Consultation Process

Dedicated & Professional

What happens at your consultation ?

The good news is that it can all be done in the comfort of your own home or stable yard, in your own time and at your own pace.  No need to reorganise your schedule for numerous visits, because all our work together can be done online by phone, Zoom or video.  This has the added advantage that your dog or your horse won’t be unsettled by the arrival of an unfamiliar person, on top of what’s already troubling them. (If you specifically prefer a home or yard visit, we can discuss this of course.)

Step 1:

The first step is usually a phone conversation, where I’ll ask you to tell me about the behaviour problem you are having. I will give you some immediate advice, and I will tell you how I can help further.

Step 2:

After the call I will email you with my proposal for how we will work together to resolve the problem. The email will include a detailed questionnaire for you to fill in so that I have the full picture of your dog or horse, their case history and their day to day life.

Also included: a PayPal link or my invoice (according to your preference) so that you can pay your deposit to secure your consultation place in my clinic.

I will ask your vet for a copy of your horse or dog’s medical history; it is always important to consider possible medical factors in cases of unwanted behaviour.

Sometimes I will ask you to send me videos of the areas in your home and garden, or the places where you walk (dogs), or your yard and fields (horses).

For specific cases we may arrange for me to visit you at your home or yard, or to meet somewhere so that I can observe your horse or dog’s behaviour.

Step 3:

I will conduct my full assessment and I will develop a tailored action plan and follow up programme for you and your dog or horse, using my kind and effective methods based on validated psychological principles. I will not ask you to do anything with your animal that you are not comfortable with.

Your action plan may include some or all of:

  • Changes to daily routine
  • Daily activities for you to carry out with your dog or horse
  • Training exercises
  • A specific therapeutic programme (for serious aggression, fear, stereotypy or trauma cases)

I will also send you all the information you need to be able to carry out your plan, together with video trainings for some of the recommended exercises. I will send your action plan and a brief assessment report to you by email and I will send a summary report to your vet for their records.

Step 4:

At the end of your programme we will review your horse or dog’s behaviour and decide if you are satisfied with their progress, or if you require further support.

If you have booked a behaviour programme that includes follow up coaching sessions we will have regular calls by phone or Zoom where you can update me on your progress and I can send you the next step of your action plan.

Your three stage behaviour programme
Your three stage programme usually takes the following structure:

Stage 1
Reset – remove any factors that are causing the behaviour problem
Promote a new-found calmness and relaxation in your horse or your dog

Stage 2
Relaxation – promote good choices; your horse or dog learns to choose the right things to do, and learns to stop doing the unwanted behaviour

Stage 3
Resilience – building on the good choices so that they become your horse or dog’s new natural behaviour; good behaviour becomes their new normal!

Get in touch

info@animalbehaviourclinics.com
(+44)007748369424