Pet Behavior Consulting, LLC

04/06/2025

Amazing! Physical fitness and care is so important to keep your pets happy, healthy and alive for their best life possible!

🌟 We are so excited to announce that our SECOND location in Northampton is opening on Monday, April 28th! 🌟

Please join us for our open house on Saturday, April 26th from 11a-2p to celebrate 🤩🤩

We are accepting new clients; give us a call or email to schedule a visit with us!

📞 413-300-9755

📧 [email protected]

📍 137A Damon Rd, Northampton MA

04/06/2025

We are looking to hire someone to open our small kennel in the morning and help start the day for a great group of dogs and humans! We specialize in behavioral wellness and want the dogs to have the best possible time while they are here. We invest a lot in continuing education and on-site learning so our team is actively engaged and invested. Working with dogs requires patience, attention to detail, reliability, consistency and compassion. Working with teammates and owners requires good communication skills, kindness, diplomacy, ethics and honesty.

Our kennel has ten indoor-only suites and we also have dogs come spend the day with us for day training. Caring for the dogs includes feeding, medicating, cleaning their space and providing them with awesome enrichment and exercise. You would also be greeting owners to check their dogs in or send them home.

We use a lot of technology here so our ideal candidate would be comfortable using multiple phone apps, google voice, sheets and docs. We use Gingr as well so familiarity with that is a bonus. Our kennel is part of our barn and the farm property is 18 acres. The job includes various farm work. We are happy to explain the job duties in detail if youre interested in learning more!

If you enjoy working with dogs and are interested in training or dog behavior, send us a resumé at [email protected]. You can also contact us through the website.

Pay is hourly and weekends/holidays are a must. Depending on experience the pay scale is $16.50-$20/hour. The morning shift is 6:30am-2:30pm and the PM shift is 12pm-8pm. Shift hours have a fair amount of flexibility. We are located in Granby, MA.

03/22/2025

Join our Puppy Play Group! 🐾 Bring your pup to a fun, safe environment where they can socialize, learn new skills, and burn off energy! Perfect for puppies 8 weeks to 20 weeks. Sign up today and watch your puppy thrive in a playful, supportive setting!


https://petbehaviorconsulting.as.me/puppyplaygroup2025

01/27/2025

This is absolutely relevant and real, friends. Please read. Infected birds have been found just a few miles from here at UMass.

There have been rising concerns regarding bird flu or avian flu. It has even been in the news that there have been some deceased geese found at UMass that tested positive for the bird flu. Though birds and poultry are most affected by bird flu, the virus can sometimes jump to other species as well—including our pets.

Though both dogs and cats can get infected with bird flu, sources state that cats may be at a higher risk of infection. Additionally, there have been more cases of bird flu H5N1 infecting cats than dogs in recent times.

Outdoor cats may be at a higher risk of contracting the H5N1 virus since they may instinctively hunt or ingest wild birds—which may be carrying the virus. However, in the same way, dogs that spend unsupervised time in the backyard (and have a history of eating or scavenging birds) may also be at risk.

In addition, both dogs and cats may be at risk of getting bird flu if they consume raw or freeze-dried poultry-based diets. Your kitty tabby might be a vicious mouser. But house cats are not wild animals, and most veterinarians advise against feeding companion animals raw food because of pathogens like salmonella and listeria. The risks of raw diets have become even more pronounced in recent months due to the ongoing spread of the H5N1 bird flu.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐮 𝐈𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐬 & 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐬?
Symptoms of bird flu in cats and dogs include the following:
• Respiratory distress and difficulty breathing
• Coughing and sneezing
• Lethargy or weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Red or inflamed eyes
• Neurological symptoms like tremors and seizures (in severe cases)

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬, 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐥𝐮?
While there is a widespread infection of bird flu amongst wild birds, it is recommended to take the following preventative measures to help protect your pets:

1. 𝙇𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘽𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙨:
• Prevent pets from interacting with wild birds, bird droppings, or bird feeders.
• Keep dogs on a leash and supervise outdoor activities.

