About Min - The Dog Nonna

My love for dogs began in childhood.

Caring for my godmother’s dogs taught me joy, patience and connection. Those early experiences planted the seeds of a lifelong passion.

When Sky, my heart dog, came into my life, I learned that love is just the beginning. Raising a dog is about growing together, with understanding, compassion and trust.

I don’t just support dogs, I don’t just support people. I nurture the bridge between them. Where both ends of the lead feel listened to. I guide families and individuals through every life stage with clarity, kindness, and confidence, helping family life with a dog flourish.

At The Dog Nonna, I now bring all of this together! I blend lived experience, professional expertise and Sky’s lessons to support dogs and their humans in feeling safe, understood and truly connected. I deliver a unique service, providing thoughtful, meaningful outcomes, that are both human focused and dog centred.

About Min - my love of dogs - The dog nonna

Sky: My Greatest Teacher

Sky wasn't just my heart dog - she was my co pilot, my teacher and my compass. She arrived in my life at a time of uncertainty and transition and through her quiet, loving presence, she helped me find a new path.

Sky's way of seeing the world - curious, unhurried, and full of wonder - this taught me to let go of chaos and find peace in simplicity. Over the 10 years I professionally walked dogs with Sky by my side, she didn't just accompany me on those walks; she showed me a new way of living and a new way of seeing. She helped me experience the true meaning of joy!

With Sky, I learned to pause, breathe, and appreciate life's smallest treasures. She opened my eyes to the power of connection - connection to her, to myself and to the world around me.

Sky was the grandmother figure for every dog I walked. The one who calmed the anxious puppies and built confidence in the timid ones. At 17 years of age, she had an intuitive wisdom that shaped not only my relationship with her but with every dog we cared for, walked and met.

Through her, I learned to see the world differently. She taught me to notice the subtle nuances of canine communication - the gentle flick of an ear, the posture of a tail, or the quiet energy a dog carries. Sky instinctively knew what each dog needed: a bit of space, a short greeting, or gentle guidance back into calm and steady.

When Sky passed over the rainbow bridge, her absence was profound. I missed her intuitive sense of direction, her reassuring presence and the quiet rhythm we had built together. But even in her absence, Sky left me with something invaluable: the lessons and wisdom I now carry forward. She left behind her legacy.

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My Rescue Journey

When my partner, Chris and I started looking for a dog, we were brimming with excitement. Like many prospective dog owners, we imagined long walks and cosy evenings with our new canine companion. But soon after adopting Sky, our rose tinted glasses quickly came off as we realised how much more we needed to think about. How much we really didn’t know about canine behaviour and psychology?

Would our current lifestyle suit a dog who was timid, anxious and worried about life? How much time could we realistically dedicate to helping her settle and adjust if we were both out at work and she might be left home alone? What changes to our own lives would have to be made both socially and economically?

These questions called for much searching and the answers completely reshaped our approach. The truth is, many people don't ask these questions before getting a dog.

This whole experience showed me how critical preparation is - not just for the dog, but for the family, for an individual. Through Sky's guidance and my own learning journey, I began to understand that successful relationships between humans and dogs aren't about dominance or quick fixes - they're relational, based on understanding, patience and genuine connection.

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Professional Background

My Qualifications & Experience:

Professional Training:

Mental Health Specialist - City and Guilds Level 4 in Adult Community Learning (Exeter CVS, Mind in Exeter and East Devon)
Accredited Mental Health 1st Aid Instructor - Trainer accreditation through Nuco Training LTD - 2024
Certified Coach - Level 3 Accreditation in Coaching (Exeter College) 2023
Positive Parenting Facilitator - Exeter Children Centres
Canine Behaviour Mentorship - IMDT program with Steve Mann and Dave Brice
Scent Work Bronze Level Trainer - UK Snifferdog
Currently engaged in independent study of: Inter-species relationships between dogs and humans

Ongoing Professional Development:

