GIVING up a successful career to pursue a quirky dream might seem out of reach to millenials - but it's all possible with a little help from your furry friends.

Just ask Sarah Baxter, Oxford resident and canine devotee, who dropped everything in mid-2015 to launch Twilight Bark UK, the 'go-to blog for all things dog'.

To date the 34-year-old has written more than 90 blog posts on everything from charities to brands to wellbeing, racking up 10,000 followers in the process.

A former Headington School pupil, Miss Baxter's love affair with pet pooches began when she was just six years old with a family golden retriever called Basil.

She said: "One of my nicknames at school was Mother Nature as I was always rescuing animals, from a puppy abandoned at our local veterinary surgery to rehoming two two-year-old ponies from Blue Cross in Burford who had been used in animal testing, to hand-feeding a baby mouse every two hours through the night until I took him to experts at St Tiggywinkles. It’s safe to say all animals but especially dogs have always been a great love of mine."

After graduating from Newcastle University Miss Baxter landed a plum role for a South Kensington-based real estate consultants.

As well as acquiring properties for individuals as investments and personal homes, she helped relocate VIPs moving to London to work with their families.

But something was missing and in 2015 she changed tack, returning to Oxford and her two beloved pets to set up Twilight Bark.

She said: "I had a successful career but something was driving me to change. It was a complete leap of faith; I hadn't even read a blog properly before.

"All I knew was that I had a passion for dogs and writing, and I wanted to see whether I could bring those two things together to create something special."

Since its inception Twilight Bark has proved to be something of a hit, covering everything from designer dog bowls and stocking-filler treats to practical advice on how to keep pets safe in hot cars or what to do on encountering a stray.

The stars of the show are Miss Baxter's own Dachshunds, five-year-old Ted and two-year-old Millie, respective chief treat and toy testers for the blog.

The trio can often be spotted walking on Port Meadow or at University Parks.

Regular feature Sunday Dog Stories also gives unloved pooches at shelters up and down the country a chance to shine and find prospective forever homes.

Miss Baxter said: "We are a nation of animal lovers. So many people adore their dogs and this is really apparent.

"There are a lot more dog-friendly shops, restaurants and holidays available as people start to realise dogs aren’t just dogs but family members too. It is great to see.

"On the other hand, having worked with a lot of the major animal charities in the UK I know there are sadly still a number of people who buy dogs on a whim, without thinking of the impact a dog will have on their life. Dogs are then often treated as something disposable, like an unwanted handbag.

"There needs to be a shift in the way people purchase a dog - or, even better, consider the saying ‘Adopt, Don’t Shop’."

Among the charities in the spotlight on Twilight Bark is Dogs for Good, a Banbury-based charity that trains assistance dogs for people with autism and disabilities.

Miss Baxter said: "What has struck me is how dogs have the ability to change people’s lives.

"For those unfamiliar with Dogs for Good, I’d recommend finding out more.

"I was very lucky to attend one of their puppy training classes. It was heaven.

"It’s incredible to see how dogs can help us humans and demonstrates how these creatures really are far more special and intelligent than many of us give them credit for."

She added that in her experience although it can be 'very tough' for young people to walk away from a secure job to do what they love, perseverance wins out.

She said: "Have faith in yourself. Think outside the box and think about what skills you’ve learnt through life whick you can apply to whatever you want to do.

"We live in a culture nowadays where we give up too easily if we don’t get what we want immediately. Keep going and make sure you live and breathe it."