I am Mary, and I am currently living my dream of working with people and dogs. I have always gravitated towards dogs though the home I grew up in was not suitable for a dog. When the opportunity arose to foster a lamb, I immediately set about halter training and loving a tiny black sheep, teaching him to hug and dance and walk alongside me …. then he grew into a 100+kg ram who still enjoyed a ‘hug’, flattening the receiver. He taught me to consider potential consequences of training!

I have two dogs of my own to love, Banjo who has enough motivation and energy to power a small city and Morgan who could love everyone in it. I’ve learnt a lot from my dogs. Banjo has taught me how important timing is and how essential it is for a dog to understand when to switch off. Morgan has taught me to live in the moment. She had a difficult life before we met but she only considers her here and now important.

Since adopting my dogs I have changed career from accountant to dog trainer, qualified through the stringent process with IMDT (Institute of Modern Dog Trainers). I discovered a passion for scent with Morgan, who regularly tracks people (and the odd lost dog) and is brilliant at scent detection.

I will never consider myself to have finished learning, there is always more and I’m keen to continue to improve both as a trainer and handler of dogs. I love helping people and dogs live happily together.