Hello, great to have you here!

A little more about me

Doggie Dawdles was established 11 years ago when I was searching for a more meaningful and balanced life.  Before Doggie Dawdles I was a children’s Social Worker for 15 years, but the ever increasing demands of the work left me very little time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life and the things that brought me most joy. My inspiration for working within the dog industry came from my absolute adoration for Jess and Yorkie, my very first dogs as an adult, and founding dogs of Doggie Dawdles. Jess was a beautiful yellow Labrador who came home as a puppy already downloaded with the best puppy software. She was the most perfect companion throughout my twenties and thirties, and she was by my side, like all loyal dogs, through all the ups and downs in life during these years. Yorkie was a huge handsome lump of a chocolate Labrador, named after the chocolate bar (chunky and not for girls). He gave the best cuddles and was best friend to my son. Yorkie had neurological issues and as a result was a challenge to train, and he had sensitivities to so many things! He taught me that sometimes training needs to be unconventional and outside of the box, that one size really does not fit all, and that when it comes to dog food you cannot always rely on what it reads on the label! Both Jess and Yorkie shaped me into the dog mum I am today, and the love I had for them and still hold for them in my heart, fires up a passion within me to want to provide the best walks, the kindest and most ethical forms of training, and the best nutrition advice to all the dogs that come into my life, both personally and professionally.

My guiding principles as a human being have always remained the same. I believe in:

KINDNESS | AUTHENTICITY | INTEGRITY

In business I lead supportively, I set industry standards and I also am always learning. Before setting up my business, I became aware that the dog walking and training Industry is unregulated and the title Dog Trainer is unprotected.  Having spent so many years at University to be a Social Worker and then having to adhere to a strict code of conduct to be able to use a protected title, it felt surreal walking into a different field and learning that simply anyone could call themselves a Dog Trainer!

As the years went by as a Dog Walker I was able to observe behind the scenes the vast number of people taking advantage of this and using out of date training and aversive methods, potentially causing dogs more harm than good.

There was a need for self-regulation and improvement of dog welfare in the industry and so it became a personal mission of mine to do my part, as part of a collective, to raise the bar. This is when I discovered IMDT, the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and later the UK Dog Behaviour Charter. IMDT provided the opportunity for people like me wanting to be a good Dog Trainer to be assessed and externally accredited. So, I put myself through the courses teaching the most up to date and scientific methods of training, and the nerve-wracking assessment and accreditation process so that I could wholeheartedly demonstrate to potential clients that I take my work and the training and welfare of their dogs seriously. Being a member of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter provides assurance to the public and other professional bodies that I have been checked, supported, and monitored by a reputable accrediting member organisation.