2. 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚:
• Keep cats indoors, especially during outbreaks, to reduce hunting of infected birds.
• Monitor dogs in your yard to ensure they don’t interact with birds or contaminated areas.

3. 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙃𝙮𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙚:
• Clean and disinfect pet food and water bowls regularly, especially those kept outside.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling birds, bird feeders, or any outdoor surfaces that might be contaminated.

4. 𝘼𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙍𝙖𝙬 𝙋𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙐𝙣𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙚𝙙 (𝙍𝙖𝙬) 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙠:
• Refrain from giving your pets raw or undercooked poultry products or raw milk, as they can harbor viruses and bacteria.
The above measures help reduce your pets’ risk of exposure, which also helps keep the household safe—since the virus can be transmitted from pets to humans.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧
If your pet dog, cat, or bird shows any signs of illness after potential exposure to wild birds, droppings, or contaminated environments, contact your veterinarian immediately. Early intervention can make all the difference.

01/24/2025

Power Paws Canine Rehabilitation is the best! Pain is a highly underestimated element in behavior wellness. Working with Melinda and her team can help chubby dogs get slim, help broken dogs get fixed, help sound dogs stay that way, and help all dogs be their best self.

She's got a place right here in Granby, MA and will soon be able to serve clients in Northampton, too. Basically, there's no reason not to go!

⭐️ Power Paws is now accepting new clients! ⭐️


We are proud to offer an array of services to help any and all pets who come to us!

Did you know that we accept more than just dogs? We accept most animals (except for equines!)

✨ Underwater treadmill
✨ Massage sessions
✨ Laser therapy
✨ Shockwave therapy
✨ Exercise plans and more!

Why come to us?

💙 Senior pet care: Our services help promote longevity of senior pets and help them remain active within their families. Gentle exercises, water treadmill, massage etc keep your pet moving and fit. Melinda and Krista will come up with a plan to suit each individual.

🩵 Conditioning, Strengthening and General exercise: Is your pet looking for something new to do? Winter is a difficult time to ensure active pets get enough exercise. We can assure you that your pet will be ready for a nap after leaving their appointments with us!

💚 Surgery or Injury Recovery: Physical Rehabilitation post surgery or post injury makes a substantial difference in your pet’s recovery process! We will tailor a plan specifically for your pet and their recovery needs.

🧡 Weight loss for your pet: Water treadmill, weekly weigh ins, and a diet modification plan have helped many pets reach their ideal weight.

To request a consultation and meet us:

☎️ (413) 300-9755

📧 [email protected]

12/31/2024

Westbrook Veterinary Hospital always has good advice for the holidays! Our pets don’t understand holidays and they can be stressful. Make sure you are taking your pet’s welfare into account so you don’t have to call Elise or PBC for help in the New Year :) Let’s make 2025 the year of training for fun, not because of anxiety or aggression. 🎊🥳🍾🎉

𝘼𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩 1𝙥𝙢 𝙩𝙤𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮. 𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙩 8𝙖𝙢.

We're counting down to the New Year with these pet safety tips!

While New Year's Eve celebrations can be fun for us humans, our furry friends can become easily scared during the festivities. As many pet owners know, New Year's Eve fireworks can be a stressful time for our pets. They are more sensitive to loud noises, lights, and the smells that firework leaves behind.

To better prepare you and your pets, here are some helpful tips:

🐾Keep An Eye on the Alcohol
Keep alcohol out of your pet's reach. Alcohol ingestion in pets can lead to unsteady walking, lethargy, vomiting, and respiratory depression. In severe cases or when left untreated, alcohol intoxication can cause seizures, organ system failure, and even death.

🐾Keep Your Furry Friends Indoors
Fireworks and loud noises can spook your pet into running away. It's best to keep them indoors and make a safe space-including their crate, blankets, and toys for additional comfort. During the fireworks, you can play music or have the tv on to mask the noise.

