Unleashed - Danny Wells Dog Training

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Unleashed - Danny Wells Dog Training Proven trainers with proven methods that guarantee results. Danny’s passion for training dogs is second to none.
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His reputation (as a multi dimensional dog trainer) in rehabilitating dogs that other trainers have deemed a lost cause/untrainable, is forever expanding. He has garnered much respect and esteem among established and well publicized dog trainers/behaviourists, that clients have been referred to him by such people, even from foreign continents.
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Danny's refined methodology for training/rehabilitating dogs' speaks for its self, and with regards to 'working dogs', be it, protection or detection, has completely revolutionised many dog trainers specific approach in how to train working dogs/handlers.
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Danny has worked with a number of the U.K`s leading canine professionals. He regularly attends further learning seminars in order to stay ahead of the curve and also maintain efficient and innovative practices.

14/10/2026

SOME HANDY POINTS WHEN DEALING WITH GENETICALLY FEARFUL DOGS

You cannot change a dog’s genetic character any more than you can fundamentally change a person’s natural temperament. If a dog is genetically predisposed to fear, that predisposition will always be there.

Stop trying to fix something that cannot be fixed and start teaching the dog how to cope.

One of the biggest mistakes we see is how people approach the fight-or-flight response.

Fight and flight work hand in hand. Both are responses to a perceived threat, and both serve a purpose.

Many owners come to us desperate to stop their dog displaying aggression. They recognise the fight response as a problem, yet completely overlook the flight response.

When their dog becomes frightened and attempts to retreat, they allow it to flee, often immediately jumping in with reassurance.

Here’s what people need to understand.

Flight is entirely dependent on the environment and circumstances.

A dog that has learnt to escape every uncomfortable situation may find itself in circumstances where escape simply isn’t possible. When that happens, aggression can become the next available option.

This is particularly concerning in dogs that have already learnt that displaying aggression successfully creates distance from something they fear.

You cannot focus solely on suppressing the fight response while continually allowing avoidance to become the dog’s only coping strategy.

So what do we do instead?

We teach the dog how to cope.

We give it clear direction, structure and a job to focus on. We work at a level the dog can manage, gradually introducing the things it finds frightening without overwhelming it.

Rather than allowing the environment to dictate every response, we teach the dog that it can remain composed, follow guidance and navigate situations it previously struggled with.

Over time, through controlled exposure, repetition and successful experiences, things that once triggered fear can begin to fade into the background.

The goal isn’t to turn a genetically fearful dog into a naturally confident one. That’s an unrealistic expectation.

The goal is to develop a dog that can function despite its genetic predispositions.

And remember, there’s a big difference between a dog that has learnt to cope and one that’s simply too frightened to react.

Good training is about recognising that difference.

You don’t have to change the dog you have. You have to teach that dog how to navigate the world it lives in.

08/10/2026

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING CAN BE A BAD THING!

This German Shepherd is fearfully reactive and has developed an unhealthy attachment to its owner. Rather than simply enjoying their company, the dog has become heavily dependent on it.

Poor genetics can certainly play a part in this, but genetics aren’t always the whole story. In many of the cases we see, dogs have been drip-fed affection and reassurance from the moment they arrive in their new homes. They’ve rarely been given the opportunity to spend time alone, develop independence or learn how to settle without constant human involvement.

When you’ve already got a dog genetically predisposed to fear and anxiety, that lack of independence can make an existing problem considerably worse.

We want our dogs to WANT to be around us. We don’t want them to NEED to be around us.

There’s a big difference!

One of the biggest mistakes owners make is believing that constantly reassuring an anxious dog is helping it. Every time the dog becomes worried, the owner responds with affection, fuss and attention in an attempt to communicate that everything is okay.

The intentions are good, but the outcome isn’t always what they hoped for.

Affection isn’t inherently a problem, nor does comforting a frightened dog automatically reinforce fear. However, when reassurance becomes the dog’s only way of coping with uncertainty, we’re not necessarily teaching it the skills it needs to navigate the world independently.

Instead of developing confidence, learning to regulate its own emotions and understanding that everyday situations aren’t necessarily threatening, the dog can become increasingly reliant on its owner to get through them.

This is where clear, consistent handling, appropriate boundaries and carefully structured exposure to everyday life become so important.

Our job isn’t simply to make our dogs feel loved. It’s to give them the skills and confidence to function in a world that they don’t always understand.

And sometimes that means allowing them to experience a little independence rather than constantly stepping in to reassure them.

Love your dog. Show it affection. Enjoy its company.

But ask yourself one question.

Is the love you’re showing your dog actually benefiting the dog, or is it satisfying your own emotional needs at the expense of its independence?

Because sometimes, too much of a good thing really can be a bad thing.

If you’re struggling with fearful behaviour, reactivity or an overly dependent dog, book an initial assessment with any member of the Unleashed K9 UK team through our website.

www.unleashedk9uk.com

06/10/2026

This GSD came into the assessment highly aroused and reactive. This video shows just one assessment, but the difference in his arousal levels from the beginning to the end is night and day.

