Originally born in West Sussex, UK, I moved with my family to the beautiful island of Jersey in the Channel Islands at the age of four. My passion for animals began early, having been raised on a farm with eight siblings and every kind of animal you could imagine. Horses and dogs were a constant in my daily life and they quickly became the centre of it.
I was incredibly fortunate to have a childhood filled with animals, freedom, and the kind of hands-on learning you can’t teach in a classroom.
In my early twenties, I adopted my first Boxer, Lily. Having grown up around the breed, I had a deep love for their character and energy, but Lily was the dog who truly shaped my path. She was my greatest teacher, pushing me every day to understand behaviour, communication and trust. For ten years, she reminded me that training is never “finished” it’s a daily practice. Our dogs rely on us for consistency, leadership and clarity.
In 2015, I became certified in Animal Management, Canine Training and Behaviour. Between that and my later formal education, I’ve spent years attending seminars, shadowing various trainers, and immersing myself in different approaches. That in-between period was key, it’s where I applied theory into practice daily with my own dogs and those of my clients, shaping the balanced and adaptive approach I use today.
I went on to study with the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers (IMDT), achieving my IMDT-BC Level 4 in Canine Behaviour: Consultations, Foundations and Functions of Behaviour. I also completed the Aggression in Dogs Master Course with Michael Shikashio and previously studied behaviour in depth with The School of Canine Science.
Since then, we’ve continued to evolve, not just through formal education, but by immersing ourselves in the high-drive world of working dogs. We have a huge passion for IGP and the wider dog sports community, and over the past few years have focused heavily on understanding the behavioural layers behind dogs who find biting genuinely fulfilling. We’ve refined how to build effective on/off switches, how to appropriately fulfil their drives, and how to work with the dog in front of us, not against their nature.
We regularly follow and learn from some of the most respected trainers in the industry, and are constantly inspired by the work of people like Ivan Balabanov and Michael Ellis, who bring depth, clarity and purpose to both sport and behavioural work.
At The Driven Dog, we’re focused on creating strong, balanced and honest relationships between you and your dog. Whether you’re working through reactivity, anxiety, fear, frustration or just looking to build better engagement, we’re here to help. Our approach is relationship-driven, structured, and rooted in real-life success, not just theory.
Let’s build something solid, together.
