Hello
My name is Amy and I am the owner of Wild K9s.
I have always been fascinated by the natural world and this has led to a lifelong dedication to animal behaviour, welfare and conservation.
Establishing Wild K9s has been a dream come true for me - an opportunity to continually boost the quality of life of my own dogs while at the same time helping other dogs and their guardians to thrive.
My Story
I have always been obsessed with animals and my love of all things four-legged has shaped my entire life. I grew up with cats and dogs and as a teenager, I took every opportunity to surround myself with animals; from Saturday work in kennels and catteries, to mucking out in exchange for horse riding lessons and volunteering for three years in my local veterinary practice to learn as much as I could.
After completing a HND in Animal Science, I spent a year working at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary before going on to study zoology at the University of Bristol, specialising in animal behaviour. During this time, I also worked for the Mammal Research Unit, supporting several research projects on the behavioural ecology of British mammals and even had my final year dissertation on cat behaviour published.
As soon as I graduated, I headed off to Botswana to study elephant behaviour before relocating to Kenya to head up a primate reintroduction programme. The next 16 years were spent living the dream! I bounced between East Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America developing a range of award-winning wildlife conservation and animal welfare projects for an ethical travel company and their charitable foundation.
I feel so lucky to have worked with a wide variety of animals (elephants, monkeys, lions, foxes, badgers, hares, hedgehogs just to name a few) but I always come back to dogs. For me they are the most incredible, complex, and fascinating animals unlike any other. I am particularly intrigued by our relationship with dogs; how two such different species can share such a deep understanding and connection with one another that has endured for millennia.
In 2018, I took the plunge and decided to start the long journey to becoming a certified clinical canine behaviourist. In 2021, I qualified as a Pro Dog Trainer after experiencing my own struggles with my complicated yet sensitive Hungarian wire-haired vizsla, Taru. It’s not an understatement to say that games-based training completely changed our lives.
Now my real passion is to support other dogs and their guardians so that they can overcome behavioural issues no matter how hopeless it may feel right now. My training will help you gain a deeper understanding of your dog, improving communication through kindness and compassion, which will develop a bond that is more fulfilling than you can imagine ... that’s where the real magic lies.
Education
January 2023 - current
October 2022 - current
October 2018 - 2023
October 2021 - February 2022
July 2021 - October 2021
October 2002 - June 2003
September 1998 - June 2000
Certified Canine Behaviourist (CAB - ICB)
Board Member of International Canine Behaviourists.
Advanced Diploma in Applied Animal Behaviour (Canine) Level 5 (Previously ADip Canine Behavioural Management).
PDT Advanced Specialist Programme. An intensive course addressing some of the most common behavioural struggles facing owners. Areas covered include:
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Stress
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Dog-dog interactions
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Health & disease
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Separation related behaviours
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Resource guarding
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Multi-dog households
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Noise sensitivity
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Chase/hunting behaviour
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General reactivity
Pro Dog Trainer certification
BSc (Hons) Zoology at University of Bristol (2:1). Specialising in animal behaviour and mammalian behavioural ecology and ethology.
HND Animal Science (Distinction) at Brinsbury College/NESCOT. Modules included ethics, welfare and legislation, animal health and husbandry, and canine behaviour and training.