Behaviour Therapy For Reactive Dogs
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With so many canine behaviourists out there it can be hard to choose. I believe all my clients should have access to my credentials, so here they are! Feel free to have a nose.
Welcome!
Hi, I'm Gemma, I have over fifteen years of experience in the animal care sector. And I LOVE working with owners to help them overcome their struggles with their reactive dogs. A dog may be reactive for many reasons and regardless of the severity or type of reactive behaviour a dog suffers with it has a huge impact on the dog owners relationship and causes a huge amount of stress for everyone involved on a daily basis.
You may have been trawling the internet for advice, watched training videos, taken advice from eager dog owners and or friends or family. You have tried every type of training method, and may even enlist the help of another professional, but yet you still find yourself struggling with your dog.
That's where I come in! My approach focuses on emotional rebalance and appropriate behaviour modification to help the dog change their behaviour for the better. You, his owner are extremely important to don't forget, and for that reason, I am your support guru, on hand to help you through the good and bad times.
Reactive dogs deserve respect!
I can help you with....
Dog to Dog Reactivity
Does your dog hate the sight of another dog? Lunging and barking at the end of the lead. Do you struggle to hold him? Worried he may hurt another dog? Have you started walking in special locations to avoid other people and their dogs?
Is your dog extra vigilant, constantly scanning, waiting for the next dog to come into view? Does the thought of walking your dog cause you anxiety or stress? This is one of the most common forms of reactivity I see in dogs.
Owners struggle to walk their dog on a daily basis which can then cause frustration and boredom for the dog, leading to further behavioural issues inside the home. Before you know it you are in a vicious circle and getting nowhere. But it does not have to be like this.
Dog to Human Reactivity
Does your dog inappropriately greet visitors due to his aroused state? Does your dog bark at visitors and then hide under the kitchen table? Does your dog simply hate people in the house and display aggressive behaviour towards that person as a result? Have you stopped having people around because of this?
This is often a challenging and serious issue. You are responsible for your dog, should there be any bite incidences there is always the dreaded fear of the authorities being involved and the dog being put to sleep. Due to the serious nature of these cases, there is usually a high amount of pressure and stress placed on you the owner, this can cause conflict within the family home and between relationships.
For everyone's safety and sanity, you need professional help ASAP.
Lead Frustration
Does your dog LOVE other dogs and people? Does he become so excited about the sight of another dog that he becomes crazy on the lead? Spinning on lead? Biting at the lead? Pulling towards the other dog? High pitched barking that pierces your eardrum? whining or crying?
How embarrassing? You just want the ground to open up from underneath you. The looks you get from other dog owners who do not understand that your dog is not being aggressive, he simply wants to play and is frustrated because he can't. Your dog needs to learn how to be calm around other dogs, and understand he cannot play with everyone. There are many things we can do to help these dogs and it is usually a lot of fun!
Resource Guarding
Does your dog steel items on a regular basis? Does he growl at you or bite you when you try to take things away from him? Does he refuse to drop items despite being taught the drop cue? Does he guard areas of the house like his bed, crate, a certain room? Does he have bouts of sickness and diarrhoea due to ingesting foreign objects and substances? He may even guard his sick!
This is so frustrating and makes living with your dog inside the home on a daily basis very challenging. You have to think before acting in every circumstance. You are on edge, your dog can't be trusted, it can be very scary and stressful.
These dogs are often lacking something in their day-to-day lives and in most cases the behaviour has been learned due to unknown or unintentional actions of the owner. These cases have to be handled carefully with the right approach to training and management as there is a danger of aggression escalating as a result if not handled appropriately.
Ellie Webber
Gemma has been amazing with Gigi. She totally gets having a reactive dog. She has been on a journey with us and that journey isn’t over. She gets the little achievements we have with Gigi regardless if they are supper small. Gemma is at the end of the phone when you have had a really crappy day or a walk. Gemma has all the patients in the world. We can only thank you Gemma for your help and the support network which comes with you. Thank you Gemma for being amazing!
Beki Hatch
Am so very thankful to Gemma and everything she has done for me and my reactive boy Jasper. Walking jasper before was a nightmare due to his reaction towards other dogs. Gemma really took the time to get to know his history and the reasons behind his behaviour, even his chronic arthritis played a part which I never realised before. Since working with Gemma, his anxiety has been reduced and he has grown in confidence, and I as an owner feel I understand him more and know how to support him. Our bond had got so much stronger, and this is down to all the hard work and support Gemma has given us. I was really apprehensive given Jaspers age (13) but he has responded so well and I am eternally grateful!
