Like almost every Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) trainer, I have loved animals since I was a child. Animal behaviour especially fascinated me! This fascination led me to earn a BSc Honours degree in Zoology before studying to become a veterinary nurse.

Between university, veterinary work and working as a trainer, I have gained experience in lots of different places, including zoos, wildlife parks, general practices, charity clinics, rescue centres, and referral practices. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with many different species. Variety is the spice of life!

I believe in a holistic approach to treating animals and in creating a good relationship with pets. Clicker training is a brilliant way of teaching your pet something new, as well as honing your own training skills. Training without force and using proven science helps to build an owner/pet relationship based on trust and teamwork. I currently work in a referral veterinary practice where I am developing training resources for our clients to help reduce stress for their pets when undergoing veterinary treatment. I am a great supporter of low stress handling and making veterinary treatment as agreeable as possible for our patients.

In my free time I enjoy being outdoors exploring wild spaces with my dog Hattie, spending time with my husband, knitting, spinning my own yarn on my spinning wheel, reading, planning our vegetable garden (work in progress!), and collating information about where the best tea and cake can be found!

My qualifications:

BSc Honours Zoology from the University of Wales, Swansea

NVQ 2 and 3 in Veterinary Nursing, accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Registered veterinary nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP), accredited by Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior, and the Animal Behaviour and Training Council

Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour and Training, from the Centre of Applied Pet Ethology and accredited by OCN