Due to a long waiting list, I am not currently accepting new behaviour referral cases.
Please check back for updates.
Canine Behaviour Referral Service
One-to-one, in-person consultation in Malta, following veterinary referral, to understand your dog’s behaviour and to formulate a tailor-made plan aimed at helping you and your dog overcome any challenges.
Your dog’s behaviour is a direct reflection of their emotional and mental well-being.
When behavioural issues arise, it’s often a sign that your dog may be struggling, which can be distressing for everyone involved.
The behaviour referral service will provide you with practical and evidence-based recommendations to improve your dog’s mental wellbeing and behaviour, as well as your relationship with your dog.
Behaviour Referral Service Options
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Option 1: The Core Plan
The core behaviour referral service plan includes:
Review of information from your primary vet about your dog’s physical health and medical history
Analysis of the behavioural history form (filled in by you) and of any video footage, prior to our in-person consultation
A 2-3 hour in-person consultation at your home
A written report, including behavioural diagnosis and a personalised behaviour modification plan
Sharing of the report with your referring vet and liaising with them, as needed- ensuring a team-based approach
PRICE: €375
Should you decide, within 7 days of our initial consultation, that you would like to receive further support in implementing the behavioural report recommendations, you can opt for an upgrade package, which includes:
An online follow-up consultation or phone call (up to 1 hour), as you prefer, within 60 days of initial consultation, to review progress and discuss your concerns, if any, regarding the implementation of your behaviour modification plan
Timely email support for 3 months following initial consultation, to guide you through any challenges and support you and your dog to stay on track
PRICE of upgrade: €150
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Option 2: The Full Plan
The full behaviour referral service plan includes:
Review of information from your primary vet about your dog’s physical health and medical history
Analysis of the behavioural history form (filled in by you) and of any video footage, prior to our in-person consultation
A 2-3 hour in-person consultation at your home
A written report, including behavioural diagnosis and a personalised behaviour modification plan
Sharing of the report with your referring vet and ongoing liaising with them, as needed- ensuring a team-based approach
An online follow-up consultation or phone call (up to 1 hour), as you prefer, within 60 days of initial consultation, to review progress and discuss your concerns, if any, regarding the implementation of your behaviour modification plan
Timely email support for 3 months following initial consultation, to guide you through any challenges and support you and your dog to stay on track
PRICE: €475
Ready to get started?
If you wish for your dog to be referred, ask your general practice vet to SUBMIT A REFERRAL.
Why do I only accept cases following veterinary referral?
Is this the service you need?
Behavioural problems require ongoing management, which is why this service is targeted to:
support you in bringing about change
and
empower you to maintain positive change
so that you can enjoy a good relationship with your dog in the longer term.
Please be aware that this service is not:
A quick fix – behavioural change depends on many factors, including the type of behavioural problem, how long the dog has had the behavioural problem for, your commitment and readiness to follow the recommended plan.
An obedience training service – this service aims to understand and address the underlying reasons for your dog’s undesirable behaviour. As part of this service, you will be given clear guidance to support you in any recommended behaviour modification training, which you will need to conduct yourself to enhance and maintain improvement.
A first opinion veterinary service – while the service includes consideration of your dog’s veterinary history and physical health status, your primary vet remains responsible for provision of primary and emergency veterinary care, for prescribing/dispensing any medication as required, and for monitoring your dog as deemed necessary if on medication.
What People Are Saying
Wondering if I am the right person to help you and your dog?
Yes, if…
You love your dog and would only want to adopt the kindest possible methods to reach your goals
You are interested in building a positive relationship with your dog
You understand that behavioural issues can improve, but that this also requires your commitment and ongoing management
You are looking to work with a person who is ethical, understanding and who can offer down-to-earth support
You want to work with a qualified person who you can truly trust
If you have further queries, or you would like to see whether this service is for you, you can book a 15 minute chat (at no cost or obligation) – simply send me a message by clicking the button below.
One step at a time…to a better life for you and your dog!
This is how it works:
STEP ONE: Get in touch and let me know more about the issues you and your dog are facing. I will check whether I think we’d be a good fit to work together and give you an idea of how soon I can start working with you and your dog.
STEP TWO: Ask your general practice vet to submit a referral (see the page for vets), including your dog’s physical health and medical history.
STEP THREE: Once your vet submits a referral, I will respond within 2-3 working days and send you a behaviour history form to fill in.
