Psychology | Relationship | Behaviour

Behaviour Rehabilitation in North Yorkshire.

“A Dog’s Energy is nothing but honest. By just observing the dog, I can get a good sense of what a situation really is.” - Cesar Millan

Specialist Services for the Dog’s that need it most.

We’re here for the dogs that need it most. The fearful ones, The Hyperactive ones, the Aggressive ones and the Anxious ones. We’re here for the terrified dogs - the abandoned, the neglected and abused. We’re here dogs that were kicked out of class, and the ones that aren’t safe to train with in public. We’re here for the dogs that can’t be left alone, the dogs that are too scared to leave the home - and the territorial ones that won’t let anyone else in. We’re here for the dogs that local trainers couldn’t solve, and the ones that no one else wants to help. We’re here for the dogs that need it most - and for the owners that need specialist support, from people who deal with these kinds of issues every day. With dog psychology, relationship and behaviour at the core of everything we do.

Welcome to The Dog’s Way.

  • When we use the word Behaviourist, we mean it. The Dog’s Way is dedicated exclusively to resolving behavioural issues, and grounded in Dog Psychology at every level. Not obedience training, sport training, or Gun dog training wrapped up as behaviour. Everything we do is based on your dogs experience of the world, their psychology, how they learn, and their relationship with you.

  • Our international training background allows us to provide a much higher level of assessment and diagnosis. We want to know your dogs temperament and health, their background, their relationship with you, and of course their issues - so we can get to the root cause of the issue. Knowing the real problem means we can help you make the changes that will have the biggest impact.

  • Just like a visit to the vet, we need to go through things in a practical, hands on way and see the behaviour in person. Our secure paddock means we can work with you and your dog safely on a one to one basis, no matter how severe the behaviours you are dealing with.

  • Our dogs are on hand to help with behaviour assessment, and act as ambassadors for practical learning. They’re trained to stay calm even if your dog is not - and they help to act as a positive influence on your dogs behaviour. No stuffed animals or chasing strangers and their dogs around the park. Just our awesome pack of ambassador dogs.

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We work a little differently. Understand our Core Training Values.

  • It's a simple phrase, but is a core part of how we work. We want every client to feel safe, which means Calm, confident and in control of their dogs. It’s a prerequisite for any learning and growth - not an outcome - So its always be our first priority

    The right tools can make a huge difference, and when it comes to the tools we recommend, our priority is Safe Control, then Comfort, then Training. Which is a nice way of saying that you should throw your flexi lead in the bin.

  • A lot of modern training centres around high levels of excitement and stimulation, but we believe that Calmness is the best foundation on which to build your relationship with your dog, so it acts as the centre to everything we do.

    As behaviour specialists, we know that calmness is what is almost always lacking in the cases we work with, so calmness is what guides our lead work and handling, our conflict resolution systems and our confidence building processes. It’s the number one thing that our clients observe about us - and it’s how we want you and your dog to be when you leave.

  • We don’t expect you to be an expert, and we know that your time is important, so we don’t waste it. We teach you to make the small changes which will have the biggest impact on your life with your dog - so it’s as easy as possible for you to succeed. It’s one of the many ways we can help you save time and get the most out of your sessions.

  • Our dogs are intimately tied to our own lives - our own emotions, our anxieties, challenges and struggles, and our behaviour has a huge influence on theirs. Our dogs know how we feel, and we cannot lie to them. So encouraging you to be 100% open and honest about your own emotions, without judgement - is an essential part of how we work with you - so we can work with you on your own development too.

    We want you to use your time with us as an opportunity to decompress and get your feelings out in the open. The clients who commit most to this core principle are always the ones who get the most out of their sessions.

Our Reputation Really matters to us. See how our clients feel and read our reviews.

We look at everything from the dogs point of view. Their psychology, their instincts, their rules.

Let us know how we can help. Book in for a complimentary onboarding call, so we can better understand your needs.

Meet the Pack

James McMahon

Founder & Head Behaviourist for Specialist Services

Responsible for those dogs and their families booking Specialist Services, James primarily specialises in dogs with chronic fears and anxiety, separation related issues, neglect and abuse cases, as well as dogs with Reactivity and Aggression issues towards dogs & people. As the founder of The Dog’s Way, James also oversees the full range of training services, and our client experience.

James is a Graduate of Cesar Millan’s TCW Fundamentals 1 & 2 programmes, which involve extensive hands on work with local rescue dogs in a wide range of real world scenarios. James also holds a Level 4 Diploma (With Merit) in Advanced Canine Behaviour and a Certificate in Dog Law with the British College of Canine studies. James has been training and rehabilitating dogs for 7 years, in a professional capacity for the last 5 years .

Ste Crane

Behaviourist for Preventative Training Programmes

Ste Crane joined the team at the beginning of 2024, and is responsible for our preventative training programmes, including our Natural Puppy Fundamentals, recall and livestock safety. Ste brings a strong aptitude for working with dogs and other animals at an instinctual level, and a passion for helping dogs and their owners to get things right before they go wrong, thanks to his own personal experiences in dog rescue. Ste is also the owner of Pure Canine Ltd.

Charlie - Cocker Spaniel

Calm Sensitive | medium energy

The Golden boy of the family, Charlie is James right hand and has been here since the beginning. At 8 1/2 years old, Charlie is the oldest and most experienced of the family and brings a calm, gentle sensitivity to everything he does. Charlie is very attuned to people and dogs and how they feel, so he often helps me fill in the gaps in an assessment.

Théo - Labrador retriever

Happy Go Lucky | High Energy

The second youngest, largest and most confident member of the pack, Théo is soon to be 2 years old and is growing into a solid ambassador dog. Théo takes life at two speeds - full on and full off, with his calm, confident, in your face energy and playful nature. Don’t be deceived by his slow and steady appearance. Théo can be an absolute hooligan when he wants to be, and loves nothing more than a tug of war with Olive or a splash in the pond.

Olive - Labrador Retriever

Calm Sensitive | High energy

Olive is Ste’s leading lady, and a beautiful soul inside and out. Olive combines the gentle sensitivity of a Back of the Pack dog with the high drive of a working Labrador, meaning that she perfectly compliments and balances out the personalities of the other dogs on the team. She can bring a big game when she wants to, but knows when a slower pace if required. A natural ambassador!

Fudge - Cocker Spaniel

Happy Go Lucky | Very High Energy

Fudge is the youngest member to join the team, having been rescued by Ste after spending the first 8 months of his life confined to a crate. Fudge is making up for lost time, and puts the ‘very’ in Very High Energy. Fudge brings a lot of Happy go Lucky to everything he does, and is a brilliant compliment to the calmer nature of the other dogs in the pack. Fudge is growing into a fantastic young dog, and a testament to Ste’s hard work and patience in rehabilitating him.

Fleur - Miniature Dachshund

Calm Sensitive | Medium energy

Weighing in at just 3.8kg, Fleur is the smallest member of the pack and generally stays at home in the warm rather than coming to work at the farm. She’s 4 years old now, and brings a small but mighty attitude to our home. She’s very dog centric, and follows Charlie around like a shadow - unless the fire is on!

The best teacher for a dog will always be another dog. No one speaks their language better.