Online 1‑2‑1
£100 first session
Advice, guidance and technique over Zoom. Often the quickest way to get moving on basic training issues.
About 1 hour 30. Follow‑ups £85.
A dog you can take anywhere.
Behaviour modification and training in North Wales and Manchester. Vet approved, CFBA accredited, insurance backed, and found through word of mouth and review.
As featured in
- BBC Television
- BBC Radio 2
- BBC Radio 4
- BBC Radio Wales
- The Times
CFBA Full MemberOur accrediting body, allowing us to work through vet referral and insurance.
Ex British ArmyOver 10 years’ service as a British Army Officer.
Vet approvedApproved for insurance claims on veterinary referral.
Dangerous Dogs Act AssessmentsCarried out on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service.
Experience
15+ years
From pet dogs in the home, to gundogs in the field, to dangerous dog assessments for the Crown Prosecution Service, with over a decade in the British Army before that. Owners find Max Canine through word of mouth and vet referral, not via adverts.
4Trained pet therapy dogs, working in local schools’ SEND departments
0Adverts. Clients come through vets and word of mouth
6Dogs at a time in the boarding lodge, and no more
Training and behaviour
Pick the level of help you need.
Nothing here is a package off a shelf. Every dog is assessed on its own terms, and the plan follows from that. Not sure which fits? Say so in the enquiry and we will tell you straight.
1‑2‑1 Training
£200 first session
At Max Canine HQ or in your home. Obedience, lead work, impulse control, recall and gundog training.
About 2 to 2.5 hours. Follow‑ups £100.
Behaviour Consultation
£250 initial assessment
Aggression towards dogs or people, livestock chasing and obsessive behaviours, with a report for your insurer.
Claimable on insurance
£200 online. Follow‑ups £200, or £150 online.
Group walks and socials
£10 per walk
Instructor led, on lead, in a mix of rural and busy areas. Social balance and neutral behaviour around other dogs.
About an hour. Ten dogs maximum.
Gift vouchers
Any amount Choose the amount, to put towards a 1‑2‑1 session online or at Max Canine HQ. Give someone the chance to redefine their dog’s behaviour.
Travel beyond 8 miles from HQ is charged at £1 per mile. Your invoice needs clearing the week prior to your appointment to secure your slot, and cancellations within 48 hours are charged 100% of the fee.
What owners say
The industry is unregulated. Reputation is all there is.
“I can’t believe the benefits we see already. Emily is an amazing dog trainer… I loved the way she explained everything from the dogs point of view- why certain things would create a certain reaction, and how to adapt/change in order to get the response we as owners wish for.”
Working Labrador Retriever, 2 yearsLead work and recall around distractions
“To say I was buzzing when I left from my 1-2-1 session would be an humongous understatement. Em is a complete marvel and has given me so much confidence in moving forward with my training with my one year old black Labrador Monty… I simply couldn’t recommend or praise Max Canine more highly.”
Monty, Working Labrador Retriever, 1 yearSocial etiquette and recall around distractions
“He is extremely overexcited and interested in the world around him, and loses his mind whenever he sees another dog – lunging and barking like crazy. It is at the point where I dread taking him anywhere… Already after 1 session I feel like a weight has been lifted.”
Obi, Shetland Sheepdog, 8 monthsSocial etiquette and recall
“Had Obi focused on me around another dog within minutes.”Amy, owner of Obi, a Shetland Sheepdog, after their first session.
Behaviour consultations and insurance
Claiming on your insurance is simpler than it sounds.
It is the thing we are asked about the most, so here is the whole process, start to finish.
- Check your policy. Contact your insurer first to confirm that behavioural treatment or holistic therapy is included in your tier of cover.
- Speak to your vet. Visit your vet early, so they can rule out any underlying medical issue and complete a signed veterinary referral form.
- Use an approved behaviourist. Make sure the professional you choose holds a recognised accreditation such as the CFBA or APBC. We are CFBA accredited.
- Gather your documents. We receive the referral form from your vet, you open a case with your insurer, and you book in with us. In most cases payment is taken before the session. We write a report after your first session and add to it as treatment progresses.
- Submit the claim. Upload the vet referral, invoices and claim form through your insurer’s online portal, choosing reimbursement to yourself.
Open the referral formOne page. Your vet can fill it in online or print it.
Get in touch
A few quick questions.
Enough for us to know whether we can help and what it will involve. Everything else can wait until we have replied.
We read every enquiry personally and will reply via email giving you some options, dates and a more detailed form prior to working with us. For boarding, use the boarding enquiry.
