Max RandallDog Trainer. Who does more than just train.

Why trainers should never stop learning

15 Oct 2026 · 2 min

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2:08

In this solo monologue, Max Randall reflects on his evolution as a dog trainer. He begins by describing his early career, where he relied on conventional obedience courses and quick‑fix techniques that produced fast, visible results. Those methods turned dog owners into “mini‑trainers” who were tasked with daily drills and management, giving the illusion that the dog’s problem was solved. Over time Max realized that this approach was merely masking underlying behavioral issues and even creating new problems. After studying behaviorists, he pivoted to a philosophy that focuses on uncovering the root causes of a dog’s behavior, using direct training less and less, and employing management only as a temporary scaffold while the real remedy is identified and applied. This shift reshaped his teaching style, and he now feels proud to teach this more nuanced, evidence‑based approach, emphasizing continuous learning for trainers.

Chapters

I have never been more sure about something than when I qualified as a dog trainer, which is mad because I was so wrong. I had done, yeah, all of the courses. I traveled the UK. I'd spent absolutely thousands, and I loved it. You know, for the first time, my dogs were actually doing the things I asked. You know, if you wanted your dog to sit and to down and to stay and to leave things, I was your— I was your bloody guy, mate. And it was good because with the techniques, the dogs learnt fast. People got results fast. People ended their sessions feeling really good, leaving me these nice quick reviews of like, wow, wow, this guy fixed it. Like, blah, so good. Just look at this dog, bro. He was ignoring dogs for the first time in ages after just one session with me. Now, did I really fix a dog obsession issue in one session? Of course I didn't, but it looked like I did. I was actually building a problem, and it took me really long to actually see it. Every plan I handed over to dog owners put them into a shift of work. Train this every day, manage this, look out for this, react this way. I wasn't fixing dogs. I was turning dog owners into mini dog trainers that just Held everything together. And it looked like it worked and so many people fall for it, including me. I realized this and I took a big pivot in my career and I started learning from behaviorists. And this is where I learnt about what is under the surface. And my God, did I start training less and less and less. And that is when the penny dropped for me. I realized that my clients could now actually solve their issues, but I realized management does have its place. Management is what you should be doing now whilst you're learning what the remedy is to that underlying issue. And that pivot in my career is why I feel so proud to teach what I teach and why I'm so happy you are here along the way. So, uh, I'll see you tomorrow.