Matty created Beyond Reactivity knowing first hand how having a 'reactive dog' has an unimaginable emotional and practical impact on your life. Her methods are ethical, informed by current science and reward based and her priority is always welfare, your dog's welfare and your own.
After many years of working with children and young people with additional needs, she returned to education where she gained a BSc (Hons) (First Class) in applied animal behavioural science and welfare. While studying she set up a pet sitting and dog walking business, she specialises in walking ‘reactive dogs’ one to one, working with 'reactive dogs' of all breeds and sizes, using her knowledge and skills to ensure they have an enjoyable relaxing walk.
Matty soon realised that she could help ‘reactive dogs’ and their guardians in a deeper and more meaningful way, by teaching the guardians and developing their ability to help their dogs and themselves.
Matty is always seeking to further her knowledge and skills, by keeping up to date with new training techniques, scientific studies and watching talks by a wide range of industry leaders and those influential to modern understanding of canine behaviour and welfare. Matty is a provisional member of the Association of pet behaviour counsellors (APBC). Provisional Members have demonstrated that they have the appropriate level of Knowledge and Understanding for the professional role of Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB). They are now gaining the practical experience necessary to be assessed as a CAB and therefore become a Full Member of the APBC. The APBC supports its Provisional Members undertaking behaviour consultations. She study under Janet Finlay’s (author of Your End of the Lead) and is a Your End of the Lead approved coach. She is a Canine arthritis management level 1 advocate (CAM)
Matty's own dog, Aisha, was a street dog and then long term shelter dog in Romania before coming to live with her in a busy built up urban area London (UK). And she was at first, overwhelmed in the world Matty provided for her. Until Matty started to address the underline cause of Aisha's behaviours and her own feelings about those behaviours. It was only then, that not only did Aisha's behaviour improve but so did their relationship and understanding of each other.