Dog Meets Girl

31/05/2026

It’s been a year since I poured my fragile broken heart into an empty space in Melkbosstrand. Silently grieving while painting floors and wiping walls. I always wanted a life where Bailey could sit and watch the ocean and the beautiful sunsets we loved to share together from his front porch…
He left me to soon, I was working so hard for that dream to become our reality. As he passed a small room shaped as a house became available to rent . A rare find . I felt called to take it with no plan in mind. I knew it was meant for me , I knew I had to make it work.

In honour of my soul dog Bailey, my absolute best friend and guardian - a year after his passing, it is now a space for myself to be still, creative . A space that is the epitome of my love for all things dog and all I have built around this one true love.

Over the years I have built many businesses all within the same theme - now Soul Dog is the flagship that holds the ecosystem of Dog Meets Girl , TAME and DMG collection together under one roof .

The ecosystem of dedicated blood , sweat and tears will now blend as one … and as soon as I have the courage to be front end and make it official, well then il be doing my best within this ecosystem to continue creating the thoughtful infrastructure of making pet ownership helpful, supportive, colourful & fun .. just for you.

Bare with me as I take yet another daunting step that may make no sense to some, but fuelled by my ever growing vision & strong convictions that have always been my guide . This time held by Bailey boy who is tethered to my soul and my reason .
The reason I built this community, the reason I created Tame and the reason to have an excuse to curate cool boutique product and apparel with (usually) his face on through DMG subscription boxes for all my loyal friends on here who have supported me through so many life stages🤍

Will you join me as I wing this?
Jokes, I do have a little strategy in place and it starts with … YOLO.

X###x

18/05/2026

He lives his best live every single minute of every single day!🤍🤍🤍🤍

06/05/2026

And then,
You turned ONE 🖤

One whole year of getting to know you and loving you every single day🖤
Reefy - your hugs heal me every single day 🪸
From the outside, it may look like the wonderful chaos of our daily routine is too overwhelming.
But no , the truth is through every minute I’m with you I’m fully yours and you are mine . You are my most intentional distraction.

Your wild, free, adventurous, smart , happy , SO HAPPY , affectionate spirit is the most welcomed distraction . The only distraction that keeps me truly present which is where I need to be.

Thank you for being yet another example of how selfless a dog is. How purposeful their presence is for their lifetime and their human.

To be loved by a dog is to experience the truest most sacred form of love, loyalty and connection . My Reef 🪸 🖤 I love you so very much and promise to always give you the very best & learn from you best I can 🖤

Happy birthday handsome boy 😎 Dad, me and Jess just love you so much . Thank you for the joy you have brought into our home again.

08/04/2026

😉

01/04/2026

23/03/2026

Have you ever felt a bit ‘dumb’ in your dogs presence? Me neither…

Until now!

Guys, Reef is smart ! Like smart smart! He’s not even a year and the way we are communicating is so much fun and so intentional 🖤 I’m really beyond grateful that he is in our lives.

By the way - if you are based Blouberg/melkbos side and just need to get your pooch mentally & physically stimulated for 45 - ish minutes has a new offering called JD GYM & SWIM classes! I’m suuuuper busy now days - but having this time set aside in the week for intentional focus , is great for us both. I highly recommend 🤍✨

is now Reefs new bestie.

22/03/2026

For those of you who have followed me for so many years - you would have noticed the shift happen from photography into creating an app for us pet owners🤯 - I definitely was not prepared for what was in front of me but I KNEW it was something we needed - so I YOLO-d it.

I thought I would share some lessons I have learnt from building a pet health tech company in South Africa (although it feels more like building a care community for both Vet professionals & Pet owners) - It is so much more than just an app ✨🐾

Conversations about technology are often driven by fear especially when you’re dealing with health.

• Fear of AI
• Fear of automation
• Fear of being replaced by machines

However after six years of building a tech company in the pet industry, I’ve learned something very important - when tech is built with purpose, empathy and the right people behind it, it becomes a very powerful and empowering tool.

Through 16+ years of being on the ground living & learning all about the South African pet space I noticed a common theme - All pet owners speak the same language , it’s undeniable, and if I worry about my pets health & overall wellness and cannot afford to go to the vet for every single question I had - then millions of other pet owners must feel the same!
That gap , between worry and clarity, is what inspired Tame.

Place yourself here for a moment:
It’s late at night and something about your pet doesn’t feel right and you’re an overthinker:

- Is this urgent?
- Do I need to rush to the vet?
- Am I overreacting?

Most people turn to the internet for peace of mind , endless articles and conflicting advice often creates more anxiety. Even if you found the answer that said everything right - a part of you will always question a robot , over real, human connection.

This is where tech can solve a problem.

At Tame, pet owners speak to real veterinarians registered with the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) who are available online 24/7 to guide, assess concerns and help determine when a pet needs to be seen in person. The warmth of our kind , dedicated and incredibly smart team of professionals - has become our superpower in a world of AI.

As Tame evolves intentionally into its additional purpose, an after hours triage for vet practices - to help relieve the intense pressure veterinarian professionals have. What many pet owners don’t see is the weight that comes with caring so deeply for animals and the people who love them. They show up every day with compassion, strength, & professionalism - and let’s be frank - often underpaid!

Tech and Tame will never replace in-person vet visits. But we can stand beside them - supporting pet owners and veterinary practices when they need it most.

11/03/2026

Another scorcher today with this bombshell💘

01/03/2026

Immersing ourselves into a world of ‘dog’ that carries no time, no ticking clock, no urgency, no deadline.
Only allowing sight & sound to lead the way.

I know this story well …
… this time feels different 🖤🤍

07/12/2025

Hey Homies🐾👋🏻