My name is Sonia Newman. I moved to Oxford in 1993 to start uni at Oxford Brookes where I met my husband, and in 2006 moved to Abingdon after the birth of our second daughter. I share my life with my husband, our two daughters, our cat Ella, who at the ripe old age of 15 still rules the house insisting she must be let in and out of the room 20 times in 10 minutes, and of course, Poppy, our chocolate Labrador, who came bouncing, rolling and wiggling into our lives on Boxing Day 2012 and we have never looked back. 

I had been a primary school teacher for 16 years but in December 2013 made the difficult decision to leave the profession. I now work full-time walking Poppy with her multitude of friends at various beauty spots around Oxfordshire.

Poppy is THE most tolerant dog who is quite happy in the company of others, especially if a stick or a ball is involved. She greets every dog she meets with a roll on her back (normally in the vicinity of a very muddy puddle!) before either having a good old chase with them or leaving them alone if they don't fancy a smell of her bottom!

I have an up-to-date DBS certificate (Disclosure and Barring Service), formerly called a CRB check (Criminal Records Bureau check) and can give references, or you can read my testimonials page from some of Poppy's friends, or walk with me and Poppy on one of our many adventures.

I am Pet First Aid Trained through ProTrainings CPD accreditation programme.