Initial Behaviour Assessment & Treatment Plan
The first step in understanding why your dog is behaving the way they are.
What is an Initial Behavioural Assessment?
An Initial Behavioural Assessment & Treatment Plan is a detailed diagnostic session. It is the first and most important step in understanding why your dog is behaving the way they are. It’s about drilling down into the core issues, exploring your goals, and creating a clear, structured plan forward.
As a Veterinary Behaviour Consultant, my approach combines medical knowledge, behavioural science, and practical training expertise. This allows me to look at the whole picture and create a plan that addresses the root cause of the behaviour — whether it’s driven by fear, anxiety, frustration, or an underlying medical issue — rather than just masking the symptoms.
What to Expect From Your Assessment
What This Assessment Is:
This is a detailed behavioural assessment and treatment planning session, not a standard training session.
During the assessment, we will:
•Review your dog's full behaviour and medical history
•Discuss their lifestyle, environment, and daily routine
•Observe their body language, emotional patterns, and stress responses
•Identify the underlying causes and drivers of the behaviour
•Determine whether the behaviour is within normal limits or reflects a more significant issue
By the end of the assessment, you will have:
A clear understanding of why your dog is behaving the way they are.
A structured, step-by-step treatment plan outlining how to move forward.
What You Will Leave With:
What This Assessment Is Not:
This assessment is not designed to “fix” the behaviour on the day. Behaviour change takes time, consistency, and often follow-up training or support. The assessment provides the roadmap and the diagnosis — your implementation of the plan is what creates lasting change.
What Happens After Your Assessment?
Following your assessment, you’ll receive a personalised, step-by-step plan.
For most clients, the next step is to start implementing this plan. This may include environmental and management changes, structured behaviour modification training and in some cases starting behaviour medications.
Medication (When Needed)
In some cases, medication may be considered to support the behaviour plan — particularly when a dog is too anxious or over-aroused to learn effectively.
Medication is never the first choice, never used alone, and not commonly recommended for younger dogs.
The focus remains on:
Behaviour modification
Environmental change
Training and lifestyle adjustments
Medication is used only as a supportive tool, with careful monitoring to ensure benefits outweigh any side effects.
Behaviour Issues We Address
-
Reactivity on Walks
Lunging, barking, pulling, or freezing when your dog sees people, dogs, or movement. Whether rooted in fear, frustration, or overwhelm, we help you understand the triggers and create calm, enjoyable walks.
-
Aggression & Safety Concerns
Growling, snapping, biting, or escalating conflict toward people, other dogs, or within the household. We take a calm, professional, judgment-free approach to help restore safety and confidence for everyone.
-
Separation Anxiety
Crying, barking, destruction, escape attempts, or panic when left alone. We focus on stabilising emotions and building a gradual plan your dog can actually cope with, so you can leave home with peace of mind.
-
Fear & Anxiety
Noise sensitivity, fear of visitors, handling issues, startle responses, or generalised anxiety. We focus on understanding why your dog is fearful so fear isn't just masked—it's resolved at the root.
-
Resource Guarding
Protecting food, toys, bones, beds, space, or people. From mild guarding to serious incidents, we help you understand the emotional drivers behind the behaviour and rebuild harmony and trust at home.
-
Over-Arousal & Inability to Settle
Dogs who escalate quickly, jump, bark, mouth, or go from 0–100 in seconds. We help stabilise emotions, build coping skills, and create structure so your dog can learn to relax and make better choices.
-
Multi-Dog Household Tension
Growing friction, competition, guarding, or conflict between dogs at home. We help you understand the dynamic, reduce risk, and rebuild a peaceful environment where all your dogs can coexist calmly.
-
Destructive Behaviours
Chewing walls, furniture, or doors, digging, shredding bedding, or breaking out of crates. We identify whether this stems from stress, boredom, anxiety, over-arousal, or unmet needs—and address the root cause.
Veterinary Behaviour Conditions
As a veterinary behaviourist, we also assess and manage complex medical-behavioural conditions that require both clinical expertise and behavioural intervention, including:
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (dementia) — disorientation, pacing, restlessness at night, increased anxiety, toileting regression, or changes in interaction
REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder — vocalising, paddling, or aggressive movements during sleep
Psychogenic Polydipsia — compulsive water drinking driven by anxiety or stress
Seizure-related behaviour changes — pre- or post-ictal behavioural disturbances
Pain-related aggression or avoidance — behaviour changes linked to underlying medical conditions
Illness-related behaviour changes — sudden aggression, withdrawal, anxiety, or other behavioural shifts linked to medical conditions
Medication-induced behaviour changes — assessing and managing side effects of medical treatments
If your dog's behaviour has changed suddenly, worsened despite training, or seems linked to a medical condition, a veterinary behaviour assessment is essential.
Not sure where your dog fits?
Most behaviour concerns overlap — and that’s completely normal. If you’re unsure what category your dog falls into, a Behaviour Assessment is the best place to start.
.