Boredom Busters - About me

About Boredom Busters Pet Care Services

Boredom Busters Dog & Puppy Services was established in September 2008 (originally as Boredom Busters Pet Care Services) in Brentwood by Linda Ward and she has gained a reputation as a professional, caring and dedicated dog trainer, also offering dog walking and dog sitting.

Linda is fully insured, has an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check from her previous job, is licensed by Defra and Brentwood Council, and vet checked. She runs a fully equipped van with custom built dividers and crates for your dog's safety and comfort.

Boredom Busters Dog & Puppy Services also has a small team of assistants who work closely with Linda for dog walking and puppy sitting, who all come from Brentwood to ensure local and reliable people. Most of the assistants are known to Linda for many years, and they, and any new friends, are thoroughly vetted and checked to ensure they have that vital characteristic – a genuine love of animals, plus are reliable and trustworthy.

About Linda

Linda ensures she stays up-to-date with the latest developments in the dog world, attending seminars and conferences. She studied dog behaviour at the Northern Centre for Canine Behaviour, with Mic Martin and Robert Alleyne from BBC Three's Dog Borstal, as well as Sarah Fisher from BBC1's Over the Rainbow to learn Tellington Touch and relaxation for stressed dogs and owners. Linda is also an occasional Guest Instructor at Dog Training for Essex & Suffolk Ltd in Ardleigh, near Colchester.

Completed courses include:

Training, Handling and Instruction
Dog Behaviour Foundation Course
21 Day International Behaviour and Training Course
Introduction to Instructing
Grooming Difficult Dogs (gentle handling techniques)
Canine First Aid
Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
Tracking, Trailing, Search and Rescue (fun style)
Dog Law in England and Wales
Breed Needs Masterclass
New Approach to Training Puppies

Work history

My first job was at the age of 14 as a kennel maid for a busy boarding kennels in Brentwood. I worked summers there for two years until I left school in 1986 and unfortunately had to get a full time job.

Since leaving school I have had numerous career changes, from office worker to taxi driver, then working for the BBC. Eventually though, I couldn't resist the temptation to come back to working with my first love, dogs. In 2006 I volunteered as a 'foster mum' for homeless dogs, and since then I have fostered dozens of dogs (the vast majority being terriers), including two litters of homeless puppies. A brief stint as admin and event assistant on Dogs Today magazine in summer 2008 gave me the idea to start up a dog training and walking business, and the rest is history!

Dog Walking Assistants

Graham is the lunchtime assistant and our newest permanent recruit, starting in September 2011. He has been walking with me on and off since I started the business, on busy days before I needed permanent help, but now works with Tom. He lives with a cat I think is called Jones, but his young daughter frequently changes it, so I cant be sure from one moment to the next! Graham looked after my Greyhound for a month while I was in India.

Will started dog walking with us in September 2010, while on a gap year (2 months of which he spent in Borneo working at a Sun Bear sanctuary). He is now at university studying animal behaviour, but is still a valued member of the team and works with us during his leave. He lives with his family which includes Khan, the Labrador, and Harvey, a crossbreed. He is trained to look after puppies, and occasionally works alone with dogs under 6 months.

Tom joined us in June 2011 to help us cover the busy summer period, and is a family member of one of my clients so we've known him since Sept 2010. He lives with Charlie the Portuguese Water Dog, and Bolly & Tatty the cats. We couldn't let Tom go after summer was over, as he gets on so well with all the dogs, and he now works with Graham.

Jacob is my son, and has lived with dogs his whole life. He has been invaluable helping out with the dogs I board and foster over the years, and has been heavily involved with the puppy litters I have fostered. He is now at college but works for me on his days off when were busy. Jacob occasionally assists with dog training sessions.