In 1986, my partner Piet and I (Juliette) moved to this beautiful area in Central Portugal, where we’ve lived happily ever since. Over the years, we’ve welcomed several stray dogs into our family, with Co being the first. Today, we share our home with Cazimir and Nya.
For the past 10 years, I have dedicated myself to helping stray dogs in our region. This has included co-founding two Portuguese organizations focused on rescuing and rehoming stray dogs. Personally, I have fostered numerous dogs over the years, successfully matching them with adopters in Portugal, the Netherlands, or Belgium.
To better train and understand dogs, I pursued a qualification as a "Certified Professional Dog Trainer", completing all the theoretical certifications.
Following this, I enrolled in the "Adoption Dog Specialist" program, which turned out to be a perfect fit.
This program taught me how to observe a dog’s emotions and character, providing deeper insight into their behavior. By truly listening to adopters and understanding their needs, I have become even better at identifying the perfect match. Factors such as the adopter's environment also play a critical role in ensuring a smooth transition. This training has significantly improved my ability to create successful matches between dogs and their future families.
The idea for Adopt a Dog Holiday was born out of this training. Allowing adopters to personally pick up their dog in Portugal, prepare them for the journey, and then bring them home provides the best possible start for both dog and adopter.
Thanks to my training, I’ve also built a network of fellow specialists who are available to support adopters when needed.
A strong beginning is essential for a successful adoption, and my ultimate goal is to ensure that both dog and adopter experience as much happiness as possible together.
For the past 10 years, I have dedicated myself to helping stray dogs in our region. This has included co-founding two Portuguese organizations focused on rescuing and rehoming stray dogs. Personally, I have fostered numerous dogs over the years, successfully matching them with adopters in Portugal, the Netherlands, or Belgium.
To better train and understand dogs, I pursued a qualification as a "Certified Professional Dog Trainer", completing all the theoretical certifications. Following this, I enrolled in the "Adoption Dog Specialist" program, which turned out to be a perfect fit.
This program taught me how to observe a dog’s emotions and character, providing deeper insight into their behavior. By truly listening to adopters and understanding their needs, I have become even better at identifying the perfect match. Factors such as the adopter's environment also play a critical role in ensuring a smooth transition. This training has significantly improved my ability to create successful matches between dogs and their future families.
The idea for Adopt a Dog Holiday was born out of this training. Allowing adopters to personally pick up their dog in Portugal, prepare them for the journey, and then bring them home provides the best possible start for both dog and adopter.Thanks to my training, I’ve also built a network of fellow specialists who are available to support adopters when needed.
A strong beginning is essential for a successful adoption, and my ultimate goal is to ensure that both dog and adopter experience as much happiness as possible together.
