Meet the Pack

Boon (he/him) is the owner of City Sniffers and has lived and worked on Gadigal land in Sydney’s Inner West for over 10 years. His connection to dogs began early, fostering dogs during high school and co-running a small dog care and daycare business, Doggie Homestay, with his sister. That experience shaped a strong belief in calm, ethical, and well-managed care grounded in positive reinforcement. Alongside working with dogs, Boon has a long background in community and advocacy work. As a young person, he volunteered in bush regeneration and citizen science projects such as stream monitoring, and later worked across charities and community organisations in leadership and committee roles. His professional background includes communications and workers’ rights advocacy , experience that now informs how City Sniffers operates, from safety systems to fair pay and clear standards. After working as a pack leader with Tails with Tayla in Sydney, Boon acquired the Sydney client list and built that work into Downtown Doggies, which continues to operate independently from the original business elsewhere. City Sniffers joined the fold more recently, bringing together years of practical dog-handling experience with a clear focus on wellbeing, consistency, and trust. We believe dogs thrive when walks are well-managed, socially balanced, and led using positive reinforcement, allowing space for both exploration and calm. Watching dogs grow in confidence over time, settle into their packs, and build healthy social bonds is one of the most rewarding parts of the work. Boon is a member of WIRES and a community Justice of the Peace. His lived experience has shaped a strong commitment to accessibility, inclusion, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, and to building a profitable, purpose-led business that raises standards across the dog-walking industry.

At City Sniffers, I'm the Lead Dog Walker and Coordinator, which means I spend my days making sure our walks run smoothly while also getting out on the trails with some of Sydney's best dogs. I love watching dogs build confidence, make new friends and enjoy the simple joy of getting out and exploring. My veterinary background gives me an extra level of confidence when caring for dogs of all ages and abilities, and I'm passionate about creating safe, enriching adventures that every dog looks forward to. There's nothing better than earning the trust of a dog and seeing them light up when it's time for their next walk."

Born in Australia to Portuguese parents, Fernando Daniel Belinha Teixeira grew up between Petersham, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville (Wangal Country) before moving to Portugal at nine and returning at 30. Fernando grew up surrounded by dogs, sparking a lifelong passion and eagerness to have dogs in his care. For the last five years, he’s called the Newtown & Enmore home, and it shows in how naturally he moves through the Inner West with his packs. Fernando has been walking dogs professionally for three years. He first joined Tails with Tayla which grew into an opportunity to become a primary walker for Downtown Doggies and City Sniffers. Over this time, he’s developed deep, long-term relationships with many of the dogs, watching them grow from shy newcomers into confident pups who know the routine and love walks. He holds RSPCA Pet First Aid certification, reflecting his commitment to safe, attentive care. He believes every walk is a chance for growth—for the dogs and for himself. For Fernando, great walks blend exercise, new sensory stimuli, group socialisation and quiet bonding moments in a way that, over time, helps shape each dog’s personality. One of his favourite memories is swimming with the dogs at Sirius Cove, spending long stretches out in the water together. Sharing that it is “not something we get the chance to do everyday’”, he recalls how special it was to see the dogs so happy.

Originally from Sydney and now happily settled back in the Inner West (Wangal Country), Ruby – brings a steady presence to every walk. Her favorite dog breeds are Golden Retriever and a German Shepherd. In truth, she loves any dog with a big personality and a gentle streak. Working in Far North Queensland for over a decade before returning to Sydney, Ruby has been working with dogs for several years, including volunteering at a local animal shelter and raising German Shepherd puppies at home. Those experiences gave her hands-on insight into different temperaments, life stages and needs, and deepened her commitment to animal welfare. She’s currently completing her Certificate II in Animal Studies and plans to continue into Captive Animals and, eventually, zoology. Ruby believes happy, healthy walks blend enrichment, movement and connection. Time to socialise, explore, and simply enjoy being outside is, to her, just as important as physical exercise for a dog’s overall wellbeing.