David Manning

Head Trainer and Director/Owner of Animal Ark

I have lived with dogs all my life. My grandad’s wire-coated Jack Russell almost a first memory for me, also growing up with a standard poodle as a family pet in London and then my first own dog Graham, a chow/collie cross. Now years later in Perth we have 2 Jack Russell’s one aged 15 the other only 8.

Like many people I think I always got on better with dogs (and other animals) than people. I also happened to spend some 20 years in the UK media, film, and TV industries handling, training and supplying a vast range of animals from leeches to rhinos, and numerous breeds of dog.

During our snake avoidance training we have worked with many hundreds of dogs, working and pet, and nearly 200 different breeds and cross breeds. Every dog is different, all are individuals, and their behaviour and the effectiveness of the training can vary depending on age, experience, breed and temperament.

My other area of expertise are snakes, and I have been lucky enough to keep, breed and work with these fascinating reptiles since my teens. I teach people how to safely handle and relocate venomous snakes, and am an approved Department of Parks and Wildlife trainer in WA, also recognised in Queensland and NT. So working with dogs and snakes comes pretty naturally to me and my focus is always the welfare of both the dogs and our native wildlife, including our much maligned, and potentially very dangerous, snakes.

David Manning
Cert IV T&E Training and Assessment.
Fellow ZSL London, Churchill Fellowship 2012.
AMSA Oiled Wildlife Training – Modules 1-3.
Registered Wildlife Rehabilitator
Animal Consultants and Trainers Association (ACTA) (UK) 1984 – 2006