One of my first memories is bringing home Hal, a five month old puppy, from the RSPCA.  I was four years old and he was my companion for the next ten years.

He once followed me to Sunday School one giving me an excuse to leave early to bring him home.  Another time, my brother allowed me to hold Hal’s lead on a walk, then threw a stick for Hal, causing him to pull me over and knocked me out cold. 

I desperately wanted a pony and I remember trying to ride Hal and bumping my knees on door frames.  (Always supervise your children with dogs, who knows what they will try to do.)  When it was finally clear to me that he was an unsuitable ride, I taught Hal to jump over obstacles.  If I couldn’t ride him, at least he could show jump.

Looking back at photos, I still wouldn’t be able to guess what breeds went into Hal’s make up, he was a Great British mongrel.  He taught me so much – kindness, patience and acceptance.  He was my playmate, my baby sitter and my first teacher.

Gentle and quiet, Mindy was the result of an accidental mating between a Labrador and a Springer Spaniel, from a nearby farm.  Mindy adored my mum and followed her everywhere.  Much as I tried, Mindy was never my dog as her heart  was always with my mum, as Hal’s had been before her. 

I took Mindy to our local training class – I loved it completely, it was a whole new world to me, even though I shudder at the methods taught back then.  Mindy did not share my enthusiasm for training. 

I never earned her full devotion – it can’t be forced and love isn’t always reciprocated.  You can’t always have what you want.

Ben was an abandoned puppy, found by the police in a sack near a block of flats.  We ended up with him and a whole load of issues.  Ben and adolescent me rebelled our way through the next few years.  He was the soul mate I wanted. 

I began instructing at the dog club which I loved. (Goodness knows what people thought when a 15-year-old girl stood up and started telling them how to train their dogs.) 

But I couldn’t work out why Ben did what he did.  His issues became worse and worse.  How could he be so loving and responsive to me, but so aggressive to everything else?  I learnt that as I couldn’t understand why he reacted as he did, I needed to learn when he was going to react.  I watched him until I learnt every bit of his body language.

I learnt to look at the bigger picture.

He died when he was 15, just dropped dead, doing what he loved best, running free on a walk.  Doing things his way until the end.

My lovely boy, Ben, I wish I knew then what I know now.  Thank you for your patience and kindness to me.  I am forever in your debt, because I wouldn’t be here without you.

Tony was a stunning German Shepherd x Irish Setter, chained to a kennel day and night as a guard dog.  I approached the owner and started taking Tony out for walks.  Goodness, it was a steep learning curve for both of us. 

Tony came to University with me in Hull.  Dogs weren’t allowed in my accommodation, so Tony lived with the lady who ran the dog club where I had begun to instruct.

At around this time, I began to work with John Fisher and putting his knowledge into Tony allowed me to have a closer bond with a dog than I ever believed possible.  I’m sure we could read each other’s thoughts.   Tony died in my arms, aged 14.

A little feral lurcher living wild in Sheffield for around three years, covered in scars, inside and out.  As far as I know, I was the first person to touch her for years.  It took her a long time to forgive me for that.  Timid and independent, Sadie and I learnt so much together.  She had to come everywhere with me, as I couldn’t leave her for the first couple of years as she destroyed everything when left alone - she came to work with me, to parties and on dates.  I thought I had been learning about dogs.  Sadie told me I knew nothing.  We learned about each other together.   

I was lucky enough to spend time working with John Rogerson – wow, so amazing.   I started my business with Sadie at my side, she lived until she was almost 15 years old, a true survivor. 

Then came Eko, my perfect dog. 

I always feel that I let Ben down through my lack of knowledge, knowledge which wasn’t anywhere to be found in the early 1980s.  I wanted a dog like Ben, so that I could put my newfound knowledge into practice.  Enter Eko, the most amazing rescue mongrel.  Eko and I had the most fantastic time as I learnt more and more about dog behaviour and training, about Eko and about myself.  He was with me through fantastic times; developing the early days of my business, meeting my future husband, getting married and having three fabulous children.  I felt that Eko and I knew what each other were thinking.  He looked after me and guided me where I needed to go.  I was lucky enough to have him for 16 and a half wonderful years.  I miss him hugely.