One of the biggest problems we see is people misunderstanding what a dog’s body language is actually telling them.

People will look at the before clip, see the frantic movement, high energy and wagging tail and describe the dog as “happy”. In reality, he’s completely over-aroused. His brain is running at 100mph and he’s in no state to make good decisions. That level of arousal is a road to nowhere.

Then they’ll look at the second clip and say the dog looks “sad” because the frantic energy has disappeared.

He isn’t sad. He’s calm.

The vast majority of dogs don’t naturally need to walk around with their tail going like a rattlesnake, constantly scanning, pulling and reacting to everything around them. A calm dog can simply move from A to B without feeling the need to engage with every bit of stimulation in the environment.

We’re no different. When we walk to the shop, we don’t sprint there on high alert, reacting to every person, car and noise we pass. We just walk.

Constant over-arousal in dogs can feed into all sorts of unwanted behaviour and, in some cases, dangerous behaviour. Part of responsible dog ownership is teaching your dog how to calmly and safely navigate a human world.

This dog isn’t fixed. Not even close.

This was one assessment. It’s simply the start of the journey, but getting that arousal down and giving the dog a clearer state of mind gives us somewhere productive to start.

There’s plenty more work to come.

04/10/2026

Another great pack walk, this time, in Sutton Manor.

Well done to all of our fantastic clients and their amazing dogs, on the tremendous improvements they’ve made.

Stay consistent 👊🏻

02/10/2026

This is what correct handling can do with a serious dog.

The before footage shows a Rottweiler that is out of control, highly aroused and a genuine bite risk. He’s making his own decisions, actively looking for conflict and his handler has very little influence over his behaviour.

The after footage is very different.

He isn’t fixed. The underlying desire to bite may always be there and that has to be respected. What has changed is his state of mind when he’s being handled correctly.

Under clear guidance and direction, he’s calmer, following the handler and no longer searching for conflict. That alone massively reduces the risk and gives us something we can actually work with.

This is why handling matters so much.

You cannot effectively change serious behaviour if you cannot handle the dog in front of you. Timing, pressure, movement, awareness and knowing when to intervene all matter.

And good handling isn’t something anybody can simply hand you. You won’t become a good handler because you completed a course or collected a certificate.

Good handling is earned through experience. Through working dogs. Making mistakes. Learning to read them. Developing timing. Knowing when to apply pressure and, just as importantly, when to take it away.

This dog still has a long way to go, but now he’s in a state of mind where the real work can begin.

21/09/2026

Took the words right out of my mouth.

18/09/2026

Anyone who’s worked with dogs for a long time will know there’s a particular type of Border Collie that can be incredibly driven, fearful and scattered in their behaviour.

This is Merlin.

Normally, we’re tasked with things like teaching a dog to walk to heel, improving recall or dealing with reactivity. With Merlin, his problems were far more intrusive into everyday life.

Merlin had a massive issue with anyone entering his personal space. You couldn’t touch his neck, paws or much of his body without getting a huge reaction. He would guard his space and completely lose it over the most basic interactions, crocodile rolling, snapping and twisting himself into a figure of eight around the lead with his paws.

For his owner, even doing normal things with him had become a battle.

This training programme wasn’t simply about obedience. It was about desensitising Merlin to touch and pressure, changing his response to situations he found difficult and teaching him that there was a better way to deal with those moments.

The behaviours Merlin had become accustomed to using had worked for him for a long time. If he kicked off enough, the pressure disappeared. That cycle had to change.

This video follows the journey of my trainer Simon working with Merlin, building trust, creating boundaries and ultimately teaching him how to cope with the everyday expectations of being a pet dog.

Now those foundations have been laid, Merlin is on the conveyor belt of life. The work doesn’t suddenly stop here. As long as the training is followed and he continues having the right experiences, each month that passes gives him more opportunity to become accustomed to relaxing around the things that previously caused him so much stress.

The beginning of this video may be difficult for some people to watch, but this was the reality his owner was dealing with day after day.

There’s massive job satisfaction in helping a dog like Merlin.

He was living in a world of chronic stress, constantly ready to fight against the most basic interactions.

That stress is now massively reduced, and for the first time Merlin and his owner have the foundations to move forward.

09/09/2026

This Rottweiler came to us displaying aggression towards other dogs.

During the initial assessment, we started working through the behaviour and looking at what was driving it. As the session progresses, you can see the dog begin to neutralise, the arousal levels come down and, shortly afterwards, the aggressive response towards other dogs starts to disappear.

It’s important to understand that this isn’t a fix. One good session doesn’t undo an established behaviour pattern, but it does give us a great starting point.

Behaviour modification is a process. Now it’s about building on what we achieved during the assessment, putting the work in between sessions and gradually exposing the dog to different dogs, environments and situations.

A really positive first session and a great start to the journey.

Address

Liverpool
WA10

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Thursday 9am - 5pm
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+447577612912

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