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.

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.

Born and raised just outside Birmingham in the UK, Sid has spent the last 18 months soaking up life in Australia and building strong bonds with dogs within the Inner West. He grew up surrounded by Labradors and still thinks they’re pretty close to the perfect all‑round dog, but he’s yet to meet a breed he doesn’t enjoy working with. Sid has been working full time with dogs for almost five years, across kennels, daycares, walking and training in both the UK and Australia. That variety has given him a solid grounding in group management, behaviour, and the small details that keep dogs safe and happy. As a coordinator, he takes that responsibility seriously, making sure every pack is well-balanced and every dog gets the kind of outing that suits them best. He’s keen to keep deepening his understanding of dog behaviour, with a particular interest in breed‑specific needs and how to support dogs in more challenging situations. Sid’s philosophy centres on tailored enrichment: toys and balls for the retrievers, long grass and woodlands for the sniffers, and water time for the swimmers – always with safety and thoughtful supervision at the core. When he thinks about favourite memories, his mind goes to beach days: sun out, water sparkling, and dogs racing across the sand together. Watching them play so freely, he says, is “an unbeatable feeling and a real privilege to be part of.”

Raised in Colorado and now calling Sydney (Gadigal Country) home, Sabrina has loved animals in all shapes and sizes for as long as she can remember. She grew up with family dogs that played a big part in shaping her gentle, observant way of working with animals. Rescue and mixed breeds are her favourites – she loves how each one feels completely unique. Sabrina has spent the past three years caring for dogs through pet sitting and dog walking while completing her university studies. Her passion really took off with Sammy, her family’s black Lab mix adopted during COVID, whose curious, soft nature inspired her to work with more dogs. Years of supporting different personalities and needs have taught her the value of patience, adaptability and quiet reassurance. Her walking philosophy is simple: every dog has their own pace, confidence level and way of seeing the world. When they feel understood and supported, they relax, open up and truly enjoy their time outside. Some of Sabrina’s favourite moments are bursts of zoomies or the day a shy dog finally shows off their silly side.

Originally from Sydney and now happily settled back in the Inner West (Wangal Country), Ruby – brings a steady presence to every walk. 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.

Raised in Mexico and now proudly based in Enmore, Mariana Saucedo Eichelmann brings a depth of clinical knowledge and quiet confidence to the City Sniffers team. She has spent nine years working as a veterinary nurse across general practice and emergency settings, developing strong skills in medical and surgical nursing, anaesthesia monitoring and fear-free animal handling. Mariana has worked as a Senior Veterinary Nurse at Vaucluse Vet since 2020, following roles at Animal Referral Hospital in ICU and emergency, and at RSPCA NSW’s veterinary hospital and shelter. Those years on the front line of animal care have shaped her calm, organised approach and her belief that good welfare starts with attentive, evidence-informed care. At City Sniffers, Mariana’s clinical experience, steady presence and clear communication provide an extra layer of reassurance for pets and parents alike, supporting our focus on wellbeing, safety and ethical care.