🐾Exercise Your Pet During The Day
Exercise your pet before the New Year's Eve Festivities to help release extra energy and tucker them out. If they are super tired, pets are more likely to nap or rest through the festivities.

🐾ID Your Pet
Make sure your pet has the correct identification, such as an updated ID tag and microchip. This will increase the likelihood of your pet being returned to you if they turn up missing.

We wish you all a safe and Happy New Year!

12/31/2024

Great for expecting parents-to-be!

Are you expecting or know someone who is expecting? Are you a grandparent or other caregiver who will be caring for a baby with a dog present in the home? We are holding a "Dogs & Storks - Preparing Families w Dogs for Life w Baby" on-line Zoom presentation Sat. Dec. 28th at 10:00 AM. Preparing ahead increases success and decreases stress! Keep everyone safe and dogs in their home. Registration fee is $65.00 and presentation runs 2 hours. Email [email protected] to register. More information under our Dog & Baby tab on our website at pawsofnature.com.

11/22/2024

News on our non-profit as well as a more personal and vulnerable explanation of the origin and roots of this heartfelt and exciting project.

So excited that our website is now live! Visit our simple and concise site to learn more about our services and vision.

Next up…
• Thank yous to everyone who has donated so far
• Grant application goes up on the site so struggling pet owners can apply for support
• Therapy dog program kicks off in early 2025!
• Our brand new boarding suite becomes available for Board & Train or day training as part of grant support. It’s gorgeous, wait until you see the pictures!

It’s amazing how much joy, enthusiasm and inspiration is generated from a project like this. Already, I have seen the seeds of a growing community of supporters begin to sprout. People want to help. People understand the struggles and come with amazing expertise, ideas and generosity.

For me, personally, it’s been a deeply personal and healing experience to create this. In 2004, I dropped to the ground, in the middle of a road, uncontrollably crying. My dog couldn’t handle seeing a person or dog 100 yards away. He needed shoulder surgery and he was barely nine months old. I had no money. I begged my credit card to extend my limit and they refused. I sold things, I worked two full-time jobs - a night shift and day shift - and a third part-time job. I heated my bed with cookie sheets I’d warmed in the oven to save on heat.

In addition to working close to 100 hours a week, I bartered assisting in training classes in order to take free classes. I tried, and tried, and tried. But I didn’t know how to train something like this, I didn’t even know how to live with my dog without second guessing every decision I made. Everyone had an opinion and most of them dismissed the situation as me being overly dramatic or intense, just another neurotic woman making mountains out of molehills.

I was brutally shamed online when I sought support - so severely that even 20 years later I won’t ask for help online even when it’s not a loaded topic. I was told I didn’t deserve to have a dog, told it was a mistake that a breeder had sold me a dog and reminded many times that this was absolutely my fault.

There was hardly any reactive dog community back then and resources were scarce. I found Pam Dennison’s book, Bringing Light to Shadow and held that book so close to my heart that I practically have it committed to memory. I found Tibby Chase and although she hardly knew me, her emphatic belief in my abilities and talents lifted me back up. I found Brenda Aloff and with kindness, brilliance, many curse words and endless patience that amazing woman transformed my entire understanding of dogs and our relationships with them.

I know the isolation, loneliness, despair, frustration, shame, helplessness, anger (on and on, right?) of owning a reactive, aggressive dog. I know what it means to fight to find a solution regardless of the negative blowback.

And so it will come as no surprise that this organization is my way of saying I believe you, I understand how hard it is, and I have created a way to help that will support you and your dog without having to fight every step of the way.

Between the brilliant team working with me, as well as my hard-earned and strong expertise with complicated dog behaviors, I know that many people and their dogs will have better lives and better relationships.

Let’s go!
- Elise

Picture of my beloved, reactive Kai, in a rather ironic press release promoting doggy daycare (a story for another time).

