19/03/2025
Before I was a dog trainer, I was a 9-year-old kid with a tiny treat pouch, a handful of liver treats, and a Rottweiler named Luger. I was obsessed with teaching him things—how to walk nicely, sit, shake and even run across the road with me because I thought that was the safest way as a kid 😂 He was sassy, but patient with me, and I had no idea at the time that he was setting me up for everything that came next.
At 16, I got my first job in the dog world—cleaning at a daycare after school. When I graduated, they offered me a full-time spot on their Adventure Team, doing activities with 40 dogs multiple times a week. It was fun, but while my classmates were off to uni with their lives planned out, I had no idea where I was heading. My teacher was disappointed I wasn’t going to university, but deep down, I knew dogs were my future.
Then, everything changed. Luger passed away at only 9 years old, and just a month later, Orion came home. They never got to meet sadly. I was grieving one dog while raising another, which was really rough. Then Orion nearly died at 6 months old, and ever since, he’s faced ongoing health challenges. He’s been through so much, but he’s also shaped me as a person and as a trainer. We’ve figured things out together, and now we’re a great team.
Not long after Orion arrived, I started my Cert III in Dog Training & Behaviour. I’d been assisting the trainers at work and was hooked, but as I learned more, I started noticing things I didn’t agree with. The daycare was too much—for the dogs and for me. A year later, I left, searching for a business that actually aligned with my values. Turns out, I couldn’t find one.
So, in 2021, I built my own! Snoot Services was born out of everything I’d learned—the good, the bad, and the things I swore I’d do differently. Now, it’s thriving. I’ve worked with hundreds of dogs, I keep learning from the best in the world, and soon, Snoot Skool will help even more owners!
At the time, I had no clue where I was headed. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to trust the process. Even when it feels like you’re winging it, things have a way of working out 🙌🐾🌲❤️🌊