Jean Donaldson was the inspiration of Dog Connect SF Bay Area.

 

In 2012 Nathalie and a friend set up a Facebook group and blog called

Dog Connect SF Bay Area. The purpose was to connect people and dog training in the SF Bay Area. The name and the idea were unique and the formula worked excellently! 

 

At the age of 10 Nathalie rescued her first dog off the streets of Romania while living there with her family for a few years. She pursued a career in marketing and sales in Europe for multinationals before dedicating herself 100% to her two children Lara and Benjamin. In 2005 two dogs entered her life again and she rolled right into the profession of a professional dog hiker and later trainer. She set up the Companion Dog Volunteer program for the Midpeninsula Open Space District where she evaluates dogs for the Trail Patrol program. Nathalie is currently enrolled in the Academy for Dog Trainers and volunteers for Love & Second Chances and St. Francis Animal Protection Society. She divides her day between her job as a professional dog hiker (The Dog Hikers), trainer (K9 Consultant now Smith Dog Training) photographer (pawDOGraphy) and her family: her children, her husband and their 8 pets: 4 dogs and 4 cats.