11/21/2024

Addressing your dog’s physical needs and health is so important for their behavioral wellness. PBC dogs are at Power Paws Canine Rehabilitation every week working on weight loss, muscle conditioning, balance and stability.

The difference you can see is impressive. With stronger bodies, improved balance and core stability there are changes in their confidence, stamina with training, overall mood, and general willingness to do what’s asked of them.

You’ll be in good hands with Melinda and her team - and with a 15% discount there’s no excuse not to support a local business that’s woman owned and operated!

Does your pet need some help getting back to his or her self after an injury? Does your senior pup struggle to get up more than they used to? Here's your chance to save a bit of money and get an initial consultation with us! DM, book through the website or call us at 413-300-9755. 🐶🐕🐩🐾

*appointments booked through the website will receive a credit on account for future services

11/09/2024

Only 5 spots left in our Foundations 1 class starting on November 16th! Come join us to learn all about your dog working around distractions, learning all the basics, reading your dog’s body language, and what motivates them to work for you. Follow the link below to sign up today! Starts Saturday, November 16th, at 9am.

https://petbehaviorconsulting.as.me/foundations11116

11/03/2024

We have an amazing day training program, I don't know of anything else like it. We've grown so much and want to fine tune somethings. If you would fill out this 4 minute survey, it would help SO many dogs, owners and trainers!

Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

10/24/2024

Pizza and pumpkins and a lot of laughter! The team humors my love of Halloween and today we carved pumpkins while watching a webinar on dogs. Duke and Halo kept us company so we even got a little training in! For those of you curious about what happens behind the PBC curtain, well, this is it. Real life, real work, real fun, real training and really good people. Come visit our masterpieces on Saturday afternoon during our Halloween party! www.petbehaviorconsulting.as.me/rhalloween2024

09/27/2024

Chemo with dogs doesn’t show up the same way as it can with humans. When I first heard of chemo for dogs I was shocked and felt like it was extreme to put a dog through something like that for maybe a few more months. Well, no surprise that actually educating myself with these crazy things called FACTS helped me have a whole new understanding. I’m so glad Integrity Veterinary Center wrote this so the facts are available for all dog owners!

Broadly speaking, chemotherapy involves using different medications to treat cancer. There are many kinds of chemotherapy medications, and they work in multiple different ways. Some chemotherapy medications are injectable, and some are oral (pills). Chemotherapy for Dogs and Cats: In veterinary onco...

09/24/2024

When I ask pet owners about pain with their pets, often I’m told the dog still chases the ball, wrestles with buddies, goes hard at the dog park, etc. It’s important to understand that dogs will absolutely run and play hard even when in pain. The excitement and adrenaline can carry a dog through playing even if there’s pain. Looking at your dog’s small daily changes can be really useful. Like, now they don’t want to hop in the car or they prefer sleeping on the floor instead of the bed. Pain is commonly a part of the picture when the dog is having recent changes in behavior.

September is ! Our pets can suffer from pain, just like we do, but sometimes it can be hard to determine when they are suffering. It’s important to look for changes in behavior or signs that they’re experiencing discomfort.

Dogs and cats have different ways of demonstrating pain, but there are some common indicators they both may share. These are just a few of the many ways animals can exhibit pain.

If you have any concerns about your pet, VESH South Deerfield and VESH West Springfield are open 24/7. Contact us at (413) 665-4911.

09/09/2024

I was interviewed about leash laws recently and excited to see the article on the front page of the Gazette this morning. I have so much to say about leash laws and Emilee did a great job of taking my ramblings and blending them into the article. Such a good reporter!

NORTHAMPTON — Give, touch, wait, OK.Winnie, a gray poodle mix with fluffy ears and a puff at the end of her tail, looks at her owner Naomi Rosenberg with big, excited eyes. She had followed each command from Rosenberg enthusiastically to get to her...

09/07/2024

For my birthday, a donation to PBC Canine Behavior Support would be amazing!