I have worked with dogs my entire life and my passion for dogs really began as a small child growing up with our family dog Meggie, she was an incredible patient kind loving border collie who really was my best friend and introduced me to the world of how people and animals can develop this incredible bond!

At 12 I got my first dog, my very own. I was determined to do everything perfectly and set about attending training classes with her and getting books on dog training. Sadly at the time the advice out there was not science based and after experiencing an extremely fearful event on a walk cracks began to show. We really struggled with some serious behavioural issues and despite doing “everything right” in the eyes of “experts” the problems got progressively worse. If I had known then what I know now, things would have been very very different. The adventure we embarked on however totally changed the direction of my life and my desire to know what I had done so wrong, led me to passionately pursuing a life studying behaviour and training! She was my catalyst to finding a better, kinder more compassionate way!

So a HND and Degree later I was following a path that was so incredibly important to me. Helping people to make a difference to a dogs life, in a kind way, is at the heart of everything I do! Helping people to protect their relationship with their dog and not have to feel the guilt I did in the early days with my own dog, following “expert” advice that felt so wrong! The relationship I share with my own dogs now is incredible. It’s so so special and is something I feel all dog owners should experience. Total trust, support, fun, and companionship.

I have been fortunate enough to work with some incredible dogs within rescue many of whom have left their paw print on my heart. I have had the pleasure of owning some truly incredible dogs too who all have been an essential part of my dog training and behaviour adventure.

Currently I have 4 amazing dogs of my own! All totally different!

Max is my Border Collie, my agility dog who I have been competing with, taking me from grade 1 to grade 7 and championship classes. He is now 14 and we have had the absolute best time competing together as a team! He has qualified for so many finals and collected so many trophies and rosettes. He has really shown me how agility and the games we play can build confidence and grow relationship to a whole new level!  He has led me to meeting some of the most incredible people in my life.  

Otto joined us in 2017, he is a rescue from Romania and is our big ginger fluffy snuggle bear! He lacks confidence and optimism and finds the world a real challenge, lots of things worry him but every day he grows a little more in confidence. He has the sweetest nature and is amazing with the children. He adores being cuddled by those he loves, really enjoys playing scentwork games and is such an important part of our family.  These days he now enjoys playing with toys and tossing them in the air, watching him play is just amazing!

Tweak, a little working cocker spaniel, came to us in 2018, as a failed gundog. She hasn’t had the best start in life and was very apprehensive around people. Despite all of that she is a little nutter of a spaniel. She is the funniest, craziest, little personality. She is incredibly talented but lacks confidence in her work and was very shut down when she arrived. We work on her self-confidence every day, she LOVES parkour and using her nose but most of all she loves chasing the other dogs! She is now an amazing dog to go out and about with, incredibly well behaved on lead and while we still have some challenges at times as this girl loves to work!   Her biggest challenge in life is how to do nothing and be still, but if you know working cockers, that will come as no surprise!  Now her confidence in people has grown she has found a new path in life which involves loving everyone she meets, she has developed the skill of stopping people in their tracks with just a look and convincing them they need Tweak cuddles.  We are now investigating qualification for therapy dog work! 

We also have Inka, our beautiful black tri Border Collie who joined us in April 2021.  She adores the children and loves nothing more than playing with them!  She is fun, independent and knows her own mind.  We have started our Agility Training and it is clear I need to work on my fitness to keep up! Inka has already received her novice and intermediate parkour titles and loves showing off her parkour skills!    Having spent a lot of her younger stages here at home on the farm, she can sometimes find new people and places a little overwhelming, but she grows in confidence all the time and everyone she knows adores their very special Inka snuggles, this girl definitely knows how to make you feel special!  She is the sweetest, cuddliest girl who is a pleasure to have around the house, and makes us laugh every single day!  Inka has done really well this season at her shows.  Despite us mainly focusing on confidence building in this new environment she has still brought home trophies and rosettes!

 

In January of 2024 Ned joins our family!  Ned is a black tri border collie, son of Inka!  He has a fun filled future ahead with aspirations for agility and parkour!  Firstly being a puppy and exploring the world will be our focus!