Solve Reactive and Protective Behaviour Online

Lunging at other dogs, frantic at the door, growling at guests, or reacting to every little noise?

If your dog gets stressed out every time a dog or person comes near you or the house, don’t worry, I can help! Most dogs will ignore treats or toys; they’ll also ignore well known commands, when they are in reactive or protective mode. So if distraction techniques don’t work, how do you get through to a reactive dog?

Using tried and tested techniques, I will coach you through every step of my process to solve your dogs reactive and protective behaviour. Over a series of private, online sessions, I’ll teach you how to use my techniques to solve the problem, once and for all. I’ll also teach you what to do when the unexpected happens, how to cope with unpredictable triggers, how to manage your environment, reduce his overall anxiety, and show your dog that you are their protector, no matter what!

During the initial assessment I’ll figure out what’s gone wrong and discover more about all the behaviours you need help with. There are lots of possible training options, but they won’t all suit, so we’ll figure out the best way to progress too. Once we have a plan, we’ll get started with some preliminary advice. The emphasis at this stage will be on any underlying issues, related behaviours, and any techniques we can use in the following sessions. Then I’ll leave you with your “homework”.

Done properly, solving reactive and protective behaviour is gradual process. So you’ll need a training package of four further 30 minute zoom sessions. During these sessions we will check things are working properly, tweak anything that needs it, and move onto the next steps. We’ll work in small stages as that’s the best way to prevent overwhelm, for you and your dog. Plus, it will allow us to check things are working as they should before moving on.

Tailored plans

All dogs are different, and the plans are tailored, but here is a typical example of what to expect over the course of 5 sessions…

• Session One: Assessment, Review Client Video, New behaviour/skills creation, Clicker introduction, Routine Adjustments, Behaviour Detox
• Session Two: Introducing new skills, Building Trust, Review, Simplifying problems, Reward timing, Managing Overwhelm
• Session Three: Review Client Video, Monitor Progress, Building Resilience, Reducing Overall Anxiety,
• Session Four: Levelling up distractions, review, disaster recovery,
• Session Five: Getting Back to Normal, Review Client Video, Making Change Permanent, Moving Forward.

How does online training differ from face to face?

There are a few ways it differs; the biggest difference is that I’m not able to see your dogs behaviour live. To get round this I’ll ask you to make videos as we go through the process. Also sessions will be shorter, but more frequent, so you can test the training between sessions and report back. The sessions will be recorded so there is no need to remember everything we talk about.

Online training is also perfect for dogs that get overwhelmed or protective around visitors. We can make a plan while they snooze in the corner!

Do you offer support between sessions?

Yes, of course, in fact I encourage it. I’m only ever an email away if you get stuck or have questions.

I feel like I’ve tried everything, can you still help?

Yes, definitely. I love figuring out complex and unusual dog behaviour problems. I tend to focus on gently balancing emotion first, then tackling specific behaviours second, which makes a huge difference when working with dogs that “cookie cutter” training doesn’t work for.

Will your techniques work in real life situations? My dog listens when it’s just us, but as soon as he gets distracted it all goes out the window!

Yes, of course. It’s very common for dogs to know all the tricks when they are in a quiet place, but protective and reactive behaviour overrides their training. I’ll explain why when we talk, but don’t worry, we’ll get round that, and in a nice way!

How do you assess a dog using Zoom?

I’ll ask you to make a video of the problem behaviours before our assessment session (don’t worry, I’ll let you know how to do that for the best results) so we can review it together. After 20 years rehabilitating dogs, I have become pretty good at finding the root of a problem, so I’ll also ask plenty of questions, and anything you’re not sure about can be video’d in advance of our next session.

Will I need more than one session?

Yes, you’ll need five sessions. The first session is your assessment, then there will be at least three follow-ups, and one final session for final tweaks and next steps. The follow-up sessions are usually only around 30 minutes.

When can you fit me in?

You can check my availability and book your first session on my calendar above. Sessions are available throughout the week, and on Sundays. Normally, I have spaces available for new client assessments at around 1-2 weeks notice. Follow-up training sessions are usually scheduled at around 2 week intervals to give you plenty of time to practise between sessions.

What other kinds of behaviour and training problems can you solve?

This package is designed to tackle reactive and protective behaviour, but I can help you with all kinds of canine behavioural problem including hyperactive behaviour, lead pulling, recall problems, aggressive behaviour, reactive dog behaviour, jumping up, mouthing, house training, separation anxiety, and all in between! I’m a rescue dog specialist, so can help you even if you don’t know anything about the dog’s history, or behaviour.

Do you offer in person behaviour training?

Yes, absolutely. I am based in Dundee and am happy to travel in the local area. Click here to go to my local website for more details about in-person training.

What areas do you cover?

Our online sessions are via zoom, so support can be offered to you where ever you are in the UK or even the world. I’m based in Scotland so prices are in £’s and the sessions will be scheduled in UK time.