Nicky Wright has always been passionate about animals both in the wild and as companion pets. When she was in preschool, Nicky’s dad built a mouse enclosure with multiple levels, a hide and an exterior running wheel; the bond with these pet mice was unbreakable and she learned at this early age the importance of relationship and enrichment for companion pets. From mice to rats, reptiles and parrots, cats and dogs these principles have been applied.

After leaving school Nicky worked in and managed a large pet shop, primarily focused on aquariums and companion parrots; Nicky knew that the pet shop environment was not a healthy one behaviourally for young pups and ceased selling puppies from the store.

Unsurprisingly, she moved from working in the pet shop to working within the animal welfare industry as a veterinary nurse. In this shelter, in partnership with another nurse, Nicky formulated a plan to improve the welfare of parrots within the shelter, parrots being adopted, and provided consults for clients with parrots with behavioural concerns.

Veterinary nursing took Nicky from the shelter to working exclusively with parrots and exotic pets, and then in 2013 she moved from Sydney to Queensland to work in leading wildlife hospitals.

The love of animals, animal behaviour and wildlife converged into training her own dogs to detect endangered native species to aid in conservation efforts. Providing assistance in the 2019/2020 black summer to identify habitat’s with an active koala population and find injured individuals. Nicky currently focuses her attention the recently reclassified endangered Greater Glider, Petauroides volans.

Nicky is a registered breeder with the nationally and internationally recognised body Dogs Australia (Dogs Queensland) under the prefix Beskarhund. Combining her background with behaviour and raising puppies from newborn neonates to adulthood ensures Nicky really understands the role of the breeder plays in selecting good genetics, generalistion and socialisation of neonate and baby puppies and home selection.

Nicky has studied many behaviour related courses; however the most notable are the Living and Learning with Animals (LLA) with Dr Susan Friedman and Behavior Works and the National Dog Trainers Federation Cert III in dog behaviour and training; as well as Vicki Austin’s Puppy Preschool Instructors course She is also studying a Bachelor of Zoology with the University of New England.

Nicky also trains and competes in a wide range of dog sports such as sheep herding, scent work, obedience and protection sports (PSA).