About Us
Experienced | Supportive | Professional
"We need essential projects designed to bring excellence to dog guardians. That's what I believe Without Worry Canine Education will represent in the dog training and parenting landscape."
(Marco Adda, Canine Researcher & Educator)
Meet The Team
Without Worry Canine Education is the brainchild of Lisa Hird and Dale McLelland, accredited canine behaviour specialists with over 40 combined years of teaching experience.
Dale McLelland: Co-director
Dale McLelland specialises in complex or challenging behaviours in dogs. Based in Ayrshire, Scotland, she runs her own business "Being Canine" as a practising canine behaviourist. She is an accredited Fear Free Dog Training Professional.
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Dale uses non-aversive, positive reinforcement dog training methods to provide effective and practical behavioural advice. The statement "train with the brain not with pain" is one that particularly sums up her ethos. Her philosophy is all about you having fun with your dog.
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Lisa Hird: Co-director
Lisa Hird is a practising canine behaviourist and runs her own business "Dog Behaviour Clinic", in Lincolnshire, working closely with local vets and several dog rescues. She is an accredited Fear Free Dog Training Professional.
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Lisa believes in relationship-centred training and consideration for the individual dog.
Marco Adda: Affiliate
We are delighted to have Marco Adda as our affiliate and collaborator. Marco is an Independent Researcher, Dog Behaviour and Wellbeing Consultant, Educator, Animal Advocate and Rescuer, with a significant background in social work, bodywork, human development and team building. He is a Professional Member of the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) and the Animal Behaviour Society (ABS) among others, and Founder of Anthrozoology Education Dogs & Canines (AEDC), Portugal Focus animal Help, Integral Neurosoma and other projects. Marco also runs his own courses under the AEDC.
Janice Macleod: Affiliate
Janice Macleod is a Registered Veterinary Nurse with over 10 years’ experience working in first opinion small animal veterinary medicine. She also gained a BSc (Hons) VN from Napier University in Edinburgh as part of her studies. Janice developed a special interest in behaviour early in her career and was put to the test introducing adopted cat Sid to adopted cross breed Freya. As you can see, introductions were successful!
Janice is an enthusiastic promoter of close communication between veterinary and behavioural expertise when working with dog and their guardians, with a special interest in pain management. She is currently studying towards recognition as a CAM (Canine Arthritis Management) Advocate. She also takes a keen interest in promoting sensitive, compassionate and low key handling as well as environmental and management strategies to reduce stress for dogs attending the veterinary surgery for consultations or as inpatients.
Mike Barnett: Affiliate
Mike Barnett is a canine behaviourist who specialises in the field of investigation of alleged dangerous dog incidents and assessment of dogs that are alleged to be banned breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act, or where dogs have been seized as allegedly being Dangerously Out of Control. He has an extensive knowledge of both Dog Law and investigatory procedures such that his expertise is regularly sought by legal professionals.
Mike has been instructed by many legal practices and has appeared in both Magistrates and Crown Courts throughout the country as an expert witness. He not only acts in the United Kingdom but also internationally. He can be contacted through ourselves at ‘Without Worry Canine Education’ or via his website Orion Dog Services.
Alison McHendry: Affiliate
Alison's passion for animals, learning about animals and improving their lives led her to set up Samadhi Canine Therapies in Fenwick, Ayrshire.
Alison is a qualified canine behaviour specialist but also wanted to help dogs in pain or with health conditions. This led her to qualify as a Galen Myotherapist. Galen Myotherapy is a specific complementary canine muscle therapy specialising in treating postural and loading issues as a result of muscle imbalance and muscle dysfunction and can help all dogs throughout their lives whether for health reasons, for sports and agility or for general maintenance and wellbeing.
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Galen Myotherapy is a choice-led treatment. This means the dog is never restrained, and they have a choice in the treatment. The treatment takes place on the floor or low level and they always work with the dog, respecting their decisions.
While Alison enjoys learning from courses, most of all, she loves learning and working with the dogs and building a trusting relationship.
Our Story
Having discovered a similar approach to techniques, advice and ways of working around dogs, Lisa and Dale decided to use their joint expertise to develop a unique range of accessible, online blended training programmes. Concerned by the lack of regulation in the dog training industry, their aim is to help more dog guardians avoid the harmful information that is often found online.
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Dale and Lisa are both passionate about supporting and helping dog guardians and their dogs to get the very best out of their lives together.
"We only use positive, relationship-based training and do not support the use of coercion, aversives or punishment."
(Dale McLelland & Lisa Hird)
Our Purpose
Carry out an internet search for an unwanted behaviour problem and the search engines will give many solutions. Sadly, many of these solutions are inaccurate, incomplete, or even downright dangerous.
Without Worry Canine Education aims to help widen access to quality, effective but fair training, demystify the world of canine behaviour, raise awareness of non coercive, fear free training alternatives and strengthen and improve the relationships between dog and guardian.
Our Values
We must always consider the emotional needs when working with dogs and humans.
Fear, pain, force and coercion have no place in dog training.
Jill Woodman: Affiliate
Ela Wojciechowska is a practising canine behaviourist, certified Family Dog Mediator and certified nosework instructor. She runs her own business, “Know Your Dog - education for dog carers”. She is a member of CAPBT Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers and vice president of CAPBT in Poland. Her work focuses on educating carers about dog behaviour, needs, and communication.
Using knowledge and experience of working with carers and dogs, she helps to build relationships based on mutual understanding and trust.
In her work, she uses ethology, applied behaviour analysis, and psychology. She continually deepens her expertise by taking part in courses and workshops. She specialises in working with rescue dogs, dogs with fearfulness, dogs with separation disorders, senior dogs, and puppies.
In her work, she uses only free-force methods and treats dog training as fun.
She has three adopted terriers in her care. After working hours, she records the “About Dog” podcast and paints dog portraits. She provides online consultations in Polish and English.
Jill Woodman is a canine behaviourist who specialises in working with sighthounds, particularly ex-racing greyhounds. Growing in popularity as a family pet, with some 4000 homed across the UK annually through the Greyhound Trust alone, many new guardians comment that greyhounds are not like other dogs! Jill seeks to demystify this wonderful breed and support guardians as their pets adapt to home life. Fearfulness, reactivity and separation anxiety are common problems that she addresses.
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Supporting guardians across the UK via online consultations, Jill also offers in-person guidance in the region south of Birmingham, where she is based. She is qualified to Level 6 through the International School for Canine Psychology and has extensive breed knowledge through owning and fostering many greyhounds since 2003, as well as her voluntary work as Welfare Co-ordinator for Greyhound Trust Hall Green. She shares practical advice via her YouTube Channel JW Canine Care and can be contacted via www.jillwoodmancaninecare.co.uk
You Tube Channel link : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChKfmON9aLkbEymh0-ivWuQ
Ela Wojciechowska: Affiliate
Our Accreditations
Dale and Lisa have extensive experience of working with education providers, and writing and delivering regulated qualifications in dog education.
Both Dale and Lisa are individual members of the following organisation:
Elissa & Jack
"Your training is turning me into a responsible owner and Jack into a happy, sociable and (mostly) well behaved dog. I would - and frequently do - recommend your services to anyone."