30,000 BC - 20,000 - 40,000 years ago

Process of dog domestication began when a population of wolves moved to the outskirts of hunter-gatherer camps to scavenge for leftovers.

1859

Newcastle upon Tyne was the scene of the first organised dog show in June 1859, prior to which competitions of various sorts had been held in pubs and clubs up and down the country.

1960

The first professional dog walker is believed to have been Jim Buck, who in 1960 launched his dog walking service in New York City.

1994

I left school at 16 to pursue my passion for the theatre and become a song and dance man. Hi diddle di dee, an actors life for me…

1999

I settled into a council house with my first love and trainee primary school teacher Beth, our first born Alex, and first dog Flo, a mongrel bitch (in every sense of the word). Beth and I marry two years later.

2000

We adopt our second dog Barry, an 18 month old Dogue de Bordeaux, he’s a big lump but a complete angel. Flo hates him, but no more than she hates everyone else. In an effort to help Barry settle in, and fix Flo’s reactivity I take a passing interest in dog training.

2001

Struggling to make ends meet I finally hangs up my tap shoes and put the theatre behind me. A chance recommendation from a friend gets me a job in sales with Imperial Tobacco. I go from budding performer to briefcase mong, but I find I’m pretty good at selling and quickly settle into my new role.

2004

Our second son Tobias is born and our family is complete. I try several times for promotion with Imperial but either my attitude or my face doesn’t fit in with the company culture. I keep trying but resign myself to the idea that I’m not going to progess.

2010

After 9 years with Imperial Tobacco I’m coasting, hitting my targets, collecting my bonuses but bored out of my skull. I start walking dog’s in my local rescue centre as a hobby.

2011

I leave Imperial after 10 years, not knowing what I would do next. I enjoy a few months off, not very keen to get another job in sales. An idea starts to germinate that I can combine my two passions working outdoors, and working with dogs…I tentatively broach the subject to Beth who is shocked but surprisingly supportive of my mad plans.

After much research and deliberation, in November of 2011 Pack Leader Dog Adventures is born. Little did I know but PLDA revolutionises the pet service sector by introducing ‘premium adventures’ in place of the standard ‘walks around the block’.

2012

I attend a 7 day behaviour course with John Rogerson, which changes my life. On the same course I also meet the man who would become my dog training hero and mentor David Davies, under whom I continue my dog training education. I spend the next two years practising and perfecting the training methods to create a ‘training adventure experience’ for my clients dogs.

2013

Pack Leader Dog Adventures goes from strength to strength and becomes the first dog walking business in the UK to win Theo Paphitis small business Sunday award. I also win the If We Can You Can entrepreneur of the year award.

2014

My adventure business is full but I’m not satisfied and want more, so I expand PLDA into online retail store. This becomes an expensive disaster that costs me a business partner, a staff member and a shit load of money. When the store finally goes live I realise I hate selling online, so it’s back to the drawing board….

2015

Bouncing back from the online store debacle I start learning about direct response marketing, lead generation and information products. I begin building an email list and sell my first online dog training course ‘The Dastardly dog transformation Program.’

2016

#proudDommoment as I become a published author with How to Be Your Dog’s Superhero. An online dog training community follows, and a video podcast called the Superhero Dog Onwners Show. The book becomes an Amazon bestseller and its jargon free, down to earth style seems to hit a chord with dog owners all over the world. #doubleprouddommoment as my eldest son Alex joins the family business as Adventure Manager. ’

2017

I’m loving my own work, but I’m sick of seeing pet professionals selling themselves short and constantly complaining about their lack of cash and clients, problems I never had. This leads me to write a second book ‘Walk Yourself Wealthy’. This becomes the pet business bible. I tour the UK with my How to Be Your Dog’s Superhero and Grow Your Pet Business FAST! Seminars.

Later that year, due to demand from hungry pet business owners I launch the Pet Business Inner Circle, this becomes the flagship community for smart, savvy and success driven pet professionals. In October the inaugural Poodle to Pitbull Pet Business Bootcamp is held in Sunderland.

2018

The PBIC grows and transforms the lives of the members who have the balls to embrace my renegade marketing methods. In between delivering two more bootcamps I launch my Diamond and Platinum private mentoring groups. These elite programs offer more help and accountability to ambitious dog trainers, walkers and groomers. I publish my third book, Worry Free Walks, the first in the Street-Smart dog training series, and I launch a weekly podcast for pet business owners called the Poodle to Pitbull Pet Business Podcast.