About Me

Hi, I’m Martina, and dogs have been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

I grew up with dogs and surrounded by animals, cats, fish, hamsters, parrots, you name it. At one point, I even had a pet snail who mysteriously ran off on my grandmother’s watch while I was on holiday. I also loved spending endless time around horses, but it was dogs that I always felt the strongest connection to. Even as a child, I was drawn to their personalities, their energy, and the unspoken understanding that can exist between a human and a dog. Long before I knew it could become a career, working with animals simply felt natural to me.

One of my earliest and most meaningful bonds was with my grandparents’ dog, Rex, a German Shepherd mix who was, in many ways, my dog more than anyone else’s. I took him out, played with him endlessly, chased him around the garden and let him chase me back, and made up obstacle courses around the house for us to run together. At the time, it was “just play”, but looking back, I now understand how deep that bond really was. Without realising it, we were building trust, communication, and connection simply through shared joy.

That experience has shaped my training philosophy to this day. Play is one of the most powerful tools we have when working with dogs. It builds relationship, confidence, engagement, and trust, and it reminds us that dogs are just as playful and joyful as we are, if we allow ourselves to meet them there.

About six years ago, roughly a year after moving to the UK, I decided to get a dog of my own. I was very active and motivated, and confidently chose a Belgian Malinois, naming her Azula. Although I had grown up with dogs and believed I was prepared, I quickly learned that training a dog to perform fun tricks and flashy behaviours, and living in harmony with the Lamborghini of the dog world, are two very different things.

Azula pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t expected. To truly understand her, I immersed myself in dog sports, professional dog walking, and formal dog training, not just to teach behaviours, but to learn how dogs communicate, cope, and thrive. This journey also led me to meet and learn from many knowledgeable and generous people within the dog training world. I am especially grateful to one mentor whose guidance, honesty, and continued support have played a significant role in my development as a trainer, handler, and person. Their influence has helped shape not only my approach to training, but also my ability to successfully compete in Mondioring, a demanding sport that requires precision, clarity, strong nerves, and a deep partnership between dog and handler. I hope that one day I can offer the same level of support and guidance to others starting their own journey.

Alongside this, I worked as a trainer and class instructor at another dog training school, walked dogs professionally, and gained valuable hands-on experience in breeding and boarding kennels. I assisted with whelping, handling, and socialising newborn puppies, learning first-hand how early experiences shape the dogs they become.