The Pet Behaviourist - Vanessa Ward

01/01/2025

🥳 Happy New Year 🥳

I think you can only post 10 slides so these are the 10 best months 🤣

Personally 2024 was the year I got married 👰‍♀️❤️🤵‍♂️ hence the wedding prep photos, including hair and make up trials. It’s normal to go for a walk on a beach just after your make up trial right?🤣

Business wise, I saw so many wonderful 1:1 clients and ran many filled classes 🥰

Here’s to this year 🍻 wishing you all health and happiness!

🐶🐱🐰🆘

#2025 #2024

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas from me and Bear!🎄☃️🎅🏻

29/11/2024

The dangers of rawhide 👇

It's that time of year again where the pet store shops will be FULL of different chews so you can spoil your pets.

However a lot of the chews are 100% rawhide, or contain rawhide.

Rawhide has so many dangers associated with it, is undigestible, a choking hazard and not even classed as animal food!

This year, before you pick up the rawhide, consider something more natural for your dog, such as deer antler, beef tendos, pizzles, yak milk chew or vegitable chews.

29/11/2024

Time for a game! Guess the breed 🥰

This is Bentley, who is stunning! I met him this month in my Life Skills classes - but what breed is he? 🤔

I’ll let you know on Tuesday #!

27/11/2024

💊🐾 Behaviour Medication 🐾💊
It’s ok to have some feelings when these are suggested for your pet!

If you’ve ever worried about how behavioural medication might affect your pet, you’re not alone. I’ve created a free guide to help answer some of the questions you may be having.

This guide is here to help you feel more confident in making the best choices for your pet’s happiness and health.

Download your free copy now: https://thepetbehaviourist.wixsite.com/website-5/services-9

26/11/2024

I was on today's episode of Dog Training Bytes, by Mattison of FreedbyTraining!

Here’s what Mattison said and where you can listen ☺️:

Listen here:
https://freedbytraining.wixsite.com/dogtrainingbytes/listen

Vanessa Ward, known as The Pet Behaviourist, is a certified practitioner specializing in dog, cat, and rabbit behavior. With expertise in calm dogs, cat toileting issues, and rabbit welfare, she helps people build harmonious relationships with their pets. Vanessa holds a degree in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen and a PGCert in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare from the Odisee - Online Postgraduate Programme in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare. She offers group classes, private training, behavioral consultations, and online and in-person courses to address common behavior challenges with compassion and expertise.

Dogtrainingbytes episode 22 is streaming on your favorite platform! Follow so you don't miss an episode!

05/11/2024

The biggest lies most people believe about dog training!

1. Your dog isn’t food motivated - if a dog can’t take treats, it’s probably because they are too overworked or over stimulated. Very few dogs are truly not motivated by food. If your dog can take treats sometimes then the situations where they won’t are too hard.

2. The right tool will fix your dog pulling - I maaaaay have mentioned this before, but this is not true. Training, wellbeing and the right emotional state will help with dogs pulling.

3. Your dog is too stubborn to train - honestly dogs don’t really do ‘stubborn’ that’s a very complicated human emotion. If a dog isn’t training it’s probably because they don’t want to right now, don’t understand what you’re asking of them, are too distracted by the environment or aren’t motivated enough.

4. Using treats means you’re bribing your dog - in good training we actively avoid bribery! If the reward comes after the behaviour it isn’t a bribe, it’s payment. When using the training technique called ‘luring’ it can look more like bribing, but again the reward comes after the behaviour.

04/11/2024

Time for a game! Guess the breed 🥰

This is Dave, who is absolutely adorable! I met him this week to help him bond with his new sister- but what breed is he? 🤔

I’ll let you know on Friday!

