The Team is Growing at Oakington Dog Day Care Centre!
You may have noticed that 2 new employees have joined the Oakington Dog Day Care Centre team, as we continue to grow from strength to strength. We are proud to welcome Mark and Meghan, and are confident that the experience and skills they bring with them further strengthens our dedicated dog day care team.
We thought the best way to help you get to know them better was for them to tell you in their own words a little about themselves. So, we asked them and they obliged……
Introducing Meghan
What specific skills and experience to you have?
I have specialised in horses with my BSc (Hons) degree in Equine Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, but love working with animals of all shapes and sizes and am passionate about providing outstanding animal welfare. During my many years working on busy equestrian yards I have had the pleasure of working with a wide variety of dogs, from Terriers to Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and I have loved the wide variety of tasks me and these working dogs accomplished together. I am always looking to expand my knowledge - I recently completed a canine first aid certification, and will be undertaking a canine behaviour course in the next few weeks. My passion lies in massage as I love the positive reaction I get from the animals I work with, and dogs have definitely got to be one of the most eager and cuddliest clients! I am keen to undertake my canine massage qualification, as well as canine acupressure and Tellington T-Touch courses to compliment the knowledge and skills I have gained with my degree.
What are your favourite breeds of dog?
Of course, I love them all! It’s a hard choice but I love intelligent, highly trainable dogs that love to learn, such as Collie’s, Sheepdogs and Spaniels. I would pretty much have any breed of dog if it needed a home, but I do also have a fondness for Labrador’s X Collie’s, as I have such happy memories of my own dog growing up. There is nothing better for me than having a dog that I can train to be safe around horses and keep me company whilst I complete my daily tasks around the yard, they’ve got to love a good cuddle on the sofa at the end of the day as well though!
What do you enjoy most about working with dogs?
I have always loved working with animals, as no two days are the same. It is lovely being able to interact with dogs as they are always happy to see me and can always bring a smile to my face, however bad my day may be going. From a very young age I have been told I have an affinity with animals and I’ve always been drawn to them; it is particularly rewarding for me forming a bond with the dogs at ODDCC and even gaining the more anxious dogs’ trust. Dogs are so intelligent, and it amazes me every day how perceptive they are of their environment as well as human emotions. I am very lucky to work around such smart, friendly dogs.
What do you enjoy most about working at Oakington Dog Day Care?
All the lovely, happy dogs of course! I am very lucky to be able to spend my day caring for and making all the dogs’ days fun filled and full of cuddles. It is lovely to see them develop from puppies to happy adult dogs and I particularly enjoy seeing a nervous dog change into a confident care free dog that just wants to play and cuddle all day. It is not often you get to see so many dogs interact and play together in a safe environment and I feel very lucky that I am part of the team that provides this.
Introducing Mark
What specific skills and experience to you have?
I have always loved dogs and grew up with them in my family. Since leaving my job as a Security Engineer three years ago to pursue my passion of working with Dogs I have been lucky enough to volunteer at Wood Green The Animals Charity, as a Dog Companion. I have also worked with several Dog Trainers incorporating Security Detection Dog Training, Positive Reinforcement Training and Concept Training (game based). I have completed several courses including Canine Body Language and Behaviour, and Canine First Aid. I am always looking to improve my knowledge base and I am currently signed up to complete several further courses including Tellington T Touch.
What are your favourite breeds of dog?
This is a tough one!! I would have to say that growing up with Cocker Spaniels they would have to be one of my favourites. Having worked with quite a few Labradors in the past and owning a German Shephard and Mini English Bull Terrier, they would all be up there as well!
Ultimately, for me it is more about the Dog as an individual rather than their breed, as they all have their own individual personalities.
What do you enjoy most about working with dogs?
I would say I love working with dogs because they make me happy and I love to see them happy. No matter what mood I’m in, when I’m around dogs I forget any troubles I may have. I get so much enjoyment from dogs that it’s nice to give back to them however I can!
What do you enjoy most about working at Oakington Dog Day Care?
Having worked at Boarding Kennels previously where most of my time was spent cleaning and very little time spent with the dogs, I would definitely say that interacting and bonding with the dog’s here at ODDCC is my favourite thing about working here. Being able to play with the lovely pooches and seeing them enjoying themselves, having fun and bonding with you is so rewarding. It’s great to be able to give them the attention they need and deserve including plenty of belly rubs of course!
“I am very excited that we have expanded our trusted team and so pleased that Mark & Meghan have fitted in very nicely with all of us and built relationships with the dogs too. It is essential that in a tight knit team like ours that we find and work with dedicated, like-minded, caring people which is why I’m delighted that Mark & Meghan have settled in so well.” Pamela
