learnt a lot and developed as a person.
In 2009 I achieved my British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers (BIPDT) Certificate in the Second Grade. It was on this course that I met my husband. In 2010 I was awarded my First Grade Certificate.
I am dedicated to ensuring that Training standards are high and customers receive an exceptional service.
I still have a love for all animals and my husband and I live at home with our six dogs (three each) and numerous other animals, which I enjoy caring for.
