Action 4 Dogs Edinburgh & Lothians Dog Trainer

Action 4 Dogs Edinburgh & Lothians Dog Trainer Action 4 Dogs Dog Training founded by Max Muir is based in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Maxwell covers all of Scotland by appointment. Puppy Training.

Dog Training focusing on pet gun dogs and sporting breeds. Personal 121 private Training Sessions in the following Skill sets:

Effective Dog Handling Skills & Proper Use of Equipment. Adolescent Dog Training-Coping With Your Teenager. Behaviour Training Solutions. Online Zoom Sessions, Telephone consultations & Private Discreet Service. Private lessons and home visits are designed to suit a clien

t’s needs and they can be arranged in the home or a location of your choosing. Private one to one training service also caters for puppy training, basic obedience training, and the teaching of handling skills. Training topics include:

Handling skills with the lead. Recall- Training Levels to your recall. Retriever Training. Gun Dog foundation Training. Training good manners, obedience, and greeting behaviours. Teaching dog’s to develop self control. Effective stimulation & enrichment to deal with those dogs with excess energy. Maxwell has hosted regular seminars, lectures and workshops and been guest speakers at many canine events. Maxwell is also available for you to host for presentations and workshops and virtual keynotes and presentations on a wide variety of dog related subjects. He is also open to appearing on podcasts. Visit www.action4dogs.co.uk

Dog Training and Play time!Most dogs are up for a play. By and large they are playful beings and that is part of how the...
13/09/2025

Dog Training and Play time!

Most dogs are up for a play. By and large they are playful beings and that is part of how they naturally retain juvenile characteristics and traits throughout most of their lives.

Many things can be resolved or trained through play and from the dog’s perspective it is, in my opinion, the very best way for them to learn. A play session with yourself in general, or with yourself with an added object or toy brought into the frey generates pleasurable emotions and makes learning and the mental effort much easier for the dog.

Humans can have issues with playing. What I mean with that is not truly letting themselves go, especially if it is in front of others, whereas dogs have no such inhibition.

I say…find the BIG kid inside of you and play your heart out. It’s there, deep down within you…

Your dog will fully respond to you and recognise when your head is truly in the playing game.

And it will make all the difference. It doesn’t have to be verbal, in fact needs no sound from you at all, no cues, no commands, no hassle…just play.

In doing so you can still teach a pause, a take, a leave, reciprocal movements, chase, you can take it up and down a level as required, and you can slip in all sorts of stuff with handle signal and body language alone which resembles any obedience type stuff you have been trying to train otherwise.

Your dog will have no issue picking it up. It is mistake free learning, only fun…but memorable.

Once you learn to work with different tempos you can teach any valuable behaviour you can use in everyday life…and your dog’s focus on you will improve tenfold.

But to that, to achieve that…find that BIG kid on you.

It’s there just waiting to be let out!

Spaniel Puppy TrainingA lovely introductory session with this spaniel puppy and its first experience with a gun dog retr...
10/09/2025

Spaniel Puppy Training

A lovely introductory session with this spaniel puppy and its first experience with a gun dog retrieving dummy.

I love to see the difference in how some dogs feel when they pick up a dummy in comparison to a ball they’ve been used to having in their mouth.

For some the revelation is instantly apparent and one can see how ‘good’ it feels and how they love to parade with it.

It’s the beginning of a great desire to retrieve and if the skill is brought along steadily it’s one of the most useful activities you can have with your spaniel as it teaches an assortment of behaviours which are applicable to every day life:

Recalls

Presenting and giving up items

Steadiness and going out only on command

Solid obedience training

And a deep bond between owner and dog.

What’s not to love?

Does your dog play fetch or retrieve for you?

There’s a big difference!

Contact www.action4dogs.co.uk to take your training up a level.

I Train the Stay beside Me.Stay is often trained with us facing a dog with an outstretched arm and open palm while we wo...
10/09/2025

I Train the Stay beside Me.

Stay is often trained with us facing a dog with an outstretched arm and open palm while we work on distance and duration.

My preferred functional Stay as a life skill and as a valuable tool when walking a dog is to teach the dog to stay steady by my side while others approach and pass us.

It is normal for a young dog to want to pull towards a potential meeting of another dog or human. I think it a much more powerful and functional alternative to the ‘Look at Me!’ exercise.

I want my dog to see the world and learn how to control its impulses.

