16/11/2024
"OOOOOF , YOU'RE WAY TOO EXPENSIVE"
Each professional has their own process and will put a price on their professional time based on their (self) perceived efficacy, demand for their services, competition (potentially, not always) their location and their experience, accreditations and qualifications - although, not always as there are plenty of self validated unqualified dog pofessionals out there.
Or, they may also be validated by the number of followers they have on social media! Be cautious that you are not paying for a personality, as opposed to informed tailor made support that you and your dog will likely benefit from.
The price for our services is not only based on the above, but the fact that we are incredibly thorough in our work, and highly supportive of our clients (should they utilise our support!).
Here's a break down of our process with our behaviour cases:
1️⃣ As far ahead of the session as possible we read through a 12 page questionnaire completed by the client.
2️⃣ We go through the dog's medical history.
3️⃣ We create a summary of the key information and identify where we need more information.
4️⃣ We identify what changes the client can make NOW to mitigate risk of escalation and get the ball rolling- and notes are sent to the client AHEAD OF THEIR SESSION! (This isn't possible for last minute bookings, although those are less frequent).
5️⃣ In some instances, this includes us needing to write to vets to discuss our thoughts on potential health related components that would benefit from being attended to AHEAD OF THE SESSION.
6️⃣ We check in with the client the week before their session so we can assess how the initial advice has been applied.
7️⃣ We then see the client for their session, which is often far more productive because some aspects of the behaviour modification plan has already started before we have even seen the client.
We enter this session with an existing knowledge and understanding of the dog’s life and behaviour problem- this also allows us to safeguard ourselves with dog-human aggression cases and sets the session up to be as safe, calm and productive as possible and most importantly, less stressful for the dog!
More often than not, this session involves 45-60 minutes of filling the gaps in information, and then 45-60 minutes of practical training/interventions.
8️⃣ We then write a behaviour report.
I dont' care what people say about behaviour reports, I don't expect my clients to remember all of the advice and from a professional indemnity perspective I think they are important.
I am frequently getting clients commenting on how helpful their reports are.
9️⃣ A summary is sent to the referring veternarian and commonly, this will involve a covering letter discussing our observations on commonplace health problems such as potential muscular skeletal problems, gastro intestinal issues, skin disease etc.
In some instances, not all, we have to provide detailed information on cases with referring veternarians with regards to our observations so the vet can make an informed decision with regards to medication.
Vets are commonly commenting us on our detailed reports and helpful communication.
🔟 We check in with the clients as frequently as we can, assessing progress and answering questions. As clinical animal behaviourist, we are required to log all communications.
I have some support documents for cases that are 20 pages long. 20 pages of answering questions and refining the advice to the individual.
1️⃣1️⃣ We absolutely push our clients for follow ups (most book packages anyway). Each time they have a follow up, notes are added to their report and where relevant, further conversations with referring veternarians may occur (and are actually relatively commonplace).
📝 Add on top of that the constant updating of knowledge, reading clinical research papers, cross referencing literature, watching webinars.
🎥 Then add the creating of resources that are given to clients for free, video tutorials and handouts to support all of the advice.
🧍♀️ 🧍♀️ As we work as a team, there is also background work going in. In depth conversations about a case we are transfering to another team member for a variety of reasons (rehab with their helper dogs, differences in availability, location etc). Our reports help slicken up the case handover too.
Considering the time involved, are we really THAT expensive?
*Plus, most insurers cover our costs!*
What matters most to me is that this fee allows us to NOT spread ourselves too thin. Our team of behaviourists take on two cases each a week.
A final example, a client I am seeing soon (and whom I got advanced notes to) has reported an improvement in their dog ahead of their session.
They were waiting weeks for their assessment, but in this time I have helped the client help their dog and de-escalate the situation. I wrote to the vets, and together we have got this dog through fireworks season.
This client is now going to have a more productive assessment.
This pre-assessment progress (should clients action the advice given) reported is not uncommon and for me, is highly rewarding.
I hope this post gives all reading food for thought and helps those needing help assess whether a service is potentially too expensive or is actually reasonable value for their money.
Naturally, individual budgets will also come into it!
Professionals will all have their own systems and processes, and that will also be based on the types of cases they see.
Clinical Animal Behaviourists can get very complex cases, and my process (and the costs involved) has been designed to systematically work through the multiple layers involved in such cases and support clients on what is, more often than not, a behaviour modification journey.
Final note: Nothing has prompted this post other than reading comments over time about the cost of dog behaviour professionals, in some instances even reading professionals being assumed and labelled as ‘ineffective’ by other professionals (and often without knowledge of the time invested into cases).