01/11/2024

Happy Friday everyone and thank you to all my wonderful clients doing the most for their pets this week 🥰

This week I’ve seen:
🐾 a new rescue Pomeranian for reactivity
🐾 Collie for reactivity
🐾 2 French bulldogs, one is a new tiny puppy to help introduce them
🐾 Collie cross who’s learning to settle in cafes
🐾 French bulldog who pulls on his lead in certain situations

Yet its Bear who gets to snooze on the sofa this afternoon 🤣

If you need help with your dog, cat or rabbits behaviour send me a message and we can have a feee chat about how I can help 📩

31/10/2024

Here’s how a dog or pups should look and behave during a training session:

• Engaged
You want your dog or pup to be looking at and interacting with you.

• Confident
If you’re dog or pup seems timid or fearful, you’ve probably progressed too quickly in your training and their not quite ready for this bit yet.

• Focused
If they can’t focus on you, you’ve probably progressed too quickly and they’re not ready for this level of distraction. Opting in a listening to you is what we want.

• Willing
You want them to be trying things and giving it a go! Good rewards help with this.

• Bouncy
This actually depends on what you’re training! In general though bouncy and loose body language means a dog or pups happy and having a good time.

• Enthusiastic
It’s important that they want to train! If they don’t seem enthusiastic stop and try another time. Keep sessions short to maintain enthusiasm and avoid frustration.

Message for info about my next puppy classes, adult classes or for 1:1 help 👇

30/10/2024

This is a shame it’s a lovely place to walk!

⚠️Blue-green algae warning at Pen y Fan pond

The algae produces toxins which can be harmful to both humans and animals. Residents are advised to ensure pets, particularly dogs, do not enter the water of the Pond.

Signage has been placed around the pond and regular inspections of the body of water will continue to take place.

⚠️Rhybudd am algâu gwyrddlas ym Mhwll Pen-y-Fan

Mae'r algâu yn cynhyrchu tocsinau sy’n gallu bod yn niweidiol i bobl ac anifeiliaid. Mae trigolion yn cael eu cynghori i sicrhau nad yw anifeiliaid anwes, yn enwedig cŵn, yn cael mynediad i ddŵr y Pwll.

Mae arwyddion wedi cael eu gosod o amgylch y pwll a bydd archwiliadau rheolaidd o’r dŵr yn parhau i gael eu cynnal.

30/10/2024

All the skills I chose to teach in my dog training classes are essential life skills, or incredibly useful for helping your dog become a happy confident dog - and you to develop into a happy confident dog guardian!

Recall is one of these! 🐕💨

It’s always a really fun lesson too🤣

✨ It’s useful to be able to call your dog to you in the house or in from the garden
✨ It’s a joy to be able to let your dog off lead and be confident they’ll come back
✨ If they slip their lead or get out the house it’s essential to be able to call them back to you

If your dog ignores you I can help in 1:1s, remotely or in classes. The next round of my popular life skills dog classes is starting next week, spaces are limited to keep class size small

Any questions just ask ⭐️
Booking link in comments 👇

Next round of life skills classes info:
🐶 fully vaccinated dogs over 6 months old
🐶 4 weeks consisting of 4 hour long classes in person
🐶 Trainer in your pocket - message me with questions
🐶 Limited spaces to keep class size small - lots of 1:1 attention
🐶 Training handouts and support throughout - refer to if problems arise in the future and no need to note take in class

Location: Tredegar
At: 1915-2015
Dates:
Mondays starting 4th November

29/10/2024

A growl is one of the best and misunderstood forms of communication!

Never 👏 punish 👏 a 👏 growl 👏

Growling isn’t ‘bad’ it’s a form of communication. Normally a growling dog is expressing a dislike of something they’d like to stop or would like more space from. A growling dog is telling us they’re upset, it’s a warning that a dog is needing the situation to change and if it doesn’t they might have to escalate their communication further.

A dog who’s been punished or told off for growling, may stop growling all together. You haven’t changed how they feel about the situation, you’ve just removed the warning. They still feel equally as bad about it, if not worse because now they feel they can’t growl, so they may bite without growling.

