Gwen McArthur was a teacher for 30 years in the Northern Territory. She taught in both urban and isolated communities. For the last 12 years of her career she worked in the specialist field of Behaviour Management, advising teachers and parents on how to manage unruly student behaviour.

She undertook a Dog Obedience Trainer's course and exam in Darwin, before a move to Queensland in 2001 brought an opportunity to change career direction. Her love of animals, but particularly dogs, encouraged her to learn more about canine behaviour and obedience training. The years of observing student behaviour then translated into observations of unruly dogs and their owners at off leash dog parks.

Since 2003, Gwen has been employed part time by a city council and is responsible for organsing and running K-9 Capers events around that city for the dog owning public. This has meant visiting hundreds of off leash areas, talking to thousands of dog owners and observing many hundreds of dogs and their behaviour.