I want it as a road skill while cyclists, pedestrians, farmers on quads, horse riders, and other dog walkers pass us on the road, or even if I answer a knock at my front door to someone, or in a general greeting.

I want my dog to see everything going on around it and still be attentive.

A steady stay taught with command and hand signal where the dog is directly at our side is a very different behaviour than the one commonly taught.

It takes time, exposure training and gives a whole new meaning to the term steadiness. A socially steady dog is a dog that has learned to adapt to several levels of self-control.

Would you benefit from this behaviour with your dog?

The next time you train your dog to stay, try training it with this slight variation but entirely different meaning to the term Stay.

Enjoying the remainder of a tea break with the dogs at a Day Care Centre when training staff some years back...Managing,...
09/09/2025

Enjoying the remainder of a tea break with the dogs at a Day Care Centre when training staff some years back...

Managing, interacting, and communicating with multiple dogs at once always felt right!

The Vital Recall ingredient!The recall command, whistle, reward, treat or toy…are all useful tools in training a recall ...
05/09/2025

The Vital Recall ingredient!

The recall command, whistle, reward, treat or toy…are all useful tools in training a recall but at some point during the training they will become impotent…

The dog doesn’t come to the whistle or command…it comes to the person behind it.

That takes some depth of work on the relationship aspect of the training.

Of course, there are some recall cases where other measures need to be explored if the dog is an out and out absconder or risk to itself and others.

But generally, much can be done with solid relationship work with the human where a strong partnership and leadership is behind the tools and training that are used.

A recall issue is not only a recall issue, there are usually other areas in the relationship between human and dog that can be improved and strengthened.

‘If we don’t have the dog’s mind…we will always wrestle with the body…’

Devotion!First and foremost I encourage clients to form a deep relationship with their dogs. I’m not talking about speci...
04/09/2025

Devotion!

First and foremost I encourage clients to form a deep relationship with their dogs.

I’m not talking about specific training, structure, and rules and boundaries although those things are imporaht.

I mean everything that contributes to deep companionship…

Intimate moments…

Affection…

Play…

Taking dogs on adventures with you, trekking, camping, meeting friends etc…

Being there when your dog’s emotional needs demand it…

And simply resting, relaxing…together.

Knowing how dogs see the world is well worth investing in research which will help you to a degree determine your own dog’s feelings.

You are everything…

The ultimate reward…

The best companion…

The greatest leader…

The protector…

And the most fun being to be with…

Above all, you are the rock!

Dogs need a rock to lean on sometimes…

This post is not fancy words or fluffy stuff…

It is the foundation of the relationship you build upon.

The Bond!

And dogs will pay it back tenfold!

Biologist and animal behaviourist Marc Bekoff who wrote The Emotional Lives of Animals and many other papers on animal e...
03/09/2025

Biologist and animal behaviourist Marc Bekoff who wrote The Emotional Lives of Animals and many other papers on animal emotions, was also close working friend and colleague of Jane Goodall.

I hosted Marc in Edinburgh some moons ago for a 2 day seminar and people travelled from all over Europe to attend.

He was an all round great guy and we shared some laughs as well as very compelling conversations about the emotional lives of dogs.

I learned a lot from this gent!

A true pioneer for animal behaviour.

This picture with Marc, myself, and members of the PDTE (Pet Dog Trainers of Europe)

The Red Labrador This stunningly beautiful young boy of dark chestnut colour is perhaps one of the deepest coloured Red ...
01/09/2025

The Red Labrador

This stunningly beautiful young boy of dark chestnut colour is perhaps one of the deepest coloured Red Labradors I have seen lately.

Fox Reds have become increasingly popular in recent years and I have worked with more than a few. Although black, yellow, and liver are the generally recognised colours the Reds are identified as one of the various shades of the Yellow Lab.

This is an exuberant and excitable young chap who at 10 months of age has become well aware of his developing physical strength and in turn this causes some difficulties in walking on the lead for his owner.

I never focus on only one thing when addressing a training issue. I always advise that an owner learns to do several things well and tackles the problem from different angles.

Recalls: short, sharp, and speedy drills are great for building communication and using various tools including voice, body language, and the correct way of using a whistle (there is a right and wrong way to use one). They are also great in learning to dig deep into your motivational powers to train your dog.

Instinct training: Using a dogs natural capacity to hunt, pick up, and retrieve enormously boosts the teamwork between owner and dog. This is a great way to connect and bond.

