Hi, my name is Grania. Having used the services of a dog walker myself in the past, I know how comforting it is to know that someone is taking care of your beloved dog during the day – and how much happier your dog will be when you get home.
I have always grown up with dogs, cats and horses in my life and can’t imagine a life without pets. After I lost my gorgeous dog, Luka, my life felt very empty. I therefore decided that I wanted to be more involved with dogs and this led me to take the decision to give up my job and start working as a dog walker: in the process, moving back to Shropshire from a stressful life in Hertfordshire. I had previously lived in Cockshutt for many years and still thought of it as home, so moving to Ellesmere was a welcome step!
With Luka, I undertook training to the Kennel Club Gold standard through the training classes provided by Carole Hill at Walford College and subsequently performed with the Whitchurch Dog Display Team at the many displays they do around Shropshire and beyond – even performing at Britain’s Got Talent one year!!
Whilst I lived in Hertfordshire, I found a wonderful dog walking service to use called Kelly’s Daily Dog Walking. Kelly or Carla, one of her team of ‘girls’, used to pop into my house every day and play with Luka in the garden for 15 minutes. Luka adored them. So when it came to setting up my own dog walking business, I had a good example to base it on. Kelly also offered me lots of advice and support in setting up my business and I hope that I can make your dogs as happy as she made Luka.
I am trustworthy, friendly and reliable: professional and caring, I will treat your dogs as if they were my own. I am DBS checked and can provide character references for you. I also have a qualification in Canine First Aid. Although I am fully insured to walk up to 6 dogs, I prefer to walk dogs individually (or a family group) so that I can give them my full attention, but may walk up to 3 dogs at one time once I am familiar with your dog and know that it will get on with other dogs.
In 2019, I successfully completed a Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business course from NarpsUK (the National Association for Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers). This was a very comprehensive, online course, covering aspects such as running a business, marketing it, legislation, animal healthcare and nutrition.
In 2018, I also gained a Diploma in Dog Training – passing my Dog Training Diploma from the Centre of Excellence with a Distinction. The course covered aspects such as How Dogs Learn, the Importance of Observation and Communication, Styles of Training (reward v punishment etc.) and Puppy Development and has provided me with a good overall base which I hope to develop further in time.
I also have training in Canine First Aid, Canine Reactivity and Canine Anxiety: please see my Qualifications page for more details on training courses I have done.
I am based in the lovely North Shropshire town of Ellesmere and can cover a wide area, including the following towns and villages:
Ellesmere
Dudleston Heath
Cockshutt
Colemere
Welshampton
Whittington
Penley
Overton
Please take some time to look at my website and Facebook page and contact me to see how I can help you. I hope to meet you and your dog soon.
Grania
