Living The Dream

Orla Murphy started her dog walking career in October 2015 when she joined a local walking service in the Derry/Londonderry area.  It proved to be an amazing opportunity and she realised she had finally found her calling.

Following the systems of an already established company was great, but over time Orla felt there was an opportunity to provide a different kind of service that would meet clients’ needs in a more personal and specialised way.

And so, in early 2017 she made the decision to establish a new dog walking service aimed at providing a premium and tailored service to the discerning clients of Derry City.  The company was named Dozers Dogs after her trusted and loyal Jack Russell, Dozer, who was without doubt the inspiration for the dream.

Working solely on the strength of reputation and word of mouth Orla's business took off immediately, growing steadily in size from just herself and a small number of dogs, to the current team of walkers that serve a wide range of customers and their dogs across the locality. 

Not content to simply walk and care for dogs, Orla has continually researched and incorporated the latest information on dog training, health and behaviour into her work.  In 2018 she completed an Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour with the British College of Canine Studies that provides her with the skills and knowledge to assess dogs with unusual and unwanted behaviours and advise on how to achieve success when creating a balanced environment for difficult dogs.

When asked how she came to love and understand dogs Orla is proud to say she learnt much of what she knows from her late dad, Manus. He was the traditional ‘Jack of all Trades' who knew lots of ‘stuff’ for no particular reason. The things he understood best were the ways of nature, particularly dogs and he loved to be outdoors. Manus raised his children the same way he reared his dogs – to be sociable, disciplined, mannerly and loyal - and Orla tries to do the same. He would be proud to watch Dozers Dogs growing as an enterprise and very jealous that his daughter can make a living walking dogs! 

Living the Dream!