With behaviour work there is usually an underlying reason why your dog acts the way they do. These reasons can include; what they’ve been bred for, something they’ve experienced previously, what their early puppy development was like, a strong emotional motivation (like fear or frustration) and, in some cases, pain or a medical reason. The ability to ‘fix’ the behaviour will depend on many different factors. Sometimes the behaviour will resolve once some changes have been made or once the underlying issues have been addressed and ‘solved’ (where possible), other times behaviour modification will need to be put in place, which works to change how a dog feels about something (which is usually where CAB or VB involvement is needed). Ultimately, though, I cannot make any guarantees when it comes to your dog’s progress, however, I am committed to helping both dog and owner to get the best results possible, with welfare always my top priority.

This is not something any qualified and ethical profession will be able to tell you. There are so many factors that go into how long it takes behaviour change to happen, including the behaviour itself, the underlying causes, how strictly the training plan is adhered to, any adjustments that need to be made, aspects in your own life, the involvement of other professionals and simply uncontrollable factors such as situations that may happen which make the behaviour worse or create a set-back.

I do not like to refer to myself as a ‘behaviourist’ as I believe this term should be reserved for individuals who have reached Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB) or Veterinary Behaviourist (VB) accreditation, or equivalent. I prefer to use the term Behaviour Specialist as I am an Animal Behaviour Technician with the ABTC, meaning that I have been assessed and accredited to be able to work with behaviour cases, but I am limited in what I can advise and what modification techniques I can put in place, case depending, referring to a CAB or VB where necessary, until I have achieved the necessary qualifications and experience to be accredited as a CAB myself. You can find out more about the definitions by visiting the ABTC website here.

Sadly, the dog training and behaviour industry remains unregulated, meaning that anyone can call themselves a trainer or behaviourist, regardless of qualifications and experience, which is something I believe needs to be changed, for the safety of all dogs and their owners.

There is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes when it comes to behaviour support. It also requires a higher level of both knowledge & understanding and practical skills, which equates to a higher level of qualification or certification and experience.

All of our Behaviour Support options include a tailored follow-up behaviour support plan and either written, visual or recorded resources to help with understanding and practicing what is being implemented, along with informative guides to help broaden your knowledge of your dog’s behaviour and any changes you might be needing to make going forward. You will also have full support via Whatsapp between sessions, within business hours, for any questions or concerns you may have.

Once again, accessibility for disabilities is vital and something I believe in strongly. Please be sure to let me know of any accommodations you require in advance - you will be prompted to do so during the booking process but if there is anything you forget to include, please email me - and I will do everything I can to ensure these are met.