Meet the Independents: Longridge Alpacas

Hi there!

I’m Josie and I’m the founder of Longridge Alpacas, as well as Positively Pawfect and Peonies & Pooches. Here’s my story...

I originally qualified as a Barrister and got called to the Bar at Inner Temple in London. During my final year of training I became unwell and was eventually diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Fibromyalgia which impacted on my ability to practice. It took me a few years doing different jobs and completing various qualifications to figure out what I wanted to do as a career.

My fascination with animal training and behaviour led me to discover the Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behaviour. I always enjoyed watching her show ‘It’s Me or the Dog’ and was captivated by how much knowledge and understanding she had about the dogs mind and how she was able to help families enjoy living with their dogs. I trained with the Academy on an intense hands-on course, learning about canine psychology, physiology, behavioural management and lots more.  I graduated from the course as a positive dog trainer with a distinction – I was over the moon!