The social network

Philip Reynolds speaks to Jo Perrott, founder of the Ladies Working Dog Group, an online community for women dog handlers that is breaking new ground

- Philip Reynolds

Dogged would be a fair description of Jo Perrott. To overcome one brain tumour takes courage; to overcome two, both within seven years, takes a particular kind of fortitude, something that Jo has in spades.

The salutary effect of Jo’s life-threatening medical condition was the inspiration for a life-changing business – the Ladies Working Dog Group. And changing the lives of the thousands of women in its community who work dogs it is.

That’s right, thousands. It all started at the point when Jo was, perhaps, at her lowest ebb. The return of her tumour resulted in her mental health spiralling downwards and by 2015 she was beset by panic attacks and was reluctant to leave her house in Aberdare, in the valleys of South Wales. That was until her father, Ray Sheldon, persuaded Jo to go beating with him one day.

Change

It was a day that changed her life: “I was absolutely hooked. I loved every minute and did not get time to think about my own problems.” What hooked Jo, in particular, was her father’s dogs – their energy and the way they responded to him. “I just had so much fun. The dogs were so well trained.”

She says that from the moment that day when she started working Grace, one of her father’s dogs, she felt peace. However, Grace only had eyes for Ray and as soon as she heard his whistle, she was off back to him. Jo wanted ‘in’ and determined that she needed to get her own dog to start to working with.

Jo grew up on a smallholding on old National Coal Board land, and was familiar with riding horses and enjoying the country life with her brother. But dogs – at least, working them – were new to her.