Canine Behaviour & Training
(Fife and Kinross Areas)
A well mannered dog is a pleasure to be with, a delightful companion and a joy to walk. It is my belief that for most dog owners this is all they ask, not rosettes for obedience or trophies for their looks. But when things don’t turn out as harmoniously as planned, the joy of a dog can for some become a constant battle of wills and a source of frustration and turmoil. To this end it is my aim to restore a sense of calm between a dog and it's owner, strengthen the relationship between them and once more make owning a dog an experience to cherish.
My first visit aims to establish the root cause of your dog’s behaviour and equally, what is maintaining the behaviour. A thorough investigation is undertaken which includes:
From this a behaviour modification plan specifically tailored for you and your dog can then be implemented which is the focus of my second visit. This includes:
You should allow up to 2 hours for the first visit and another 2 hours for the second as a rough guide. However, more complex problems may require additional visits. Throughout the programme I am always available to answer any queries by phone or email at no extra charge and in any case a follow up call or email will be made two weeks into the programme to enquire of the progress or answer any questions or concerns. Any additional visits however will be charged for accordingly.
NB Before embarking on any behaviour modification plan, your dogs behaviour should be discussed with your vet in order that any medical cause of the behaviour can be ruled out first. I hold vets referral forms which I normally give to the owner on the first visit.
Prevention is better than cure and much unwanted behaviour can be prevented or avoided in the first place. For this reason, I can give invaluable advice to the owner of the new puppy (see under puppy training), how to prepare your dog for the arrival of a baby or new pet or any other lifestyle change which could affect your dog’s behaviour.
I have in this section included training. This is because many behaviour modification plans include basic obedience training depending on the behaviour we are trying to correct. Sometimes behaviour and training can be separated but often there is an overlap. You may ask what the difference is. Well in its most basic form dog training works towards achieving goals in obedience or skills through instruction and commands. In contrast, a behaviour specialist looks back in time to establish the cause of behaviours such as aggression, separation issues, inappropriate toileting, by giving consideration to all possible reasons for it. If you are in doubt as to which your dog needs then I will be happy to discuss this with you.
A well mannered dog is a pleasure to be with, a delightful companion and a joy to walk. It is my belief that for most dog owners this is all they ask, not rosettes for obedience or trophies for their looks. But when things don’t turn out as harmoniously as planned, the joy of a dog can for some become a constant battle of wills and a source of frustration and turmoil. To this end it is my aim to restore a sense of calm between a dog and it's owner, strengthen the relationship between them and once more make owning a dog an experience to cherish.
My first visit aims to establish the root cause of your dog’s behaviour and equally, what is maintaining the behaviour. A thorough investigation is undertaken which includes:
- Taking a full history of your dog’s past and his problem behaviour.
- Observing your dogs behaviour in his normal environment and where possible in the situation where the behaviour occurs.
- Assessing the contributory factors to your dogs behaviour which fall into the categories of nature, nurture, pharmacology, physiology and environment thus looking at such things as hormonal influences, breed traits, relationship with owners, etc.
From this a behaviour modification plan specifically tailored for you and your dog can then be implemented which is the focus of my second visit. This includes:
- A full explanation of why your dog engages in his problem behaviour.
- An explanation of the behaviour modification plan and how it works.
- Demonstrations of techniques where applicable.
You should allow up to 2 hours for the first visit and another 2 hours for the second as a rough guide. However, more complex problems may require additional visits. Throughout the programme I am always available to answer any queries by phone or email at no extra charge and in any case a follow up call or email will be made two weeks into the programme to enquire of the progress or answer any questions or concerns. Any additional visits however will be charged for accordingly.
NB Before embarking on any behaviour modification plan, your dogs behaviour should be discussed with your vet in order that any medical cause of the behaviour can be ruled out first. I hold vets referral forms which I normally give to the owner on the first visit.
Prevention is better than cure and much unwanted behaviour can be prevented or avoided in the first place. For this reason, I can give invaluable advice to the owner of the new puppy (see under puppy training), how to prepare your dog for the arrival of a baby or new pet or any other lifestyle change which could affect your dog’s behaviour.
I have in this section included training. This is because many behaviour modification plans include basic obedience training depending on the behaviour we are trying to correct. Sometimes behaviour and training can be separated but often there is an overlap. You may ask what the difference is. Well in its most basic form dog training works towards achieving goals in obedience or skills through instruction and commands. In contrast, a behaviour specialist looks back in time to establish the cause of behaviours such as aggression, separation issues, inappropriate toileting, by giving consideration to all possible reasons for it. If you are in doubt as to which your dog needs then I will be happy to discuss this with you.
Email Update from a customer 6 months on - printed with their permission
Hi Moira
Thought I would let you know Molly got her first Flyball rosette on Saturday. Training has played an important part in her behaviour modification. She is much better behaved and is now an established part of the family. We still need to be vigilant as given the chance she will try to be 'boss' especially with my daughter. She is very good with other dogs and recall is good although she sometimes takes her time when returning. Primula cheese is a great incentive to get her to come back with a ball. Many thanks again.
FS - Glenrothes
Hi Moira
Thought I would let you know Molly got her first Flyball rosette on Saturday. Training has played an important part in her behaviour modification. She is much better behaved and is now an established part of the family. We still need to be vigilant as given the chance she will try to be 'boss' especially with my daughter. She is very good with other dogs and recall is good although she sometimes takes her time when returning. Primula cheese is a great incentive to get her to come back with a ball. Many thanks again.
FS - Glenrothes
Reference from a Happy Customer
"As a pet owner I am sure like me you are upset and distressed when your pet behaves poorly. When your pet is not a happy, fun loving and obedient animal it affects the whole family. Sadly after some life style changes this was the situation we found ourselves in with our pet of 7 years. We tried everything we knew to solve the problem and were at our wits end when thankfully a friend gave us Moira’s telephone number. When making this call we were completely unaware that this call would turn out to be what we describe as one of the most successful telephone calls we have ever made. After consulting with Moira and following her advise our dog is completely cured of any anxiety and distress when being left alone at home. Moira’s understanding of our pet's behaviours and the reasoning behind them was absolslutely amazing. In our opinion this ladies knowledge, understanding and skill is with out a doubt the answer to anyone out there who is experiencing behaviour problems with their pet. We have no hesitation what so ever in saying if you need help with your animal do as we did and make that call to Moira."
HM - Cowdenbeath
HM - Cowdenbeath
