We're the REAL PAW PATROL

Seagulls are no match for Lauren and a team of pooches

- Lauren Swan

Strolling along the iconic Sydney harbour foreshore, I saw a marauding flock of seagulls swoop down on nearby restaurant tables and pounce on the leftover food.

As they squawked loudly, I tightened my grip on the dog lead in my hand.

'Ready, set, go,' I said to Peppa the border collie.

As she bounded up to the table, the seagulls flapped their wings and flew off.

'Good girl,' I cheered, giving Peppa a treat.

It was just another brilliant day in the life of a seagull dog patrol handler.

With two lovely pups of my own, Indigo, a chihuahua, and Billy, a terrier mix, I was a life-long dog lover.

So much so, that I'd been walking dogs since I was 17, before landing a job with Mad Dogs & Englishmen dog walkers and trainers in 2017, regularly walking and training people's dogs.

A year into the job, the owner, James Webb, mentioned a scheme he was working on.

If any seagulls tried to nab a chip, she'd warn them off

'The restaurants at the Opera House are having problems with seagulls stealing food and causing breakages,' he explained.

They'd tried everything from If any s mechanical tried hawks to sonic deterrents, but nothing had worked.

In fact, the seagulls had just sat on the mechanical hawk's head in defiance.

The restaurants have asked if we'd set up a dog patrol,' James said.

I loved the idea and jumped at the chance to be involved.

We began training working dogs, such as kelpies, to chase the birds. But they also had to be good with people and not try to nibble the food themselves.