They say dogs are a man’s best friend, and Steven Smith knows that better than most. The 36-year-old from Hertfordshire served in the army for 12 years from 2008 to 2020, twice touring in Afghanistan as a dog handler.
Representing the Royal Army Veteran Core based out of Melton Mowbray, Smith became a course leader and trained fellow soldiers in how to handle explosive search dogs, including springer spaniel Memphis.
His path to the army – and working with dogs – went back to when Smith attended a village fete as a teenager and saw a soldier with a German shepherd.
“My nan had German shepherds when I was growing up, and after seeing that soldier at the fete, I thought to myself ‘that’s it, that’s what I want to do with my life’.
“I quickly discovered just how much of a learned skill it is working with dogs in that environment, as opposed to someone who is used to being around dogs in normal home life.”
Following more than a decade, Smith left the army and secured a higher-level engineering apprenticeship in telecommunications.
“It was a completely new challenge for me, but I knew that I wanted to do something totally different.”
Alongside his new career path, Smith has always had a passion for health and fitness and took up martial arts this year, focusing on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
“Whilst seeing a massage therapist, I became fascinated learning about how injuries develop and what preventative measures can be put into place to avoid injuries occurring. They [therapists] are able to diagnose things you didn’t even know you had.”
That led Smith to pursue a qualification in Sports Massage Therapy with The Fitness Group, to ultimately help friends and connections in the fitness world learn how to look after their body.
“I saw that The Fitness Group were very well reviewed, and it was a no-brainer; the package that they offer works well for me. I plan to set up a room in my house which will be kitted out to treat clients.”
For more information on The Fitness Group Education, you can email us info@thefitnessgrp.co.uk, call us at 0330 175 8209, or visit www.thefitnessgrp.co.uk