What is Behavior Counseling?

There’s a blurry line between behavior modification and training. They reinforce each other, even in the most basic of cues. For the life of your dog, one of you will always be training the other. Dogs keep learning until their last breath, we humans would be wise to follow their example! As the human in the pair, it’s to your advantage to be the one doing the most of the training most of the time.

I have worked with all sorts of behavior issues — separation anxiety, excitement, aggression, fearfulness, barking, house training, etc. Every behavior problem has something to do with the dog’s environment and something to do with the dog’s nature. As with most things in life, it’s a situation of “both/and” rather than “either/or.”

Because of the interaction of nature and nurture in each dog and dog’s family, every situation is a little different. So my
behavior protocols are tailored to fit a given household.

How does a Behavior Consult work?

First, call me (615-584-2940). We will go over a list of questions and decide together if, when, and where to meet.

The second step is based on the answers you give me. I will send you a particular Behavior History Evaluation form. You will
return the form to me 48 hours before we meet.

At our meeting, I will give you a draft protocol based on the information gleaned from our initial phone consultation and the Behavior History form. This draft protocol includes topics to discuss with your veterinarian (if appropriate), a list of resources that pertain to your dog’s particular behavior problem, and a number of management suggestions to help you deal with the behavior while a protocol and/or training program is put in place. We will discuss short- and long-term goals and I will help you discern reasonable expectations for you and your pooch. In addition, we will work on several training techniques to be used to reinforce and teach your dog acceptable behaviors in lieu of the problem behaviors that sent you to the phone to call me in the first place.

This first meeting will last from an hour to an hour and a half. Following the meeting, I will send you revisions to my draft
protocol. Follow-up sessions can be scheduled as needed.