Dog Behaviour Support
How It Works
My approach is to gain a deep understanding of the dog and its background and lifestyle, which generally reveals the underlying causes of the unwanted behaviour. Understanding your dog and the triggers for the behaviour is the first step towards making the necessary changes. Here’s how we proceed:
Step 1 – The Basics
Initially, we have a telephone conversation about your dog and what you want to achieve. I shall most likely ask you to obtain a referral from your veterinary surgeon. The reason for this is that some unwanted behaviours are caused by underlying medical problems and it's important to rule these out before we start - it may be that a visit to the vet is all that is needed. In other cases, it may be necessary for me to work together with your vet to tackle the problem with a combination of medication and behavioural adjustment training.
Step 2 – Information Gathering
If we agree to proceed, I shall ask you to complete the Dog Lifestyle Form on this page and I shall then contact you to arrange a telephone consultation which takes around an hour. During this session, I share with you insights to help you understand what is going on for your dog and what is causing the behaviour. We then schedule the home visit and I follow up with a written summary and advice sheets.
Step 3 – Home Visit
The home visit provides an opportunity for me to assess your dog in its home environment and see what is working and what is not. We will normally incorporate a walk so I can observe your dog's response to the outdoor environment, where many problem behaviours occur. We shall work on practical exercises to help make the changes you are seeking. Together we will develop a plan that you feel comfortable with. I will be honest with you about the amount of work and the time needed to get where you want to be.
Step 4 – Ongoing Support
We have got this far and I’m not going to abandon you now – most of the hard work still lies ahead. I remain on hand for telephone advice and support for as long as you need it. Additional home visits may be booked separately, if needed.
If we agree to proceed, I shall ask you to complete the Dog Lifestyle Form below and, in some cases, to seek a referral from your vet
Fees
- Behaviour Consultation Fee – £150
- Behaviour Consultation with written recommendations tailored to your dog, together with advice sheets
- Additional Home Visits – £50
- Travel costs may apply outside Lancaster area
Payment is due on the day of the consultation. Cash, card, BACS or cheque payments accepted.