Dogs have always been part of my life.
My parents run a dog hotel where I helped out from an early age. Not only did I learn how to handle a wide variety of dogs, but I also discovered the joy of working with them. Over the years, I developed the desire to turn this passion into a profession. During my research into dog-related areas of work, the topic of assistance dogs became more and more exciting to me. The idea of dogs actively supporting people with their particular special needs inspired me. Therefore, after finishing school, I moved to the Netherlands, where I studied animal management in Leeuwarden. My special area was pets and later therapy animals, but I also amassed knowledge about wildlife management. During my studies, I completed two internships. The first took me to Austria, where I gained in-depth insights into the training of assistance dogs. For the second, I travelled to California, to learn about guide dog training. These two internships cemented my career aspirations. I knew that guide dog training was exactly what I wanted to do.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I joined Independence Dogs Austria, where I can live my passion and work every day with what is closest to my heart: Dogs and their important role in supporting people.