Behaviour Consultation:

• All behaviour cases must be on veterinary referral, as many behaviour problems may be related to past or present medical conditions.

• Referral from the veterinary surgeon enables you to feel confident that I have been recommended based on my experience, qualifications and reputation.

• Failure to ensure that the animal is healthy may lead to behavioural misdiagnosis, welfare implications and unnecessary expense. It is therefore advisable to contact your veterinary surgeon to discuss your pet's behavioural problems and the appropriateness of a referral. Your vet can then contact me directly by sending a Referral Form. Alternatively, please contact us to discuss your needs and we can help you to arrange the referral.

One to One Training and Puppy Advice Visits:

• Training visits and puppy advice visits do not need a veterinary referral and so please contact us directly to discuss how we can help you. In some cases, a behavioural consultation may be more appropriate and a referral can be arranged.

• Ann, Ali's administrator, will contact you in response to your initial correspondence, or once we have received the direct referral from your veterinary practice.  

• An immediate advice call will then be offered and this will be arranged within 1-3 weeks of receiving your pet's referral. During this call, important safety and/or management advice can be provided which is often the first step in understanding and improving your pets behaviour. 

• A date will then be offered and a confirmation letter sent to confirm the details of your visit. Behaviour consultations are generally carried out on a Monday and Tuesday, however it is possible to arrange an evening or weekend visit.  This is to enable Ali to dedicate time throughout the week to support clients on the practical aspects of their training or behaviour programme. 

• In order to secure the visit, a deposit of £50 is required. This must be paid by cheque or bank transfer on booking the visit. The deposit will then be used towards the cost of your visit, which must be paid in full on the day of your visit.

• Prior to the consultation, you will then be required to fill out a questionnaire to provide additional information about the history of your pets behavioural concerns (including a timeline of events) and any observations/findings that may have been highlighted from the advice call e.g., a diary of the dog's sleeping patterns or a video of your dog being left.

Behaviour Consultations:

• The consultation lasts approximately 2 - 2.5 hours where Ali will discuss your pets history in order to identify the underlying motivations for the behavioural concern(s). Ali will observe your pet's behaviour including their choices, social interactions, communication skills, and coping strategies. If appropriate/safe, Ali will also observe your pet in the context of the problem e.g., in the garden or on a walk. A behaviour modification programme is then tailored to each individual case, in order to ensure the best chance of success.
• A date and venue for the follow up visit will then be discussed during the visit which would enable Ali to assess your pet's progress, to provide additional practical support and if necessary, to adjust the treatment plan. 
• A comprehensive report and handouts will then follow within 5-6 days, and phone/email support will be available if there are any questions/concerns. 
• Your vets will also receive a report, and in some cases, require further correspondence if there are any concerns that pain or a medical problem may be contributing to the behavioural concern. 
• For most cases, additional follow up sessions may then be recommended and especially for problems where practical support/the help of stooges (people or dogs) are required e.g., for cases involving dog-human or dog-dog aggression. Packages for follow up visits are available.

One to One Training:

• The first training session lasts up to 1.5 hours where the problems are discussed and assessed.
• Practical techniques will then be introduced to manage and improve the training issue.
• A training programme is then tailored to each individual case, in order to ensure the best chance of success.
• It is advised to take notes during the visit however a typed summary is available on request. 

Ali takes great pride in the comprehensive follow up support that she offers, and welcomes clients to take out additional support if required. For both behaviour and training concerns, Ali offers 3 months of phone/email support after the initial visit, with the option to extend this for an unlimited amount of time. Further follow up visits can also be arranged at any time, either in your home, or in the context in which the problem behaviour occurs e.g., within your home, the local park or your veterinary practice.