If you are having difficulties with your dog that are more than a basic training issue, a behaviour consultation would be the most helpful approach. Issues such as your dog lunging and barking at other dogs or people, or being frightened or anxious by everyday occurrences need more than basic obedience training to overcome. Please contact me for urgent cases.
Behaviour difficulties can arise for a number of reasons and to understand the underlying cause and therefore establish the most appropriate plan, an in-depth consultation is required. Behaviour problems may arise both directly and indirectly because of concurrent or previous medical problems. Veterinary involvement is therefore essential in eliminating organic causes of the problem and prioritising the diagnostic and treatment strategy to be used in any given case.
Establishing the problem
When you contact me with concerns around a behaviour issue, I will send you a detailed questionnaire for you to complete. I will also send a referral form to your vet to request their approval for me to undertake the work and so they can inform me of any current or previous relevant medical issues.
When I have the questionnaire back, we will then discuss in a little more detail over the phone and arrange a time to meet for the consultation. I may also ask you to send me videos of your dog. The videos may be of your dog in their day to day life, not necessarily exhibiting the problematic behaviour. I would not want anyone to put their dog in a stressful situation just to show me how they behave, your description will do.
Consultation
The consultation usually lasts about an hour and a half and may or may not involve me meeting your dog. That would depend on the difficulty your dog is experiencing. If they are worried by new people, I would not want to create a stressful experience for them.
We would discuss the information you have given me in the questionnaire and any information I may have received from your vet. We would try and establish the emotional basis and the function of the problematic behaviour. From that, we can devise an initial plan to help you start to address the issue. We can also decide how many follow-up sessions you are likely to need.
Virtual training
When we are not able to offer face to face training, I can provide the consultation over Zoom, WhatsApp video chat, or FaceTime. You don’t need to download anything to join a Zoom meeting with me. The sessions will then be delivered using WhatsApp video chat or FaceTime and I can send you videos of the exercises for you to practise. We will keep in touch via WhatsApp and email between sessions.
I will send you a written report with the initial plan within 72 hours and send a brief report to your vet so they are aware of what we are doing.
“Carrie worked hard with us through some online Zoom sessions to establish what Loki needed and set us tasks and exercises to do each day with him. She was always at the end of a message or phone call, which we were so grateful for, becoming more of a friend than a trainer within a very short time.“
Debs, Mike & Loki
Read more about Carrie’s behaviour work with Loki here
Pricing
The initial hour and a half consultation costs £90
There is also an option for long term follow up at £75 per month where you keep me updated through videos via WhatsApp and emails with one catch up phone call if required. I can feedback to you and help you troubleshoot and tweak the plan as necessary.