Online Dog Training by Video

You don’t need a dog trainer in your home – you need to become your dog’s trainer, because you’re the one who’s with them every day. I can’t help your dog – only you can. I take owners and help them to become owner trainers, and a video call lets me do that without a stranger walking into your dog’s home. I work by video with students anywhere in the UK. If you’re in my Sussex service area, we can also do your assessment in person and your training by video.

The same training, without the visitor

What video training gives you

Virtual whiteboard

I draw as we talk, in my ‘traffic light training’ colour system, live on your screen. You watch the plan take shape, rather than trying to hold it all in your head.

Recaps and cue cards

After each session you get a written recap of what we covered and what to practise, plus the cards I draw for you as PDFs, to print out or keep on your phone.

Calm enough to learn

A visitor can wind a dog up so much that they won’t take food, and then nothing gets practised. By video, I show you the mechanics and you practise at home.

Ongoing feedback

You send me videos and updates between sessions, so I see how things are going and can keep you on track. Ongoing feedback fuels progress!

Flexible sessions

There’s no travel and nothing to install. Join from a browser on any device. Your dog’s other ‘important humans’ can join from their own devices, wherever they are.

Dogs who might bite

If your dog can’t cope with visitors, video is the safest and most appropriate way to work with them, and I explain why below.

Where video training helps most

Video works for most of what I do – and for some dogs, it works better than having me in the room. These are the dogs it helps most.

Dogs who don’t cope well with visitors

There’s no such thing as an aggressive dog. There are dogs in extreme overwhelm, and that’s what makes a dog bite. Every stressful thing that happens fills your dog’s stress bucket, and for a dog who isn’t coping with visitors, a stranger at the door can fill it to the top. Their frontal brain, the part that thinks and decides, stops doing its job, and all that’s left is the emotional, reactive part.

The dog who throws themselves at every visitor is in the same place. It’s not friendliness, it’s overwhelm. Their bucket is just as full as a frightened dog’s, and it spills out as jumping, barking, spinning and nipping instead of growling. Every visit is another rehearsal, so the pattern only gets stronger.

So if I come to your home, I become the problem we’re trying to solve. It’s like a life coach helping someone with a fear of heights by holding them at the edge of a skyscraper. We’d spend our time getting your dog used to me, and a dog who isn’t coping can’t learn anything useful while we do that. Neither you nor your dog will learn anything under those circumstances.

By video, there’s no visitor for your dog to cope with. Your dog can settle with a long-lasting chew while you and I talk. I teach you to read the early signs of your dog not coping, and to build your dog’s coping skills, because you’re the one who’s with them every day. You send me video, so I see your dog as they really are, with no stranger in the room. Once your dog has the skills, I show you how to bring visitors back in, starting with friends and family you can brief, so your dog practises being calm around visitors where it’s easy, before they need it where it’s hard.

Dogs who can’t work for food yet

People often tell me their dog isn’t ‘foodie’. Very often, that’s a dog whose bucket is too full to eat. Imagine offering someone a sandwich in the middle of a stand-up row. They won’t take it, however hungry they are, and it’s nothing to do with whether they like sandwiches.

We need food to train or retrain a dog. A dog who’s too wound up to eat when I visit means the mechanics never get practised. By video, I show you how each game works and send you a video of it, and you practise at home, where your dog is calm enough to eat. You send me video back, so I can check your mechanics.

If your dog won’t eat even when nothing’s going on, that tells us something too – and we look at that first.

Dogs who can’t be left alone

Separation-related behaviours (people used to call it separation anxiety) are a serious issue. They need proper assessment and targeted help before they become a medical issue (if they’re not one already), and not cookie-cutter advice.

This is one area where having me in your home actually gets in the way, because what we’re working on is how your dog copes when nobody else is there. So I teach you what to do and why, you do the work at home, and you send me videos of your dog, so I can see where they are in their journey towards independence.

A dog who’s just arrived

A dog who’s just been rescued is like someone thrown out of a plane, trying to sew the parachute together on the way down. The first weeks are about making their world small and safe, and a stranger walking in can fill their bucket even further. By video, we can start straight away without adding to it.

     
 
 
        
   Lea H 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
We reached out to James after our pup’s fear-based reactivity worsened after his operation and our own training efforts just didn’t seem to help him enough. James was brilliant at explaining how dogs see the world and really challenged us to think about our own assumptions and training methods with him. After each lesson, James gave us homework/games to play with our pup. As we became more knowledgeable and confident as trainers, we then started to see changes in our pup’s behaviour. He’s now calmer on his walks and we have the tools to manage his ‘bucket levels’. The work continues, but we now feel that we are on the right path and able to help our pup grow into a happy and confident dog.
  
