WELCOME

Thanks for taking the time to stop by. As a fellow dog lover, I also want the best for my dogs, including how to show them that they can rely on me to look after them. I am a firm believer that the right training can make a happy, relaxed dog and owner. The process I teach is easy to understand, fun to practice and simple to maintain, without requiring painful gadgets, force, drugs or unrealistic time investment. Dog Listening is straightforward, logical and positive. It is not like other training methods insofar as it gets to the heart of the reason why a dog will behave badly (one dog can have several problems) and gives the owner the ways to change the behaviour in a way that actually makes sense to the dog. Canines have understood each other for thousands of years; Dog Listening is the way for humans to tap into that understanding and use it to make sometimes dramatic improvements in a very short time.

If you have always dreamed of having the best possible relationship with your dog as well as being able to change any problems in a calm and effective way then I can help you achieve your goal. I make learning fun for both you and your dog and the technique is so simple that even young children can understand it.

If your dog has any of these problems – separation anxiety, aggression, non-stop barking, pulling on the leash, no recall, chewing, toileting, fussy eating, nipping/biting, car chaos, fear of noises, jumping on people (the list goes on) – then you have come to the right place. You can start by sending me a message via the Contacts page and I can begin to help you right away! You can also see me helping dogs and giving advice on YouTube, including some of my TV work in Australia and the UK.

HOW I BECAME A DOG LISTENER

When I started being a Dog Listener in 1999, my background was working in a Research & Development department for a large petrochemical company. We would test new products to see if they worked and - more importantly – HOW they worked so we could inform others how to use it properly.

I took the same approach when I started helping my Mum, Jan Fennell, as she began experimenting with her idea of tapping into the way that dogs actually think to revolutionise dog training. When she regularly spoke of her findings with me, I would ask myself (and her) if it worked and HOW it worked. For me, if this method, which is kind and respects a dog’s true nature, was to be truly effective, it had to be easy to explain so everyone could do it. I could see the change in her dogs which was impressive enough on its own. What I loved about the method just as much was it was done calmly and that is was easy to understand. Plus, it made sense!

I started to help Mum when people all over the country began asking for help with their dogs too. I would travel “long distance” (at the beginning, this meant journeys of over 3 hours by car) and do home consultations for frustrated dog owners who had tried everyone else with no success. In many cases, Mum and I were the Last Chance Saloon for many dogs whose owners had been advised by “experts” to be killed. We would give the people the answers and techniques that literally saved their dog’s life over and over again.

I love what I do so it was as easy decision to change career. Since then, “long distance” has taken on a new meaning, and I have been lucky enough to travel all over the world helping people and dogs to have happier lives.

My mission is to help as many people as possible to avoid the common mistakes in traditional dog training (some of which can be distressing to dogs and people alike) and to give them the tools to solve all kinds of problems easily, effectively and calmly.

In all my years as a Dog Listener, I have had the privilege of travelling around the world helping countless dogs and people to get along. In some cases, it has been the difference between a dog living and dying. I have been fortunate to work with police dogs and guide dogs as well as advising many dog rescue organisations globally. Helping these dogs (I’ve rescued a few my time too) is a particular passion. Fostering, rehabilitating and ultimately keeping Gypsy – the little stray dog that was found badly injured on a railway track after being hit by a train – has been one of the most wonderful experiences as a Dog Listener… and dog lover.

Have fun learning and enjoy getting the best relationship possible with your 4-legged friend :)

Best wishes, Tony