My journey as a trainer and into the philosophy and study of positive reinforcement is due to my rescue pittie, Morticia (known as Tish). I adopted her in 2014 at the age of "7" (she's "15" now!). She is my first dog and taught me literally everything I know - especially since she's reactive to other dogs. She taught me the power of working with her on every single walk, every single day, to be able to exist comfortably in the world.

It's absolutely inspiring. We are masters of "touch" and rely on it heavily when encountering other dogs she's not so fond of.

It was during lockdown that I decided I needed a change. I've been a shelter volunteer; I am still a dog walker; and I decided I had to make something of this. Enter Victoria Stilwell Academy. Finally! A group of likeminded individuals who are so deeply passionate about doing it all the right way. In a world where aversive methods can be the norm, it's empowering to find myself in a community where we are fighting tooth and nail to ensure dogs are trained and treated humanely and positively.

I love working with clients privately, and really spending time getting down to the nitty gritty of whatever issues we need to solve. I love developing relationships with both the dog and their guardian, as I believe that working together and establishing an open line of communication and honesty will propel us toward success.