My road to dog training and interest in Behaviour started at 18 when I rescued a dog that had been trained to fight. When I look back at that beautiful dog, I now know he was a pit bull, but at the time, uneducated, I thought he was a long legged staffy. The dog seemed crazy and I was in a permanent love/hate relationship with him but could not give him up. He deserved a book written about him for the stories I could tell.
Since then I have gone on to rescue bullies (as well as other breeds) as my primary dog of choice, managing them with the little understanding I had and bad techniques. I am due in great part to my age and ignorance at the time a cross-over trainer.
I became amongst other things a holistic Therapist, qualifying in Bowen Technique, Aromatherapy as well as other treatments. In my private practice I treated many people who were suffering due to work overload and lack of balance. This gave me a great deal of understanding of those stuck in situations of stress due to internal or external circumstances.
I myself fell under the banner of a stress related Illness in 2006 after a set of extreme circumstances, my body failed to cope and it put me in bed for 12 years, on the days I was able to get up, I had to use a wheelchair.
I eventually found someone who helped and I had to learn to monitor my every activity and the draw on my energy they each took. Only by doing this was I able to retrain with the IMDT getting my accreditation and to shadow an expert trainer. I continue to learn and am working towards a Behaviour Qualification.
However my ability to stand for long periods and walk long distances is still impaired. So I work from home as a VA (Virtual Assistant) for dog trainers and Behaviourist whilst continuing in a limited way to train.
This understanding of exhaustion, drive, desire and love of animals makes me passionate about supporting others to keep healthy and balanced whilst doing the job they love.
