Services
My approach is collaborative and comprehensive. It involves the whole household, including your other pets. I take the time to listen and assess the situation from different perspectives. My experience includes rescue dogs and their previous negative experiences, through to puppies and their naivety. I work with new owners and established owners.
Can you image a more relaxed life for you and your dog? What would less of their unhelpful behaviours look like? If so, please get in touch for a chat
Experience is key
I have a wealth of experience to draw upon assisting households across Surrey and beyond with their dogs. Every situation is different, every problem needs a different approach and therefore every plan is different.
It's always reassuring to know your working with a partner that has more than a few tricks up her sleeve. I see my work as a collaboration between myself, the owner and the dog. It's my aim to get us all singing off the the hymn sheet.
Pricing guide
Working with me
£135 includes:
Discovery call and mapping out your main concerns.
Consultation session – conducted in your dog’s home. Session can take up to three hours.
A specific action plan - A detailed action plan will be designed. This plan will include all of the household members. Everyone will have a role to play in helping your dog to overcome it's unhelpful behaviour.
Psychology of your dog’s unhelpful behaviour - a handy resource when explaining to friends and family why you are asking them to interact differently with your dog.
Follow-on support via email and telephone calls.
Additional follow-on In-person sessions charged at £45 per hour.
Rescue dogs
There are many dogs out there who would welcome the chance to be part of a home. Stories of problem behaviours, and explanations of “he’s a rescue”, can put you off having a rescue dog. I have often been told that previous trainers have given up on trying to help. It is, of course, important to make sure you assess the dog thoroughly, to make sure you are the right fit for each other. My approach means I can help from even before your rescue dog enters your home.
Dogs and children
As a qualified children’s wellbeing practitioner, I use evidence-based strategies to help children understand how to engage with dogs. My work also includes helping children overcome their fears and worries about dogs.
Children can enjoy a happy and calm life with their beloved pet. This is achieved by having clear understanding of how a dog fits into a home with children. We want our dogs to feel comfortable and relaxed around children, and not just tolerate their unpredictable behaviour. By helping children understand how a dog communicates, they will be confident to recognise their dog’s body language, and their dog’s needs.
Introducing a new baby to the home can be a stressful time for your pet. New smells, increased stress levels, and unclear boundaries can cause dog to feel overwhelmed and unsettled and can promote aggressive behaviour when outside the home.
Established dogs
Before recruiting a behaviourist, people have often tried every available training tip to resolve their dog’s behaviour problems. At this point, the dog is labelled, and the pattern of behaviour between owner and dog has been established.
Behaviour can be complex and multi layered, or simply how your dog interrupts the world and its role in the home. A helpful way to think is “my dog does not understand our human world. My dog only has its instincts to go by. My dog lives in the present and can only deal with what is around it at the time”.
Common behaviour issues include:
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Nervous submissive / nervous aggressive / nervous avoidant
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Unhelpful barking
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Separation Anxiety
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Destructive Behaviours
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Jumping up
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Aggression to people, children, other dogs
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Toileting issues
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Fussy eating, guarding food, and resources
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Poor recall
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Pulling on the lead
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Chasing
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Car anxiety
Puppies
Pre-agreed rules for a new puppy can go straight out of the window when the puppy arrives, we can blame emotion, oxytocin (the love hormone), and anthropomorphism.
My role as a dog behavourist is to help you put a realistic plan in place, that fits with your home. My goal is for your puppy to feel safe, secure, and have confidence in its new family. We will focus on the home first, rules, boundaries, and compassion help a puppy to grow into a content, balanced dog. A dog who understands the social rules of living in a world where they will experience other dogs who are not always as balanced or confident.