27/12/2024
What to expect when you contact me, as a qualified behaviourist.
📱 An initial call to discuss the issues & establish if it's a training or behaviour issue.
Training and behaviour are two very different things, I can help with both but we need to find which is the best approach.
Training is less in-depth and complex than behaviour.
💳 When we book an appointment, I will ask for a 50% non refundable deposit.
The remainder being payable on the day I visit.
🩺 A request from me, to see your dogs clinical notes from your vet.
📅 If your dog hasn't seen a vet recently, I will ask you to book an appointment for a clinical examination.
if I feel it necessary, I will contact your nominated vet and explain anything relevant that was mentioned during our call.
I have a good working relationship with all the local vets & take referrals from them on a regular basis, we often work together alongside owners on cases.
😖 Undiagnosed pain and discomfort are the underlying cause responsible for around 80% of behaviour issues. ( Ref CAM )
🤓 I will read and interpret those notes, this will help me to identify any medical causes underlying the behaviour issue.
🐾 A vet and behaviourist are very different roles, not all vets have behaviour knowledge & will be treating the clinical symptoms they're presented with, not all behaviourists especially those unqualified, have little to no veterinary knowledge & won't understand the terminology, meaning things can be missed.
📸 Reading the notes & speaking to the owner helps build a picture of what's going on.
📋 At the consultation, I come to your home to meet you, the dog and any family members involved with the dogs day to day care.
🌲 If your dog doesn't cope with new people in the home, I'll suggest we meet outdoors, if the dog is comfortable in the garden, we can do it there, if not , this can be done at a secure field.
🕶️ During this, I'll be listening to your responses, but also observing your dogs body language closely, this will tell me how the dog is feeling emotionally.
🥣 During the consultation, I will ask about everything related to the dog, from diet, routine, exercise, habits, 💩.
I'll also ask about the human element, though I don't need to know about your diet or 💩 .
Gathering all this information helps me work up to a diagnosis of what is underlying the behaviour issue, once we've got this, I can start putting things in place to help resolve / manage the issues.
It's then a case of regular updates so I can monitor progress & amend anything, it's also regular sessions to move you and the dog forward, so a time & financial commitment is necessary.
The more commitment that goes in, the sooner & better the long term outcome is achieved.
⏰ There is no time limit on behaviour modification though, some dogs take longer than others & lots of things can impact this, the dogs emotional state or owners time.
❤️If your vet is a Fear Free Pets certificate holder, like me, we will also monitor progress with a FAS chart.
Don't worry if they're not, I can still use this approach for monitoring progress of anxiety levels.
👻 Once we've resolved the issue, I don't just disappear and leave you to it, I'm there in the background like a ghost, and always encourage owners to keep in touch and let me know how things are going, once we've worked together, I equip owners with the skills to notice subtle changes early on so we can deal with any potential issues before they escalate.
If you'd like more information, drop me a message.
