We provide behaviour consultation to all species, including dogs, cats, birds, and pocket pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and rats.
Dr Cathy Lau is an experienced Veterinarian with special expertise in animal behaviour and low stress handling.
24/07/2025
Discover the one cue that builds trust and boosts confidence, and a super cool tool to help you manage a reactive dog!
Bonus: Watch Dr Cathy teach sheep to do target training in the video!
The One Cue Every Dog Should Know—And Nope, It’s Not ‘Sit’Cathy LauJul 23 min readIf you’re looking for a simple yet powerful way to build trust, boost confidence, and strengthen communication with your dog, nose targeting might just be your new favourite training tool. This foundational b...
26/06/2025
🌟 Big smiles over here reading this lovely feedback! 🌟
We recently heard from a client who shared: "Dr Cathy really helped our JRT Luna who was experiencing anxiety and reactive behaviour... We highly recommend Cathy, who is not only an expert in animal behaviour she is also a practicing Vet."
Isn't it wonderful when things just click? As a Veterinary Behaviourist, Dr. Cathy combines deep knowledge from extensive studies in animal behaviour medicine with her veterinary expertise. This means she can truly dig deep to understand pets, often spotting those "surprising things" that make all the difference, helping pets like Luna feel so much better.
We're just thrilled to help families find peace and happiness with their furry companions! 🥰
26/06/2025
🐱✨ Is your cat’s outdoor space truly meeting their needs?
A well-designed cat enclosure isn’t just about fresh air—it’s about fulfilling your cat’s natural instincts. From climbing and hiding to basking and observing, your cat deserves a space that supports their physical and emotional wellbeing.
Our latest blog breaks down the essential elements every cat enclosure should have to create a safe, enriching, and behaviorally supportive environment.
Creating a Purr-fect Paradise: Essential Elements for an Ideal Cat EnclosureCathy Lau2 days ago3 min readCats are fascinating creatures with unique needs, and understanding these needs is key to providing them with a fulfilling and enriching environment. As a veterinary behaviourist, I want to expla...
24/06/2025
Myth Alert! 🚨 Heard that giving treats to a reactive pet just rewards their bad behaviour like barking or lunging? Think again! 🤔
This is a common misconception that stops many pet owners from using effective, kind training methods. But here's the truth: it's all about timing and what you're actually reinforcing!
We're not rewarding the outburst itself. Instead, we're carefully rewarding those crucial moments when your pet chooses calmness, disengagement, or focus on you – before a full reaction takes hold. It's about changing their emotional association with a trigger, making it a positive experience, not a scary one.
Remember this key principle: Don't just focus on the "bad" behaviour. Pay attention to the "good" and calm ones and reinforce them!
Want to understand exactly how this works and unlock a powerful way to help your pet manage their emotions? Our new article breaks down the science and shows you how the Engage-Disengage Game truly transforms behaviour.
Read our latest blog post and ditch that myth for good! 👇
Debunking the Myth: Does Treating a Reactive Pet Reinforce Bad Behaviour?Cathy Lau8 minutes ago3 min readIt's a common concern among pet owners: "If my dog barks and lunges, and I give them a treat, won't I just be rewarding the barking and lunging?" This sentiment stems from a fundamental misunders...
22/06/2025
Does your pet struggle with leash reactivity on walks, or do conflicts erupt when animals cross paths at home? 🐾 You're not alone, and there's a powerful technique that can help!
Introducing The Engage-Disengage Game: A Solution for Pet Reactivity and Aggression. This positive reinforcement method teaches your pet crucial emotional self-control, helping them respond to triggers with calmness instead of chaos.
It's more than just training – it's building a vital life skill that empowers your pet to handle stressful situations with thoughtful responses and build resilience.
Learn the 6 steps to implement this game and transform your pet's behaviour. See our latest blog article! 👇
The Engage-Disengage Game: A Solution for Pet Reactivity and AggressionCathy Lau26 minutes ago4 min readReal-Life Scenarios: Understanding Pet ReactivityImagine this: You're walking your dog, and they spot another dog across the park. Suddenly, your calm stroll turns chaotic. Your dog pulls hard on....
04/11/2024
We're hosting another free event with Stirling Libraries tomorrow night. Come along for an informative session.
Join Dr. Cathy for a Vet talk on decoding dog body language and bite prevention at Stirling Libraries!
23/08/2024
Planning to build a cat enclosure? Want to learn the essential elements for an enriching cat enclosure design? Come along and join us for the free event on 12th September!
Learn how to design a cat enclosure to keep your cat indoors with Dr Lau at Stirling Libraries. Discover tips for creating safe, stimulating spaces for your cats.
22/07/2024
Visited a friend and her cat chose to sleep in this massive basket 🧺 😽 super cozy! Where does your cat like to sleep in winter?
17/07/2024
It was great to catch up with my regular client 🐕🐾❤️
31/05/2024
Just like us, pets need their beauty sleep to be their best selves. Lack of sleep can lead to:
😡 Grumpiness
⚡ Hyperactivity
🐶 Destructive behaviours
🤔 Difficulty learning
Did you know cats sleep 16-20 hours a day? 💤 How much does your pet sleep?
Is your pet afraid of the vacuum, thunderstorms, or other dogs? 😩 Counter-conditioning can help transform their fear into positivity! Our new blog post explains this powerful technique and how it can change your pet's life. 🐾
"Frustrated with your pet's behavior? 😓 The answer isn't just 'training' – it's understanding how they learn! Our new blog post reveals the science behind operant conditioning and how it can transform your relationship with your pet. 😊"
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Our Philosophy
The name Positive Elements reflects our fundamental approach and philosophy. Our primary method for behaviour modification is positive reinforcement. We believe that reward is always more powerful than punishment and inherently has less relationship-damaging side effects.
We do not employ or believe in the effectiveness of the cruel and hurtful training practices of the past, which were based on an outdated understanding of animal behaviour. It is of the greatest importance to us that all of our pet clients are enjoying a positive and stress-free consultation experience.
We appreciate that understanding and altering behaviour is an art and a science. The name Positive Elements hints at a principle of using space in visual arts, while also referring to the building blocks of chemistry. We believe that analysing behaviour is the art of disseminating a complex presentation into its basic components, using the latest scientific methods and knowledge.
Our dedication to implementing the latest scientific methods and knowledge is reflected in our team’s motivation to constantly seek learning opportunities and to regularly study the latest research journals. In addition to furthering our own knowledge, we are also passionate about providing education to others by hosting training sessions, seminars and workshops.
We highly value the personal experience in our collaborating vets and dog trainers, and we believe that theory, as well as practical expertise, are both needed to understand how animals communicate, how they learn and why they behave in certain ways.