STEP FOUR: Within 1 week of receiving your completed behaviour history form, I will get in touch to set up an in-person behavioural consultation at your home.
STEP FIVE: Within 2 weeks of our behavioural consultation, you and your referring vet will receive the report detailing the behavioural diagnosis and the plan going forward.
Should I deem any tests and/or medication to be required, I will discuss this with you and your vet – liasing with your vet ensures your vet has an up-to-date history of your dog and can offer ongoing monitoring and support as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Behavioural signs can be the first indication of an underlying physical and/or mental health issue.
By accepting only cases that are referred to me by a veterinary surgeon, we will have the peace of mind that any physical health issues that could be contributing to your dog’s behaviour are being addressed or have been ruled out, prior to embarking on a behaviour modification plan. This approach increases the chances of positive outcomes for you and your dog.
This approach is also in line with the standards of good practice of leading professional animal behaviour bodies, including the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC), of which I am a candidate member. Find out more on the FABC website (section 2.6).
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This is the time that is generally needed to ensure that all the required information for a behavioural evaluation is gathered. The precise length of the consultation may vary depending on the complexity of the behavioural issue, hence a range is given. If you have any concerns regarding the consultation duration, please feel free to get in touch to see if we can find a suitable solution.
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While at home consultation is standard practice, there may be cases where I might suggest a partly or fully online consultation, such as in certain cases of human-directed aggressive behaviour.
Should you have any concerns or reservations about a home consultation, please get in touch to discuss the best way forward.
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Although these terms are at times used interchangeably, they outline different roles for which one requires to receive different levels and types of training and education.
Here is a summary of the roles:
TRAINER (or training instructor): A person “who trains dogs and their handlers” in order to prevent or to manage problem behaviour.
BEHAVIOURIST: A person who works “with the owner to discover the cause of the problem behaviour”. By discovering the cause or underlying emotion of a behaviour, a behaviour modification programme that is specific to that case can be devised and implemented.
VETERINARY BEHAVIOURIST: A person who works “with the owner to discover the cause of the problem behaviour and to devise and implement a behaviour modification programme that is specific to that case” …
AND is a veterinary surgeon who is well placed to discuss potential physical health issues with your vet and can recommend further investigations +/- the use of medication where needed.
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Above information quoted and adapted from McBride, E.A. (2010). It’s a dog’s life – the what and who of training and behaviour. Corridan, C. (ed.) In Proceedings of the CABTSG Study Day – Management of Repetitive Behaviours and Regulation of Dogs Trainers and Behaviourists in the UK. Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group. pp. 31-35.
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A trainer can teach you and your dog new behaviours, including various life skills such as recall, not pulling on the lead/loose lead walking, scent work, agility.
A behaviourist aims to understand the underlying cause of a behaviour (behavioural diagnosis), that is, understand the underlying emotion that motivates your dog to behave in a certain way. The behaviourist then helps you to work on changing how your dog feels, so that their behaviour can change accordingly. Issues that a behaviourist may be able to help with include generalised anxiety, frustration, fear, aversions and phobias, separation-related behaviour, compulsive behaviour, aggressive behaviour.
If you are uncertain about the service that you and your dog need, you can ask your vet or GET IN TOUCH.
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Ask about their background, experience, qualifications/training: e.g. did they obtain their qualifications from a reputable institution that upholds rigorous assessment standards?
If they say that they are certified or accredited, did they obtain their certification/accreditation through an independent body e.g. CCAB?
Are they members of reputable animal behaviour organisations that bind members to uphold certain standards of practice and to attend a number of hours of continuous professional development per year? E.g. FABC, ABTC
What methods do they use to bring about behaviour change?
You could ask about this directly, ask others who have used their service or look at their website or social media pages to help you determine this.
Look for words that suggest that their approach is humane and that their focus is to strengthen the human-animal bond e.g. kind, positive, empathic, reward-based. Methods based on punishment and/or instigating fear should be avoided - these compromise your dog’s welfare and learning ability, increase the risk of aggressive behaviour towards the handler, and strain the human-animal bond.
Look for clarity about their service - you should be able to clearly discern what the service you are seeking will include and its cost, prior to making a decision on whether to embark on it or not.
Lastly, you should feel that your chosen behaviourist is knowledgeable, approachable and easy to communicate with, happily answering any questions that you may have about their approach, methods and services.