About the practice
17+ Years Of Reward-BasedBehaviour Work In GlasgowHomes, Shelters And Courtrooms
Run by John McGuigan and Helen Hutcheson, this is a behaviour-led practice for the dogs other people call difficult. Reactive, fearful, anxious, over-aroused or under-exercised. You get an assessment at your address, a staged written plan and coaching on the ground you actually walk. Reward-based only, fully insured, 4.7★ from 185 Google reviews.
Direct enquiries and vet referrals both welcome, no referral needed to get started.
Our story
Who we help, what we specialise in, and where we work
Most people who contact us are not looking for tricks or a certificate. They are managing something that has started to shape the whole household: a dog that lunges at every dog on the street, screams when left alone, cannot be let off the lead, hides from fireworks and visitors, or has already bitten someone. By the time they call, the walks have usually moved to 6am, the family has stopped having people round, and someone has been told to use a shock collar. That is the point where we are useful.
John McGuigan has worked with dogs for 17+ years and holds the Karen Pryor Academy Dog Trainer Professional qualification. Alongside client work he teaches seminars and workshops to owners, rescue organisations and other professionals, and is instructed as an expert witness in dog bite and aggression cases. Behaviour evidence that has to hold up under scrutiny in court, not just in a training hall. Helen Hutcheson works alongside him on behaviour cases and owner coaching, taking a "Whole Dog / Whole Family" approach: calm, methodical and relentlessly practical. She is also the engaged behaviour consultant for two large Scottish dog welfare organisations.
Our specialism is behaviour rather than obedience for its own sake, aggression and reactivity, separation anxiety, fear and noise sensitivity, recall failure, adolescent frustration and everyday manners that have got out of hand. Puppy work matters to us for the same reason: the habits built in the first few months are the ones we are usually asked to undo two years later.
We are a service-area business, so there is no premises for clients to attend. We come to your home for assessment and household work, then out onto your streets, parks and paths. Because that is where the behaviour actually happens. Remote 1-to-1 video coaching runs alongside in-person work and is available across the UK and abroad, and our self-paced online courses and monthly membership give structured help at a lower price point.
Where we work
- Glasgow
- Greater Glasgow
- South Lanarkshire
- North Lanarkshire
- East Renfrewshire
- Renfrewshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- Inverclyde
- Falkirk
- East Ayrshire
What it costs to start
1-to-1 sessions are quoted per case, individually or as a block, once we know the behaviour and its history. Self-paced online courses run from £30 to £150, and the ongoing membership with live group calls is £43 per month.
Browse all servicesOur mission
A better way to train, and the standards behind it
We are here to improve the lives of dogs and the people who care for them. We do not judge and we do not shame. You get practical support, clear answers and training based on respect, safety and compassion. If your dog is lunging, barking, afraid or struggling, we will help, without force, pressure or pain.
- Reward-based, dog-centred methods only
- No aversive tools. No prong collars, shock collars or check chains
- We teach your dog what to do, not just how to stop
- We work with you, not against you
- You finish with skills, not just advice
Dog training is an unregulated industry in the UK, which means anyone can call themselves a behaviourist and any method can be sold as "balanced". Our answer is to be explicit about how we work and what we will and will not do to a dog.
No fear, no pain, no startle
Every dog, every case, no exceptions. Including strong breeds, working dogs and dogs with a bite history. No prong collars, no e-collars, no slip leads, no check chains.
Assessment before advice
We take the history, watch the behaviour and identify the triggers before recommending anything. You get a diagnosis, not a template.
A written plan you can actually follow
Staged, prioritised and specific to your household, so every person handling the dog is doing the same thing between sessions.
Management first when safety is involved
Bites, livestock chasing and escapes get an immediate containment plan on day one, while the behaviour work runs alongside it.
Honesty about what we can't promise
Behaviour is not building work, so we don't offer an outcome guarantee. And we'll say when a case needs your vet, medication or referral rather than more training.
We don't blame. We help
You will not be told you did this to your dog. You'll be told what is happening and what to do next.
Measurable proof
What you can check before you book
17+ years' experience
Family homes, rescue organisations, professional seminars and courtrooms.
4.7★ from 185 reviews
Verified on our Google Business Profile, not testimonials we wrote ourselves.
Karen Pryor Academy trained
John holds the KPA Dog Trainer Professional qualification, assessed on practical skill.
48-hour response target
We aim to reply to every enquiry within two days; urgent cases are prioritised.
Fully insured
Public liability and professional care-of-custody cover for handling your dog.
On qualifications, we will be straight with you: KPA Dog Trainer Professional is issued by a private training provider rather than a regulatory body, because no such body exists for UK dog training. Judge us on the 185 reviews, the seminar work, the expert witness instructions and the plan we give you. Read the reviews or see examples of our work.
Tell us what your dog is doing, we'll tell you honestly what it needs
Send the breed, age, what happens, where it happens and what you have already tried. You will get a straight answer within our 48-hour target on whether this is training, behaviour work or a veterinary question first. No aversive tools, ever.