History

Here I am with Pumpkin, visiting her in her forever home. She was one of the dogs who shaped my love for training. She has now left this world, but she will always remain in our hearts.

My History

As mentioned on the home page, I grew up on a farm, working with herding dogs and other animals. This early experience helped shape me into the passionate animal lover I am today!

After school and college, I secured a work placement at a kennel in Merseyside, Liverpool. Following my Level 2 Work-Based Diploma in Animal Care, I was hired at that same kennel and continued my studies, earning a secondary NPTC Level 3 diploma, as well as qualifications in force-free, positive dog training (both basic and advanced) and a City and Guilds Certificate of Excellence for my college work.

I am now a proud member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and I am always learning, undertaking new courses, gaining new knowledge and skills so that I can provide the highest quality of service to the dogs and guardians I work with.

I am currently studying for some additional qualifications that I am excited to reveal in the near future!

Beside this text, you’ll see just a few of the kennel dogs I worked closely with (there are some duplicates, and more to come later). These photos are some of my most treasured possessions.

Not every dog I’ve worked with is pictured, mostly because I don’t currently have the space, but this group is incredibly special to me. They are a reminder of where I came from, who I helped, and all the amazing moments — both the fun and the challenging ones. Most of these cases were extremely tough and required hard work, but each was so incredibly rewarding.

Seeing these dogs overcome their fears and trauma and go on to happy, loving homes, or to other centers where they had a better chance at rehoming, is something I will always cherish.

There are a few success stories that are especially dear to me, you can read more about them below.

Success Stories

Macca

Macca was one of my original training dogs. The hold that this boy still has on my heart is amazing.

He had initially been adopted from our center and lived with another dog for a few years. Unfortunately, he was returned to us after that time with severe behavioural challenges. This once happy-go-lucky boy had developed serious reactivity to people, cars, other dogs, and even aggression during grooming.

I worked with Macca daily for well over six months on grooming, desensitization, and counter-conditioning to help him manage his reactivity. After this intensive and emotionally involved work, he was finally ready to be rehomed.

Not long after, a perfect family who owned several rough collies came to meet him. Through a careful series of introductions, Macca was safely rehomed with his new brothers and sisters. He went on to live happily ever after with them until the ripe old age of 17½.

Here he is with them, pictured below.

Vinnie

Meet Vinnie, a cute little shih tzu with a number of behavioural problems, including but not limited to resource guarding and grooming problems.

Vinnie was a tricky little guy and very particular about who he allowed to handle him — fortunately, I was one of the few he trusted!

Vinnie was adopted to a very sweet family with an ongoing training program that they were to follow to ensure that he would be comfortable and safe in his home. Bonus picture below of one of the talented positions he would get himself into sometimes before grumbling for help. (Somehow in the back corner, behind his bed)

Leo

Leo was one of my favourite success stories, as he required a lot of time and effort. He was a shadow/light chaser — a behaviour that can develop from laser pointer play or neurological sensitivities. Leo was a very special boy who faced challenges that many dogs don’t, including sound sensitivity, grooming difficulties, and the risk of injuring himself when triggered.

His kennel had to be carefully managed to prevent reflections or shadows, and one of the first things I did was condition him to a harness to support his walks and prevent neck strain. Over time, I worked on building Leo’s sense of safety, trust, and managing his environment so he could thrive without the risk of injury.

Eventually, my colleagues were able to place Leo in a loving home in rural England, where he would encounter fewer triggers like traffic noise or sirens. His new family was very committed to supporting him with his light/shadow fixation and already had other West Highland Terriers, plus plenty of space for Leo to explore and feel fulfilled.

For a bonus, please see below a picture of Leo when he rolled in Fox poo on a walk and was so excited to see me when I appeared and happened to be the only one he would allow to bath him. This is an honour I think of often and fondly.

Blue

Ah Blue... one of many of the deaf dogs I worked with and trained, but Blue was extra special.

In addition to being deaf, Blue didn’t trust strangers and had poor eyesight, which affected how he perceived the world in low light. On dark morning or afternoon walks, he would sometimes react to trees, thinking they were people.

Training Blue required conditioning to touch and hand signals rather than verbal cues. He learned to respond to thumbs-up markers and received treats to reinforce behaviours that helped him navigate a world that was often challenging.

Fortunately, Blue responded wonderfully to training and was eventually adopted by a loving family who adapted their home to meet his needs and gave him the patience and time to settle in. I do love a happy

I do love a happy ending, and Blue, as well as my other featured dogs definitely enjoyed theirs.

I am so fortunate to have a rich history in dealing with and helping dogs with severe behaviour challenges and emotional difficulties.

Dogs from left to right, Poppy, Macca, Bear and Lola.

Suki

Although my work in rescue is a huge part of my life, no facts or story about me would be quite complete without mentioning my heart and soul dog, Suki. You may have already seen her pop up in some of the photos on this website — she was adorable, and looked a little like an Ewok.

Suki was my best friend for just over 13 years before I lost her to the terrible disease cancer in 2021. I had her from just six weeks old and worked to help her overcome the early trauma she had been subjected to at such a young, impressionable age. This included food aggression, stranger reactivity, and a strong aversion to children and older people with walking sticks/canes. Suki and I worked hard together, building trust and safety, and our bond was unbreakable. She eventually even learned to live happily with her adopted sister, Shoko, another rescue.

Below, you’ll see some of my favourite photos of Suki, some with me included. There will never be another dog like her, and I am so honoured to have had her walking by my side for those 13 years. We were truly inseparable, and she taught me so much. I am eternally grateful for her, treasuring that she was mine and I was hers. Now, she is safe in my heart, pawprints front and center, the pitter patter of her little feet echoing and resounding in my heart with each and every beat.

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