Neil's Services

Although now retired Neil will occasionally still provide Top Quality Training for people experiencing difficult dog behaviours.

  • Supported by Epilepsy Ireland and Disability Assistance Dogs, Neil was recently awarded a Doctorate in Biological Sciences for his work on the innate response of pet dogs to the onset of epileptic seizures in their owners. He has since developed a method of training dogs to detect seizures which he makes freely available for people with difficult seizure-management issues. Neil also has a Masters from Queen's University Belfast in Psychotherapy, a BA (Hons) from the Open University in Psychology and Sociology and is a member of the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers. His many years of dog training, mainly in the voluntary world and occasionally in the commercial sphere, has earned the respect of his peers as a dog trainer and dog behaviourist. His methods are gentle persuasion, firmness and reward-based training where the dogs very quickly realise what is expected of them. No coercion is used whatsoever.

  • Neil enjoys the challenge of rehabilitating disturbed dogs and has achieved some remarkable successes. So, if you need help with basic obedience, or, if your dog has developed bad habits, for which you are unable to find a solution, why not give him a call. Although now retired, he will, if available, visit you and your dog at home where he will observe its behaviour at first hand and try to establish the root cause of the problem. He will then offer a structured rehabilitation programme of change which can take some weeks to achieve and can produce a happy and well-adjusted dog. Remember that your dog has probably learned it’s bad behaviour from small errors you or your dog’s previous owner have been making over many months, and so time will be needed to undo the damage.

  • If you have just acquired a new puppy, why not ask if Neil is available to provide help with basic obedience and lessons for life for your new bundle of fun? A visit can take about an hour and a half and is a service he has provided for many years in which all the pups develop into well-balanced happy adults.

  • Neil has developed a reliable method for training seizure-alert dogs as part of his work with the Northern Ireland based charity, Disability Assistance Dogs.

  • Neil believes that personal development is an ongoing necessity for maintaining high standards and so he has attended a number of specialist assistance dog courses with some of the UK's leading Service Dog Charities. He has also attended a Canine Conference run by Irish Customs, in which he gave a presentation on DVSD training and continues to work with leading dog trainers around the world. He continues with his academic work, focussing on dog behaviour issues.
Cuisle
    Neil and Fern Training on water.
    Training in the Forest.
    Neil doing some training in the rocks.
    Fern working the scent.
    Neil training Charco.
    Charco Locating Gear.