Taking the Hemene Approach - The Wolf and Dog Development Centre
Pain Behind the Behaviour and various CPD in neuroscience and canine interspecies research
Canine Principles - Professional Hub - Professional Member
Independent study of inter-species relationships between dogs and humans
Anthrozoology Online Conference - September 2025
Accredited NLP - completing Spring 2026

Real-World Experience:

Over a decade of professional dog care, including specialist dog walking and family support
Guided hundreds of first time dog owners through crucial transitions
Supported dogs through all life stages - from puppyhood to saying goodbye
Specialist in outdoor coaching and observing subtle canine communication
Award winning community builder (Diversity. Equality and Inclusion)

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My Approach

What Makes Working with Me Different

My approach to supporting dog families was shaped by Sky, who taught me that successful relationships between humans and dogs need more than good intentions.

Drawing from my background in mental health, coaching and years of experience of “in the field” observation and a passion for learning canine communication, I offer something unique to dog parents.

I focus on prevention over reaction. Like preparing for parenthood and considering how you want to raise a child, welcoming a dog into your life calls for careful thought and planning.

My mission is to provide compassionate and intuitive support, ensuring new first time dog parents don't miss the vital "thought steps" so necessary in raising dogs.

I support both ends of the lead. Unlike most dog professionals who focus primarily on training the dog, I understand that when you feel better supported, calmer and more confident, your dog does too. I draw on my mental health, life coaching and adult community learning background to support the human side of the relationship.

I help you build your village. Through our work together, you'll come away with a list of trusted professionals, approved by me, who you can turn to for additional support when needed. Because raising a dog shouldn't be a lonely journey.

I specialise in inter-species relationships. I help families and individuals reflect on the role we humans played in building trusting bonds that have evolved over centuries, by honouring dogs as intelligent, sentient beings they are - who we have chosen to live alongside us as companions in our homes.

My Mission & Values

I created The Dog Nonna because I saw a crucial gap in the support available to first time dog parents.

I noticed a missing link between choosing a puppy from a breeder and the first interaction with a trainer or behaviourist and how this lack of support has contributed to an increase of young dogs being surrendered to shelters.

I have also seen the same at the other end of the spectrum, with a recent increase of elderly dogs being surrendered to rehoming centres.

It breaks my heart when I see and hear about how many people are currently facing change for themselves or their dogs for the first time and that they don’t have someone to turn to who has the professional capacity to help, advice, guide or sign post on to?

According to recent RSPCA data, pet abandonments reached a three-year high, with an 11% increase as families feel overwhelmed and unsupported. I believe this is preventable.

My core values:

Prevention is better than cure
“Catching people before they fall into the river, rather than pulling them out at the other end”
Love isn't always enough
Dogs are sentient beings with complex needs that go beyond good intentions
Slow living should be a way of life
Not something to strive towards but a default approach to wellbeing
It takes a village
No one should have to figure this out alone

I do this for the love of dogs and their humans too.

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Personal Background

As a transracial mixed race person, with a lifelong physical disability who identifies as neurodivergent, I bring a unique perspective to supporting families and individuals. I've experienced burnout, anxiety and survived life traumas resulting in C-PTSD.

I am incredibly resilient and find glimmers of joy in the everyday life - but I also know that being resilient can be utterly exhausting. My lived experience helps me identify where families and individuals are struggling and need compassionate support without judgement.

Community Impact:

Founded the first mixed race family support group in Exeter and Devon
Contributed to changes in the 2011 UK national census around mixed race categorisation
Invited speaker to academic institutions on diversity and inclusion topics
Former community governor focused on inclusion and diversity curriculum
Award winning community builder - helping to build better cohesive relationships across Exeter communities and getting more inclusive and diverse resources into educational early years provisions

During lockdown, I became a trusted confidante for dog professionals who needed support whilst transitioning from in person to online services. I was able to provide a much needed safe space for them to explore ideas, off load worries and concerns.

Some of those I mentored are now providing excellent 1st class training opportunities worldwide. Others are reaching wider audiences with ethical, enriching approaches to dog training and dog walking. I still cheer for these individuals all these years later!