Meet Daniel Camilleri

Daniel Camilleri grew up around his grandfather's Rottweilers, helping out on a cattle feedlot south of Sydney.

From here he always owned dogs which he primarily trained as companion and hunting dogs.

Becoming a father, Daniel wanted to be home more to see his kids grow up and gave up hunting. This decision started his stock dog journey when a Kelpie called Jethro that he had bought as a family pet dragged him into the trialling circles.

Not able to do things in halves, Dan grabbed the opportunity to learn a new skill by the horns and became passionate about all things stock dog, living and breathing the topic with the aim to 'worry the best'.

To grow his knowledge he worked in the livestock industry, helping with sheep work in breeding and feedlotting businesses. He also attended all the working dog schools he could get to.

When starting Hooked on Hounds a different aspect came into the mix. Learning more and more about the companion dog side of dog psychology, behaviour and training Dan continues to branch out and learn 

On his journey Dan encountered many techniques, dog breeds, bloodlines and challenges that helped him grow the knowledge bank he leans on today, uniquely combining modern training techniques with feel and common sense.

Today, Dan successfully competes in and judges yard and utility trials, runs Hooked on Hounds, and develops his own line of utility Kelpies. He also co-hosts DogTorque, a podcast interviewing stock dog handlers every fortnight.

Meet Nat Grimmer

Nat Grimmer grew up in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and has been around horses since the age of six. After completing 13 years of schooling, she wasn’t ready to be confined to a classroom for another six — so she took a leap and headed to Australia to experience life and work on the land.

In 2014, Nat landed on a 76,000-acre beef cattle station in Central North Queensland with little more than broken English and no real-world experience. That changed quickly. Within months, she had developed a deep passion for livestock handling and soon after, acquired her first working Kelpie.

Over the following years, Nat began developing her own line of Kelpies, using them to educate mobs of up to 1,000 weaner cattle at a time, whether from horseback or quad bike. Managing and training up to 20 dogs at once — while observing how breeding, genetics, and handling styles shaped both the dogs and the stock — gave her a profound appreciation for the balance between nature and nurture in working animals.

After nearly a decade in the bush, Nat met Dan. With Dan based in Sydney to be close to his kids, Nat traded the outback for the “big smoke.” Within a few months, Hooked on Hounds was born — a business built on the shared knowledge, experience, and passion that she and Dan bring to working-dog education.

Today, Nat’s focus lies in canine psychology, behavioural modification, and rehabilitation, helping create clearer communication and stronger relationships between humans and their dogs. She continues to shape her own line of White Swiss Shepherd Dogs, bringing her understanding of genetics and behaviour full circle.

While she leaves the competition wins to Dan, Nat has successfully competed in yard trials, earning equal second place in Rookie of the Year 2023. In her spare time, you’ll still find her working with her horses.