It’s a celebration of friendship, resilience, and a shared love of dogs that’s grown into two thriving businesses for the duo who studied Canine Behaviour at the Nantwich-based institution.
“I have always been passionate about working with dogs,” says 21-year-old Millie from Rugeley in Staffordshire pictured left. “Growing up, my grandmother competed at Crufts with her dog team, and I loved accompanying her to the shows and competitions. Those experiences sparked my fascination with dogs and inspired me to study and work closely with dogs!”
Evelyn’s passion came from the same mix of curiosity and care. “I’ve always had a passion for dogs, owning my own growing up, and I equally loved behaviour and psychology,” says the 21-year-old from Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, pictured right.
“Merging the two, you get training, which I found so fascinating and rewarding. Getting a dog to respond and build up a bond through positivity really stood out to me”
Both found what they were looking for at Reaseheath. “I soon realised Reaseheath was the perfect fit for me,” says Millie, “not just because of the course, but because of the friendships I formed there – especially with Evelyn. We bonded instantly, and her support and friendship made my university experience truly special. I can’t imagine what it would have been like without her.”
That friendship became essential when disaster struck in the form of a house fire that left them temporarily without accommodation during their studies.
“After the house fire, in the moment Evelyn and I didn’t know what to do, except our first thought was to call our tutor Rebecca Parton,” says Millie. “She was extremely helpful in keeping us calm, sorting out Evelyn’s dogs and genuinely just being a guide through the traumatic experience.”
Evelyn remembers it just as vividly. “When the fire happened, we had to move into temporary accommodation which was super helpful as I had literally nowhere to study or write my assignments,” she says.
“I realised after the fire that everything would be ok because I had Evelyn,” Millie adds. “We went through the same experience and could be each other’s support navigating forward. If Evelyn could do it, I felt confident enough that I could.”
“I truly wouldn’t have been able to do get through my Reaseheath experience without Millie,” adds Evelyn. “We’ve laughed and cried and shared so much together, she’s a friend for life and I’m so happy we met.”
That shared strength and friendship became the foundation for what came next. Having rebuilt their confidence, they both began channelling that determination into their studies and into the futures they wanted to build for themselves. Both credit their course and lecturers for helping them move from students to professionals.
“Reaseheath prepared me for starting up my own business through the modules that our lecturers taught us,” says Millie.
Evelyn agrees: “A few of my lecturers also had their own businesses so the one-on-one time I had with them was super valuable for me to ask questions and learn practice from them.”
For Millie, the hands-on work stood out most. “Our practicals were always my favourite module,” she says, “seeing all the theory we had been learning being put into practice, and how to deal with certain scenarios that perhaps can’t be played ‘by the book’. I learnt a lot from watching our tutors explain certain skills and training techniques.”
That grounding helped both women build the confidence to start their own businesses before even graduating. Evelyn launched Star Canine during her final year.
“I instantly knew it was the right choice for me,” she says. “It’s been my goal since the start, to get my own walking, sitting, training business. After finishing I dived straight into it, advertising, sharing my story on social media and showcasing my clients and their stories. It’s now super busy, which I’m so grateful for. It’s been a great journey, ups and downs. I feel like I’m really doing what I’ve always meant to do. It’s a really rewarding job.”
Millie’s business, Canine Courtesy, has been growing steadily too. “I’m still at the beginning of my business as it’s only been a few months,” she says. “Through word of mouth with my first couple of clients, I have gradually been able to grow a clientele that are all lovely and supportive.”
They still lean on each other, just as they did at Reaseheath. “We share tips about business and support each other,” says Evelyn.
Millie adds: “I keep in regular touch with friends on my course – I consider them my closest friends and it’s the sort of friendship that I will treasure forever.”
Looking ahead, both women are ambitious about what’s next. “My current goals is to continue with my business, see how it progresses in the future,” says Millie. “I want to further pursue more difficult cases, to challenge my abilities and knowledge.”
Evelyn adds “I am aiming to be full time in my business one day, and have the books and diary full!”
And for students still finding their feet, they both have advice that rings true.
“Although you might have difficult times where you feel as though you are in a stalemate, the best you can do is to stay organised, keep a balance, and remember why you started,” says Millie. “The people you meet and the experiences you have will shape you in amazing ways!”
Evelyn agrees: “Keep going, set a goal and aim high. This is only temporary, you have so much ahead of you after uni. This is just the start, and you can achieve anything.”
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