From Horse to Hound
I am a student animal behaviourist located near Haywards Heath, West Sussex, providing a friendly and flexible service with extensive experience in all aspects of animal care - particularly with dogs and horses - including working at a local rescue centre as a kennels assistant, so I am comfortable with all types of dogs! I aim to give your pets the best treatment possible. I can be very flexible and do almost any time of the day, any day of the week - just go ahead and let me know what you need! Even if it's last minute and you think it's too late to ask for help - I still may be able to help you.
I have a large 4x4, so I can get to you wherever you are and whatever the weather! Pets are transported in safe cages. 4x4s are much safer for the animals than vans and pick-ups.
I offer the following:
Solo or group dog walks - 30min, 45 min, an hour or 1.5 hours. I often use Costell's Wood - a 60 hectare ancient woodland right next to my house. It's absolutely beautiful and there are plenty of different exciting routes through there, but I also like to explore other places too. You can choose how your dog gets walked. If you want your dog to have some company, it can join in with my other clients' dogs or if no other dogs are available I have two very friendly dogs of my own who will happily provide some company! One's pretty big and the other's quite small so you can choose...
I am a big believer in making sure dogs get to explore, travel and have fun, and that they walk nicely on the lead. I use positive methods to encourage good behaviour and am happy to incorporate your current training activities into the walk. I do not buy into standing around in a field and throwing a ball repeatedly! This does nothing to help your dog mentally - it may tire them out physically, but it can turn your dog into a neurotic and hyperactive individual and leave him stressed and unsatisfied! I am happy to mix play into walks, but too many dog walkers don't do real walking, and this really doesn't help your dog fulfil his needs. I often run with my GSD x collie, so I'm happy to run with your dogs too if that's what you'd like! I only walk dogs off the lead if they have a decent recall. I've witnessed many of the local dog-walkers repeatedly calling their clients' dogs to be completely ignored, with the dogs running off in every direction! This is both dangerous for the dog and other dogs in the area.
I am happy to walk dogs that have mild behaviour problems - discuss your specific needs with me to sort something out - however any aggression issues mean I will only walk the dog alone, and with a muzzle on.
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Doggy Explorer Holiday Days! Once a month my partner and I take our dogs out for a whole day to explore a totally new part of the Sussex, Surrey or Kent countryside. We even bring them packed lunches! Want your dogs to join in the fun? Contact me for details!
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Pet taxi - visits to the vet or anywhere you can think of!
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Home visits - I can give your pet whatever he/she needs whilst you're away on holiday or at work: feed, water, medication, toilet trips, play, water plants, bring your mail in, etc. Particularly handy for puppy owners who have to leave their puppies all day - if you don't have someone come in to check on them and take them out to the toilet you will probably come back to a messy house!
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General horse care - I can muck out for you, poo-pick your fields, tidy your yard, turn your horses out and bring them in, feed, etc. Whatever you need! I have BHS Stage 1 and have owned my own horses for quite some time, as well as working on different yards as a rider and groom.
I cover the Scayne's Hill/Haywards Heath/Burgess Hill/Wivelsfield/Chailey area and surrounding areas but other areas can be covered occasionally at extra travel charges.
Please message me with your specific requirements and we can work a price out!
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My dogs:
Lexie - a German Shepherd x Collie x Lab. Lexie is full of energy and somewhat neurotic! She's had some bad experiences with other dogs where she has been attacked which left her a little nervous and protective. She is undergoing behaviour training and making huge progress. I have taken her from barking incessantly and panicking at another dog at the other end of a huge field, to being able to greet other dogs calmly and quietly - even on the lead. Her confidence has come on leaps and bounds, to the extent that recently when some over-enthusiastic dogs came and climbed all over her, she just calmly sat down and looked at me until we managed to get them off and return them to their owner!
She's excellent to walk with dogs who have lots of enthusiasm for life and want a running and playing buddy!
Scampi - a 5 month old Beagle! People always say Beagles can NEVER be walked off the lead due to their obsession with scent and their unresponsiveness to training, and even on the lead they will always be dragging you along. Well, so far so good! Scampi has excellent recall - he will even come back to me when there's an interesting scent, a new, exciting dog he'd rather play with or a person to cuddle! He walks right by my side on the lead and can even walk to heel with no lead at all. He doesn't chew shoes, he doesn't damage our furniture, he doesn't howl when we leave the house... We do work very hard at our training! So I promise you: there's hope for all those scent hounds out there!
He's actually a really chilled out, gentle little guy, overflowing with friendly attitude. He's perfect to give your nervous dog confidence, or to provide a suitable play partner for your puppy.
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CV:
Student Member of The International Society of Animal Professionals
Currently studying an Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management, and Canine First Aid.
2:1 Psychology with Neuroscience. My degree covered a lot of animal behaviour and my dissertation was focussed on equine social cognition, comparing the effects of different methods of training and equine personality on their response to human emotion, for which I received a 2:1 and was praised on my originality.
Taken part in Parelli Natural Horsemanship demos as a performer and also as an assistant.
Worked with a number of different horses with varying behavioural issues. I’ve seen it all!
Previously taken sole charge of private yards with multiple horses, including horses with medical and behavioural issues.
Working for a business schooling young horses from the saddle and the ground to prepare them for sale, riding for buyers, taking them to their first dressage shows etc.
Came 3rd in Tent Pegging and won Best Newcomer at the Royal Skill At Arms Tournament in 2008 in Melton Mowbray.
Worked at Raystede as a Kennels Assistant.
BHS Stage 1
BHS Riding and Road Safety
I’ve owned horses for 11 years and currently have my own horse and two dogs. My horse was so damaged psychologically when I got him that I was forced to stop riding him for a year and focussed entirely on building up a relationship and respect from ground work. He went from being a very dangerous horse from whom I still have a scar above my eye where he kicked me - ! – to being a very sweet individual whom I can ride bareback and bridleless, and even let novices ride.
