"Let's learn to speak woof"
Hello
My name is Tania
From an early age, I totally fell in love with canines. As a kid, I dreamed of growing up to work with dogs, or at least somehow learn to speak woof!
When I turned 10 years old, my parents got me Mocha. A beautiful English Cocker Spaniel. I was solely responsible for everything to do with him. 17 years with him still wasn't enough time to learn everything he had to teach me.
After high school I gained my Certificate in Animal Care whilst volunteering at a boarding kennel. At the same time I was also helping a local breeder with husbandry for newborn puppies.
I then went on to complete a Bachelor in Applied Science (Animal Management and Welfare).
After graduation I landed my first pet retail role managing a pet store.
With over 10 years experience in the pet industry, I have met dogs of all sorts. One of my most humbling achievements is becoming an assessor for Canine Friends Pet Therapy.
I get to meet all the humans and pooches who wish to put a smile on peoples faces who perhaps are not as mobile.
I am also one of the original volunteers for Animal Evac. A hugely inspiring charity that enables everyday citizens to become animal heroes. I've had the wonderful opportunity to work towards ITRA qualifications and real world training.
Alongside my current job, I also teach Pet First Aid and am the only qualified trainer in the Canterbury region. I have met many loving pet parents in my time who just want what's best for their pet.
Using all of my knowledge combined, I often found myself helping friends out with their doggy questions, being their source of reassurance and guidance. I also have experience in dog sitting and dog walking.
When I was a rookie dog owner, I really wish I had someone to lean on for puppy support.
I look back on our history and I wish that I was able to help Mocha live to his fullest potential. I wish that we had someone to guide us, someone to teach us, someone to share their wisdom with us.
This is my reason for starting Dear Dog. To help owners feel less overwhelmed by puppy parenthood. A love letter to dogs and a tribute to Mocha.
Mocha and I shared a very special bond. Something I’ll never truly be able to verbalise.
I hope that by choosing us, you too will be able to share the experience of the unspoken connection with your pup.
"Let's learn to speak woof."
Experience Highlights :
🐾 Certificate in Animal Care
🐾 Bachelor in Animal Management & Welfare
🐾 Pet First Aid Instructor
🐾 Canine Friends Pet Therapy Dog Assessor
🐾 Over 10 years in pet retail
🐾 Dog sitting and Dog walking
A tribute to my dearest
Mocha
We all wish we could learn to speak woof right? I know I certainly do. I created Dear Dog as a tribute to the love of my life, Mocha.
Mocha was the first dog I could truly call mine. He was an English Cocker Spaniel with beautiful long ears. My parents got him for me as 10 year old to keep me occupied, he passed away just 1 month shy of his 18th birthday. I often have people who doubt Mocha’s true age, but I have the vet book and 17 council tags to prove it! He was my best friend and I owe almost everything I have learned about dogs from him. From cleaning up doggy diarrhoea to making doggy friends, Mocha taught me so many life lessons. He taught me patience, tolerance, kindness, and so much more.
He taught me so much more than I could ever teach him. Through Mocha, that's where I first got involved with Canine Friends where we visited rest homes and pre schools. Sharing the joy of having Mocha with other people always warmed my heart.
Being the social butterfly soul he was, this also made him the perfect sidekick for launching my Pet Fist Aid career. He was the perfect demo dog, allowing complete strangers to poke and prod him, handle him all over without a single complaint. There is not a day that goes by where I don't miss him or think how I could have helped him live an even more wholesome life.
I love you always Mocha, my furry shadow, my best friend.
🐾🐾🐾
Meet
Ammo
My current furchild to keep me occupied is Ammo. He is a German Shepherd crossed with a Labrador. But even at 40kgs he still thinks he’s small enough to fit on our lap or casually crawl into the human bed “undetected”.
Ammo was born shortly after the 2020 lockdown. I definitely feel I struck it lucky with him, he has the personality to match our lifestyle perfectly. As they always say, you often end up with the dog you need without even knowing it.