Please check these
Thank you. Your enquiry is with us. We read every one personally and will reply by email.
Group walks and socials
Pick a date and book a place.
Instructor led and on lead, in a mixture of rural and busy areas, so you work on social balance, lead work and neutral behaviour for real. Maximum ten dogs. Family welcome, children supervised.
Month
Group walk, tap to book
Next walks
- Loading dates…
Book a place
Request sent. We will confirm your place, and how to pay, by email.
Four dogs. A busy town. Parked cars. Everyone calm and relaxed.This is what the training is for.
Emily Parton · Founder and Lead Behaviourist
The person you will actually work with.
Before working with dogs full time, Emily spent over a decade as an Officer in the British Army, reaching the rank of Major. Today she is a Full member of the CFBA, conducts training and behaviour modification and carries out DDA assessments on behalf of the CPS.
She works her own dogs in the field, and they join sessions too as stooge dogs: one client’s review singles out Emily’s Labrador as “a fantastic aid to training”. She has four trained pet therapy dogs specialising in SEND departments and welcomes enquiries for therapy work from new schools.
Max Canine does not advertise. Clients come via word of mouth, or on recommendation from their vet practice.
North Wales · HQ
Max Canine HQ, Carrog, Corwen, Denbighshire LL21 9LBSecure training fields and a resident flock of sheep, with the Clwydian Range, the Berwyns and Eryri on the doorstep.
Open in maps
Manchester · North West
Covered from Max Canine HQSessions across Manchester and the North West, and anywhere in the UK by arrangement. Plenty of North West clients choose to come to HQ.
Enquire from the North WestBeyond the training field
BBC television and radio
Regular appearances on BBC television, and BBC Radio 2, 4 and Wales. Also featured in The Times.
Public talk, Manchester
Making sense of behaviour, training and the modern dog owner.
Pet therapy
Four trained therapy dogs, currently working in the SEND departments of local schools.
From our talk, Making Sense of Behaviour
Six things every dog owner should understand.
The same principles we teach in public talks and work through in every session.
Know the breed
Understand the traits, and what they mean for everyday life.
Understand your dog’s background
Their history and breeding shape how they behave and respond.
Be clear with what you want
Dogs work in black and white, so set your boundaries early on.
Be consistent and fair
Stick to your rules, and be fair about how you apply them.
Don’t set your dog up to fail
If they are likely to struggle, rethink the situation.
Use the goal post method
Start easy with broad goalposts, and narrow them over time.
You can’t train against genetics.Which is why choosing the right breed matters before you start.
Before you enquire
The things people ask first.
Can I claim behaviour work on my pet insurance?
In most cases yes. We are CFBA accredited, which insurers recognise. Your vet completes a referral form, you start a claim, and you work with us for as long as the plan requires. You pay your excess, and a bespoke report is written for your insurer.
Do you travel to me?
Yes. We travel across the UK, and cover Manchester and the North West. Plenty of clients choose initial consultations or training at Max Canine HQ, where there are secure fields, stooge dogs and livestock to train around. Travel beyond 8 miles from HQ is charged at £1 per mile.
My dog is aggressive around other dogs. Is that workable?
It is one of the most common reasons people get in touch. Dog-to-dog aggression, dog-to-human aggression, livestock chasing and obsessive behaviours are all covered and several issues can be assessed in the same consultation.
How quickly will I hear back?
We reply to all enquiries by email, usually with some recommendations and dates. Phone is possible once you have made contact via the website, but email initially means we can give the enquiry proper attention and assess our suitability for assisting you.
Do you take entire dogs, or dogs other places have turned away?
Yes to both, for training and for boarding. The boarding lodge has gated areas and a secure six foot paddock precisely so that dogs with specific needs around other dogs or people can still have a proper stay.
Does accreditation matter when choosing a behaviourist?
More than most people realise. Dog training and behaviour is an unregulated industry, so anyone can use the title. We are CFBA accredited, which allows us to work as behaviourists through vet referral and insurance. Look for a recognised accreditation such as the CFBA or APBC.
What is the cancellation policy?
In order to secure your slot, your invoice will need to be cleared the week prior to your appointment. If you cancel your appointment within 48 hours, you will be charged 100% of the fee, as we are unable to fill the appointment at short notice. Boarding is different. You will be invoiced on confirmation of your stay but will be entitled to a full refund up to 7 days before the stay if you cancel.
Get in touch
Not sure where to start?
Tell us about your dog. We read every enquiry personally and reply by email, usually with some dates.