I wish humans could growl 🤣 it’s such a clear and simple way of saying “I don’t like what’s happening please stop or give me some space”
Much easier than having to explain yourself!

More on this in my blogpost! Including a scary story time 😳 Click the link in bio 🥰

28/10/2024

3 Reasons your dog would love me as their trainer! 🐶🐾

1️⃣ My reward based training is backed by science
2️⃣ I’ll listen to them and wont use fear, punishment or force
3️⃣ I’ll help them feel better and they’ll have fun along the way!

I also bring the good treats… 🤣

Services I Offer:
📝 1:1 Training Sessions for dogs, cats, and rabbits.
🆘 1:1 Behaviour Consultations for more serious or complicated problems.
🐶 Puppy Classes and Adult Dog Life Skills Classes
📚 Downloadable Courses: Perfect for mastering loose lead walking, recall, and more at your own pace.
☕️💻🍲 Specialty Course: Does your dog need help settling in cafes, restaurants, or workplaces? I’ve got a course just for that!

Whether you’re dealing with a tricky behaviour issue, have a new puppy, or just want to strengthen your bond with your pet, I’m here to help you understand your pet and make positive changes so you can live in harmony together.

About Me:
🎓 I hold a BSc in Zoology and a PGCert in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare.
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 I’m based in South Wales and cover Rhondda, Gwent, Caerphilly, and Torfaen.
🌍 Don’t worry if you’re further away—I also offer remote sessions for clients anywhere in the world!

📞 Contact Me:
Get in touch - the best way is to message me directly on here, some other options are:
• Call/Text: 07469957715
• Email: [email protected]
• Visit: www.thepetbehaviourist.com where I also have a blog and a freebie ❤️

🐶🐱🐰🆘

24/10/2024

• pull on the lead
• not listen
• need to calm down
• doesn’t recall
• counter surf
• bark excessively
• pester you whilst your busy
• jump
• eat things they shouldn’t
(or any other less fun dog behaviour!)?

Then these classes can help you both!

I focus on both ends of the lead and operate with 0 judgement. Sharing your life with a dog that you don’t feel in control of can be very hard!

Any questions just ask, to book a space message me or click the link in the comments 👇

Info:​
🐶 Weekly hour long classes for 4 weeks
🐶 Starting Monday 4th November 1915-2015
🐶 Tredegar
🐶 £100 for the 4 weeks
🐶 Limited spaces to keep class size small
🐶 Access to my Training Hub for all handouts
🐶 Support throughout

23/10/2024

I became a Dog, Cat & Rabbit Trainer and Behaviourist because it’s the closest I can get to talking to animals! 🤣

I always wanted to work with animals so I studied Zoology at uni where I specialised in Ethology, I then earned a PGCert in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare at Online Postgraduate Programme in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare

The more I learnt the more I saw the need for trained professionals in this industry who can spread accurate welfare advice ❤️ Given the prevelance of misinformation out there for the 3 species I work with - make sure you seek behaviour help from someone qualified!

🐶🐱🐰🆘

22/10/2024

This is a hard one 🤣

Dogs have GREAT hearing, so presume they heard you the first time. Repeating your cue again and again will lessen its effectiveness!

They’ll actually learn to ignore you - not what we want!

You want “sit” to mean sit down, not “sit sit sit” 🤣

Of course if you think they genuinely didn’t hear you say it again, but if your dog only responds after you’ve said your cue multiple times it probably means:
• you haven’t proofed the cue enough in this situation
• your rewards aren’t worth your dog listening
• they don’t want to!!

Now that last one’s a bit controversial, but remember they’re sentient beings - not robots. For most cues it’s ok for your dog to opt out of performing them - for life saving cues it’s a different story. I refer to life savings cues as sacred cues. Recall or an emergency stop are examples of these. When training sacred cues I do everything possible to make your dog always want to respond. When trained correctly it almost becomes automatic for them! It’s a more time consuming process than less serious training and has some strict rules which is why it’s often only used on these life saving sacred cues.