Raph & Floss, Bee, Buzz

With over 25 years of experience as a voluntary SARDA Ireland North dog handler, I have accumulated hundreds of operational search hours across Ireland, the UK and internationally, working with various search dogs in different disciplines. I am an enthusiastic and proactive handler, specialising in border collies both as working dogs and in the show ring. I am also a full member of the BIPDT. For the past five years, I have served as the Training Officer for SARDA Ireland North. I’ve also been a USAR dog handler with the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (USAR Team) since 2006, providing voluntary operational support and training. I’m on standby to assist with local and international disaster response alongside our USAR National partners. I believe in understanding a dog’s individual motivations for optimal training, so I work with my dogs to bring out their best.

My team includes:

• Floss, an award-winning border collie, trained in Mountain, Open-Area and USAR search and rescue (SAR). She was the winner of the ‘Pet Plan Pet Awards – Super Dog Hero of the Year 2022’ & finalist in the ‘Super dog’ category of the National Super dog Awards 2021
• Bee, a cadaver search dog (border collie)
• Buzz, a USAR search dog (border collie)”