Hera  I had taken on dogs from bad backgrounds and seen how their behaviour and quality of life improved, but I wondered if I could make such a difference with a dog with behaviour issues, who came from a good home?  Hera was a client’s dog, she had bitten people and dogs inside and outside the family.  Her family were at their wits end, and for some reason, I decided she could be a great dog, so I brought her home with me.  She was an amazing dog.  It took a long time before I could trust her, but she slowly learnt that she didn’t have to throw her weight around.  She was fantastic, funny and enthusiastic. Once she understood life, she became so happy and loved life.

I had taken on dogs from bad backgrounds and seen how their behaviour and quality of life improved, but I wondered if I could make such a difference with a dog with behaviour issues, who came from a good home?  Hera was a client’s dog, she had bitten people and dogs inside and outside the family.  Her family were at their wits end, and for some reason, I decided she could be a great dog, so I brought her home with me.  She was an amazing dog.  It took a long time before I could trust her, but she slowly learnt that she didn’t have to throw her weight around.  She was fantastic, funny and enthusiastic. Once she understood life, she became so happy and loved life.

Sally came from Dogs Trust as a dog for my father.  A mature dog, she had had almost all of her teeth taken out and was the size and shape of a coffee table when we brought her home.  Slowly she regained her figure and learnt to live with my chaotic family, including the cats which was an additional challenge.  When my father died, Sally came back to live with us full time, until her death at 19 years of age.  She had outlived at least three owners, I sometimes wondered if she would outlive me.

A little black lurcher from a rescue, Huxley was an incredible dog.  His enthusiasm for training and life was amazing.  Unfortunately he had many issues and one of them was that my increasingly noisy children and increasingly stressful home life was more than he could cope with.  I nearly gave up my work as I couldn’t make him happy, but we weren’t the family for him.  I gave him away to a lovely elderly gentleman who could offer him the peace and stability he needed.  Whenever I saw him, Huxley would greet me enthusiastically, and then trot away with Les, without a backward glance at me.  He died of cancer at the age of 12, content and adored.  I have cried so much over Huxley.

I needed a complete contrast, and this led me to contact a fellow APBC member to acquire one of her beautiful Cavalier puppies.  I had almost acquired a Cavalier twice before in my life, but each time, things got in the way and it hadn’t happened.  Pluto came back with us from Glasgow one Bonfire Night and, through his kindness and sweet nature, gave us so very much.  As the children grew older, I found I could spend more time training again, and my daughter and Pluto raced around agility courses together.  Beautiful Pluto, so kind, loving and trusting, always seeing the best in everything, you taught me so much, I miss you every day.

Another client’s dog, Sandy was the wrong dog in the wrong home.  I felt sorry for Sandy and the couple who owned him and I used to borrow Sandy to take him for walks with the dog club.  When his owner could no longer look after him, he came home with me and never left again. 

Always well-meaning but not always well-behaved, Sandy was an education.  His loyalty to me was incredible, not really something I had ever wanted in a dog as I prefer them to be happy whether with me or away from me, but Sandy had other ideas on that. Patiently waiting whenever I wasn’t with him, knowing I would always come back to him. 

He was the perfect dog to work with dogs who didn’t know how to enjoy being with other dogs.  Gently turning his head away of they were unsure, letting them sniff him all over when they were ready, encouraging them to follow him and eventually play. 

He brought sunshine and laughter, and a lot of hair and slobber, every day of his life.

Although I’ve always taught to never have two puppies at the same time, when I was asked by the RSPCA during lockdown if I would foster two puppies who were part of a big cruelty case, how could I refuse?  Two tiny puppies were put in our arms and I fell instantly in love. 

Frank and Filey rise to any challenge on offer.  Agility, hoopers, scentwork, mantrailing, trick training, Good Citizen awards, Good Companion awards, working with me with reactive or frightened dogs, coming to university when I lecture, or just keeping me company through the days, they always go above and beyond everything I ask of them.  They are truly a delight every day.  I am so lucky to have them.

More extrovert, full of enthusiasm and bounce, easily startled, always looking for the next thing to do.  He approaches everything with good humour and he would be very much easier if he wasn’t so interested in hunting squirrels.

Much quieter and more determined.  She isn’t impulsive like Frank, she prefers to plan things more thoroughly.  Despite health issues of hip dysplasia, luxating patella, heart murmur and a dodgy stomach, she is the happiest dog I’ve ever had the pleasure of being with.  Filey appears truly happy whatever is happening although she is at her happiest when food is involved.