 
       
   Dawn D 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +2
Sussex Dogs have given us the tools we need to help our dog Freddie, return to his happy, confident self after finding the world a scary place, especially other dogs, people and traffic. It has been a lot of commitment and we still have work to do but with support from Sussex Dogs we have embraced a new way of living with our lovely spaniel. Thank you so much.
  
 
       
   Pip B 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
Working with James has given us so much confidence with our reactive cocker spaniel, Billy, and I now feel much better prepared for situations that arise when out and about. Billy can be unpredictable with new situations and it had got to the point that I felt unable to take him to certain places at certain times for fear of seeing dogs that would trigger him, or be in situations that he would prompt his reactivity. We didn’t feel comfortable having new people in the house for fear of his reaction, but thankfully that is no longer the case! James has helped us to understand Billy’s needs and how to work with him to lower his stress levels and teach him how to handle situations that might trigger him. The changes that we’ve seen after each session have been so positive and I feel that James has given us the tools to move forward in an educated, constructive way, to ensure that Billy has a happy, fulfilled life. Thank you James!
Pip, Rich and Billy
  
 
       
   Ben K 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
First class - have really enjoyed training our problematic greek rescue with James, couldn't recommend him more highly. She's made huge progress and we have been taught the tools to continue her journey, with great support throughout. James is very friendly, personable and genuine.
  
 
       
   Janet S 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +1
Although I live a small village this puppy arrived with lots of anxiety and confusion. People, dogs, cars and oh no those big tractors sent her wild with fear.
James helped her greatly. First by explaining what was going on in her brain and then by providing practical measures to move her into a safe space for her mental being.
I think he helped me more by enabling me to focus on positive interactions with her.
Highly recommended!
  
 
       
   Olivia S 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
We did 6 training sessions with James to help with some behavioral issues we were having with our Labrador cross German shepherd (Jasper). James completely changed our understanding of how Jasper thinks as his approach to dog training is focused more on teaching the owners the psychology of their dog. As a result, and with the help of James, we were able to tailor our training with Jasper to better suit his needs, everyday we are seeing improvements. Would definitely recommend James to understand your dog better and overcome their behavioral issues.
  
 
       
   India J 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
James warned me that it was going to be difficult with a big pack of chihuahuas. They could turn nasty and the brawls were getting serious . I signed up for the longer training session , and within half an hour I could see the impact he was having on ( one in particular) was good . But it wasn’t easy , partly because I saw that I was the one who needed training , none the less I persisted and the results have been astonishing. This is a totally non violent , non punishing , calm - dog , calm - owner training . It works and I will apply his method for the rest of my dog life . I am really grateful to him and he has inspired me to become far more intelligent about the way I care for my dogs .
  
 
       
   Natalie M 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +3
I lost count the number of times that I considered contacting James, before finally reaching out. I just wish I had done it sooner.
2 year old Malamute x GSD who had zero recall and was up hourly throughout the night.

James visited us at home for an initial assessment, but as we lived far outside of his area we agreed to proceed with a course of 8x 30 minutes online video calls. I was initially sceptical how this would help us, but after spending ££££'s on previous trainers without getting any results we decided to try this different approach.

The weekly sessions were designed to teach us as owners the skills and understanding of our dog. The weekly lessons were highly informative and exercises were simple to complete.

We've now finished our online sessions, and it's unbelievable that such small changes have had such a dramatic impact on our dogs behaviour. I also feel this short online course has given us the skills and understanding for life.
Our dog now sleeps through the night, every night! And he is completely off lead, with the most amazing recall. I know I can confidently call him away from mid playing with dogs, chasing squirrels, birds, even footballs. We've had so many compliments and shocked people regarding just how fast and reliable his recall is, I honestly couldn't have asked for more.
My biggest regret is that I didn't contact James sooner.
Thank you for all of your help and support James. We've certainly been enjoying some lovely walks.
  
 
       
   Kaycee C 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +1
We had used a couple of dog trainers in the past, however never found them to be beneficial. We had a very tricky dog and decided to ask for James’ help as a last resort. James’ guidance, advice and training exceeded our expectations and we felt that we were able to understand our dog from a scientific standpoint, which in turn helped us to understand and handle his behaviour. We would highly recommend James to anybody who needs professional help with their dog!
  
 
       
   Alice P 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
James has equipped us with a wealth of knowledge and techniques to help us reduce our dog's anxiety. Our weekly sessions were great, with plenty of humour, kindness, games and tasty treats (Rufus very much approved!). We're really pleased with progress made and feel confident that we can continue to build on this. The future is looking far less daunting, for both Rufus and us!
  
