Meet The Team

My journey into the world of dogs began in 2011 when I got my first dog - Esta, an English Bulldog. I was lucky to grow up in a home that loved dogs, but it wasn't until I had my own that I truly became passionate about learning everything there is to know about dogs. At the time, I was working at a bank and feeling unsatisfied with where my career was heading. Having Esta in my life inspired me to make a big change - I quit my job, enrolled in a two-year Canine Care course at Writtle College, and started my own dog-walking business. I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about dogs and realized that this was my true passion and profession - I haven't looked back since.

When my second dog, Duke the Giant Schnauzer, came into my life in 2015, I really started to expand and improve my skills. He opened my eyes to a new perspective on dog behaviours and fuelled my desire to keep learning more. In addition to my dog walking, I had the opportunity to gain valuable experience for 5 years at a reputable dog training school. It was a privilege to be part of a highly skilled and collaborative team of dog experts, and I greatly expanded my knowledge.It was here that my enthusiasm for Agility emerged, which eventually lead to my teaching of it. 

Combined with the growing success of my dog-walking business, I have since experienced a multitude of breeds and personalities, dealing with issues of separation anxiety, dog-to-dog aggression, aggression towards people, resource guarding, general guarding, and more. The importance of effective interaction between humans and their dogs cannot be underestimated – misinterpretation can, and does, cause a multitude of problems, leaving both parties feeling confused and frustrated. Walking dogs off-lead, for example, requires dedicated training and can sometimes be mistaken as an easy process. Maintaining control of your dog while surrounded by distractions in the form of other dogs/animals/people is of paramount importance, of which I have unfortunately found to be a rarity in practice. 

I have since re-homed two more dogs, Ralph the Pug, and Marley the French Bulldog. My own little pack have individually taught me so much and brought so much happiness to my life. As such, my absolute mission is to transfer the knowledge I’ve gained over the past 11 years to ensure a content and happy dog means a content and happy owner. 

I think every dog has something truly special to offer, teaching us valuable lessons along the way. I am incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to pursue this as my chosen career. I am so grateful I have the privilege of collaborating with a dedicated team, where I have the pleasure of teaching Hannah and Becky on the most effective methods for maximising the potential of the dogs under our care. This experience has brought me immense satisfaction and fulfilment. I provide continuous support for Hannah & Becky and I am readily available to debrief after each walk to ensure that the same high standards that I feel are important are maintained.

Brad was employed as a quantity surveyor and was also a skilled joiner who, demonstrating remarkable courage, made the challenging choice to embark on a path that would provide greater personal fulfilment in his professional life. Over the course of almost ten years, Brad and Sadie have shared a partnership, with Brad consistently offering his support to Sadie whenever required. After the pandemic, we recognised an opening to expand from being a solo entrepreneur to establishing a collaborative team, Brad played an indispensable role in enabling us to achieve this significant milestone. When Brad met Sadie there was no other option for him but to fully embrace dogs. After all, he lives with a fantastic Giant Schnauzer, so it was almost imperative for Brad to be a dog enthusiast. Brad has had dogs all of his life & is a natural. His other love is his 5 year old French bulldog Marley which you will often see riding around with him in the van. In addition to assisting with the overall running of the business, Brad is tasked with the collection and secure transportation of dogs to and from their homes in a prompt and proficient manner.

We greatly value Ann's exceptional daily contribution, as she effectively oversees our administrative tasks and ensures the smooth operation of our processes. Her remarkable ability for handling tasks with meticulous attention to detail has significantly enhanced our overall efficiency. Prior to joining our team, Ann served as a receptionist in a medical practice, showcasing her dedication to providing exceptional support and assistance. We had high expectations for Ann's impact on our team, and we are pleased to say that she has not only met those expectations but has also significantly enhanced our client experience. Ann also shares a love for dogs. It brings her great joy whenever she is given the opportunity to keep one of them company. Throughout her life, she has been surrounded by dogs and currently owns an adorable terrier mix, Rodney. Rodney, is loving having his Mum by his side during his retirement years.

Hannah has a strong passion for animals of all kinds. She initially discovered Dog-social when she embarked on the journey of training her Staffie puppy, Frank. Working with Staffie’s requires a resilient mindset. Hannah has effortlessly demonstrated her dedication and consistency in training him. Her patience & commitment well & truly have paid off as they have an exceptional partnership. When an opportunity arose to work with dogs, Hannah decided to pursue it. Her abilities left Sadie thoroughly impressed, and the rest, as they say, is history. Hannah's exceptional talent in understanding dogs is truly remarkable, and her intuitive abilities consistently prove to be accurate. Hannah consistently demonstrates her exceptional ability to think quickly and adapt, making her a highly esteemed and respected member of our team.  

Becky's entrance into Dog-social was quite unexpected, but it turned out to be one of those absolutely brilliant moments where everything fell into place. She made the decision to leave her position at the Bank of England in order to pursue a career that would allow her to live an authentic life and concentrate on her passions. Becky has shown so much progress in her interactions & handling of the dogs within a really brief timeframe & we are so excited because of this. She has demonstrated exceptional patience and has developed some really lovely relationships with the dogs. Becky has prior experience in fostering dogs, and coincidentally, one of the dogs she fostered ended up becoming a permanent resident. Benson, a 7-year-old labradoodle! He really enjoys his new professional role as his mum’s right hand man and has seamlessly integrated himself into the team.