Lead work and handling skills: Using the above factors to bring it all together into communicating and walking on lead by training focus, steadiness, calmness, and achieving oneness.

Training is a process of learning and application, of joining two brains together to work together, understanding a dog’s point of view…and allowing the time for something to work.

If you would like to achieve that level with your dog you can contact me:
www.action4dogs.co.uk

Handling Skills & Walking on LeadAnother lovely natured Labrador Retriever to work with. Young exuberant Labradors are a...
29/08/2025

Handling Skills & Walking on Lead

Another lovely natured Labrador Retriever to work with.

Young exuberant Labradors are a joy to watch grow but when they grow they become very strong with that enthusiasm they have.

Excitement and arousal may induce then to pull on lead in anticipation of the walk ahead, or when another dog comes on the scene and the prospect of meeting or play arises, or strong scent whipped up by a breeze can kick those powerful noses into action.

Training your dog to walk on lead and be at heel when required is not only one of the most important behaviours to teach and train, but it is also hugely useful in enhancing the communication and focus betwwwb owner and dog.

It takes practise, especially through those early months of development.

If it has become a habit and you dread walks and see them as a chore because of the physical stress it puts on you, don’t despair because with a little work things can be turned around.

It is never too late to train or teach so thing new…

Of course old habits die hard and are stubborn to move but with some structure to your training a level can be reached where you can enjoy walks and have commands and behaviours you can rely on.

Training is all about practise and commitment to achieve your goals, it just needs to be consistent and done little and often to change things as they are.

This 3 year old dog fits all of the descriptions above and I know with some dedicated practise lead walks will improve and be something the owner looks forward to as much as the dog does.

It is often quoted ‘It is the dog’s walk…’

I disagree, it is YOUR walk and a walk YOU should enjoy with your dog, by being connected and having trained behaviours and handling skills you can rely on.

Happy training folks!

Labrador Puppy TrainingI have the privilege of working with this lovely young boy of 16 weeks.He has a lovely temperamen...
28/08/2025

Labrador Puppy Training

I have the privilege of working with this lovely young boy of 16 weeks.

He has a lovely temperament and while some pups can be full of energy and zest, this is suite a laid back boy who is curious, takes in his surroundings, and is quite attentive to his owners.

All great qualities…although pups must be pups and he has his moments too.

Laying the foundations of early recall training and lead work. I always encourage my client to keep in mind that their dog is just a dog, and even more so that their pup is just a pup.

Training has only just started and is nowhere near the finished article. Recall, lead work, handling skills, and obedience training is something that will be instilled all the way through adolescence and into maturity.

The important thing is to lay a good foundation you can build upon both in your general training and in your relationship. Both need good structure and ongoing development.

Don’t rush, take your time, but don’t neglect to put in the practise, teach, and lay rules and boundaries from the offset.

They will stand you in good stead!

Some mischevious rogue has been in the training cupboard and helped himself…
26/08/2025

Some mischevious rogue has been in the training cupboard and helped himself…

Address

Penicuik
EH260NB

Telephone

+447999866989

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Action 4 Dogs Edinburgh & Lothians Dog Trainer posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Action 4 Dogs Edinburgh & Lothians Dog Trainer:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Our Story

Action 4 Dogs Dog Training founded by me, Max Muir. I am based in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

I am proud to be Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland Scio Behaviour Consultant & Trainer for the past 17 years.

I cover all of Scotland and the north of England by appointment.

Personal Training Sessions Empowering You With Amazing Skills Effective Handling Skills & Use of Equipment Puppy Training & The Ultimate Start-Up Guide Adolescent Training-Coping With Your Teenager Behaviour Modification & Problem Solving Solutions Online / Telephone consultations Private & Discreet Service Mentoring-Supervision & Guidance to bring the best trainer out in you! Private lessons and home visits are designed to suit your individual needs and they can be arranged in your home or a location of your choosing. Private coaching training service also caters for puppy training, basic obedience and response training, and the teaching of handling skills. Training topics include: Recall Training Specialist Obedience Training Training Impulse Control / Steadiness, and Self Control Daily Stimulation & Enrichment Canine Handling Skills and Use of Equipment I hosts regular seminars and workshops with guest speakers which are held throughout the year. A am also available for you to host for presentations and workshops on a wide variety of dog related subjects. Give me a call or please visit my website www.action4dogs.co.uk