 
       
   Katie  
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
Our recent dog training sessions with James for our dogs Millie and Milo were fantastic. His approach to dog training has been a different experience for us compared to trainers in the past. James is extremely knowledgeable in his field and we enjoyed his theoretical approach, which helped us to better understand our dog's behaviours and how to help them more effectively. James made us feel incredibly supported throughout the training process and offered help and assistance beyond our scheduled sessions if we ever had any questions. We would highly recommend James for his expertise, guidance and dedication to helping us and our dogs. Millie and Milo would also like to say a big thank you to you James.
  
 
       
   Amanda M 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +3
James is just the most fantastic trainer of dogs and people! I cannot recommend him highly enough. He has completely turned things around for us with Rumpus. We were struggling badly in developing a recall - any sort of recall let alone a reliable one… His behaviour would become out of control when things got exciting and taking him out had become really daunting and stressful. James explained in a straightforward and easy to understand way about dog psychology and behaviour so that we understood why Rumpus was behaving  in that way. He created an achievable training plan for us all. We are so pleased with the results and the positive change this has had on our relationship with Rumpus and the improvement in his recall. James has given us the tools and knowledge to train our dog consistently and effectively but in a fun way. We will all really miss James (especially Rumpus) and his fantastic training sessions.. Thank you James!
  
 
       
   Petrushka L 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +0
I can wholeheartedly recommend James. The work he's done to help educate me on my dogs physcology is amazing. I have a dog with separation anxiety and low confidence and over the last couple of months her behaviour has transformed. I now feel empowered and confident to be able to continue training her on my own, armed with my new knowledge and skills. James really understands dogs and people, he's been a great teacher and I'm so glad I reached out for help. Honey is thrilled too and it's wonderful to see her confidence growing everyday. Thank you James! 🙏🏼
  
 
       
   Mark H 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. +2
James has recently helped us with our dog Ozzie who had a few issues, the main one being his recall, which meant he couldn’t be trusted off lead. James has not only shown us practical techniques, he has also helped with our understanding of the Ozzie’s psychology and how some of the seemingly innocent actions taken by us are sometimes enforcing unwanted behaviour, such as the use of an extendable lead or a feeding bowl.

Ozzie has shown a marked improvement since we started with James, has been let off the lead several times now in the local puppy park and has shown much improved recall. We still have a way to go with Ozzie, as its not a quick fix, but James has given us confidence and the tools required to keep improving and get to where we want to be with our dog.  We would highly recommend him.
  
 
       
   David S 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I cannot recommend James highly enough.  We have a nervous large dog that makes walking an ordeal.  We were at the point where we had no hope things would change for Lolli & our family but 6 weeks of training has transformed life for us.  We have learnt to read our dog better so we anticipate situations and we are prepared with tools to deal with them.  I am more confident and Lolli is so much happier.    James is a real-life dog whisperer!

Contact Me

⬇︎

⚠️ Important

❤️‍🩹 I only work with vaccinated dogs

(unless they are puppies awaiting their first vaccination)

🚭 I only work in non-smoking households

🙅 I don't offer 'shadowing' or work experience

❔ Questions? See the FAQs page

📍 Please note my (rough) service area for in-person training - anywhere else in the UK, I can work with you by video!

I communicate using WhatsApp

💬 When you hit 'send', WhatsApp will open with your details pre-filled, ready to send to me. If you don't have WhatsApp on this device, that's fine - I'll still get your details - but I will then send you a WhatsApp message in response.

Full name * Postcode * So I know whether we can meet in person, or work by video.

Mobile number * I'll contact you via WhatsApp. Dog name(s) (optional)

What do you need help with? (optional) Email address (optional) Send your email if you'd like me to add you to my newsletter.

Prefer not to fill in a form? Message me directly instead.

Message me on WhatsApp

      
 5.0 
   Top Rated Trainer
 verified by Trustindex 
 Trustindex verifies that the company has a review score above 4.5, based on reviews collected on Google over the past 12 months, qualifying it to receive the Top Rated Certificate.

Pricing

(The same prices apply in person and by video. See the Structure page for more detail about each stage)

Consultation

FREE

A short video call. This gives you the opportunity to see how I work, and gives me an idea of your dog’s needs. It's your opportunity to ask any questions you may have about the process. There's no charge, and no obligation to book anything afterwards

Assessment

£95

I compare where you currently are with where you want to be, with your dog(s). We then discuss what skills you need to start building to get you moving towards your goals. You pay for the assessment when we book it, and it doesn't commit you to any training

Training

£80 per session

Highly targeted sessions, each building skills on top of the last. I create 'cue cards' to help you learn, and you feed back to me between sessions so we keep everyone on track. You pay as you go, just for the sessions we've booked. We generally start with three sessions