About me

My love of animals has been lifelong. Having grown up with cats that I adored, I relished the freedom in adulthood to live with a variety of other pets too, including guinea pigs, hamsters, a giant African snail, tortoises, chickens and tropical fish. In 2007, I moved to County Durham, adopted my first retired greyhound and took up horse riding. Since then, I've spent many hours exploring this stunning County with dogs at my side. I've also enjoyed being a volunteer dog walker for local rescue organisations. I bought my first horse in 2017.

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Following a career in child protection, I set up Sharon's Dog Walks and Animal Care in 2016 to work with animals full time and to support this through undertaking relevant and ongoing professional development (e.g. dog behaviour and training, basic stable management and horse care, animal psychology, care of senior pets, etc). As at 2022, I am studying for the ISCP Diploma in Canine Behaviour with the International School for Canine Psychology and Behaviour.

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In the course of my work, I've met some wonderful animals (and some pretty special owners). This extended family has enriched my life enormously and I continue to learn from them.

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My aim in taking care of your pets, big and small and at those times when for whatever reason you need a little help, is to keep them happy and healthy so that you and they continue to enjoy the best relationships. I work on a small scale, with the emphasis on quality rather than quantity. My approach is positive, kind and based on understanding each animal as an individual with his or her own needs, feelings and capacity for choice. I reject all aversive tools and techniques.