Ever since I can remember, I have loved all animals but my love of dogs has always been the strongest. From as soon as I could walk I would chase every dog to try to throw my arms around it and give it a cuddle. Surprisingly I was never once bitten so maybe the dogs knew I meant them no harm, or maybe I was just lucky
I always knew that I wanted to work with animals when older and spent any time I had away from school hanging around local farms or stables. My plan had been to stay on at school, do my A levels and then go to vet collage but situations meant that I ended up in agricultural college instead. It was great fun; I could spend all day with various animals, drink a lot!! and get a qualification at the end of it. What bliss!!
Most of my early working life was then spent on farms; I worked with dairy cows, beef cows, sheep, goats and pigs. Of all the farm animals the pigs were my first love and I gradually worked my way up to be herd manager on a farm in the midlands. I had got Dylan by now (check out his story on his own page) and was shortly going to be joined by Gabriel and Venus (they have their own pages too)
Farming was a great way of life but I also wanted to learn more about dogs and decided to study about dog behaviour and try to find work as a dog trainer. I studied very hard and any free time I had (which wasn’t much with a 7 day week on the farm) I spent at dog training clubs helping out. I tried to pick up as much information as I could about behaviour and different methods of training. There were so many different ways and I must admit, some of them were very dodgy and not what I would call “Dog Friendly” but at least I saw the outcomes of these practises and I started to make up my mind about the type of trainer I wanted to be. People started to ask my advice about their pets and it was very rewarding to see the positive outcomes.
In June 2002 I passed my first course on Canine Psychology. This was through the Canine Behaviour Centre. Then in February 2003 I started to study Intermediate Canine Psychology through The Animal Care College. In April I received my pass marks for the course they were all A’s or A-‘s. I was very pleased as that meant a Distinction. I had really enjoyed the course and decided to study more through the college when time and money allowed.
I then started to think more about developing my skills and knowledge into other ways of helping dogs. I thought about all the dogs in the past that I had grabbed and cuddled, not one had even attempted the bite me, maybe, I did have some kind of calming, trusting nature that the dogs could sense. I was used to hearing comments like “oo, he is never usually that good with strangers” or “he is so much calmer when you are with him”
So I started to look at other courses designed to help these wonderful animals, an advert for canine massage caught my eye. It was all about being able to help doggies in pain or discomfort by stroking them and manipulating muscles. It sounded brilliant so straight away I started studying massage in books and on videos. Because of the time scale of the other courses I was on I left the enrolment onto a massage course for a while.
I enrolled on the Agility Instructors Course run by The Agility Club and passed that in October 2005. I found this very useful as I was helping out at my local agility club with the beginner dogs. During this time I was also studying with the IPBC to be one of their registered behaviourists. I got excellent results from the course and was able to put it in to practise with so called problems dogs that I had been asked to see. I completed this course in June 2006 and had very good results again. I have since been asked to be a regional advisor too.
In March 2006 I had started to teach basic obedience to beginner dogs and owners at a companion dog club. I really enjoyed this and loved to see the development of the dogs (and owners) between classes. Several people had sought my advice with difficult pet dogs and I found this a great challenge used the knowledge that I had gained over the years to help and achieved some very good results. I was also very lucky enough at this time to be offered training at the Hydrotherapy pool where I had been swimming Gabs and Vee. This was fantastic news and I enjoy every minute of working there.
I decided it was time to go for the massage course so I enrolled on an Anatomy course with the Animal Care College and passed that at distinction level, and then I enrolled on the massage theory course. During this time I also studied Reiki 1 at the Roseheart Kingdom Therapy Centre for Animals in July 2006 2 days were spent on human Reiki, and then a day was spent on dogs. Reiki is a very powerful development therapy and the dogs love it. Its is a true holistic therapy that works on the whole body and can be very beneficial to dogs who need healing or calming. I have been using Reiki on Gabby and Vee and my friends dogs and the results are amazing. I am also going to study Canine Shiatsu in 2007 as I feel that this will work well with the massage skills I now have.
I have since registered with the Kennel Club to be an Accredited Trainer and behaviourist. It is a lot of work collecting evidence and writing about various issues but I am enjoying it and hope to do as well with it as I have done with other subjects. Armed with these skills I now feel that I can make a big difference to many dogs’ lives, whether it be in their behaviour, training, health or just quality of life.
Ideally I would love to be able to help all of these amazing, beautiful creatures who are so easily taken for granted by us humans and deserve so much better. The world, however, is a very big place.
So, I have made it my aim to help as many dogs as I can, whether it’s through massage, Reiki, Shiatsu or just from understanding a problem in the dogs (or owners) mind.
Also, because of my love of agility and obedience training, I aim to teach both owners and dogs how to have a better understanding of each other and therefore a better partnership for life.
After all, my Dilly is up there watching me and I owe it to him.
A Dogs Prayer
Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.
Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between blows your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you will have me do
Speak to me kindly, for your voice is the world’s sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footsteps fall upon my waiting ear
When it is cold and wet, please take me inside, for now I am a domestic animal, no longer used to the bitter elements, and I ask no greater glory that the privilege of sitting at your feet by the hearth.
Though had you no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest on the softest pillow in the warmest house in the land… for you are my god and I your devoted worshipper
Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I should not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst, feed me clean food, that I may stay well to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side and stand ready should your life be in danger
And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn away, rather hold me gentle in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest – and I will leave you knowing, with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands
For my Dylan
Bless you
home about me therapies my dogs our friends dilly's page news links site map