Dog behaviorist – is it worth using his services?

Dog behaviourist is a person who will help our pet to cope with its problems. He will show us – the owners – the way to effectively reach the pet. What else will the behaviorist help with?

Dog behaviorist is a person with comprehensive knowledge of dog psychology, anatomy, biology, ethology and even veterinary medicine. The role of this specialist is to repair the dog-owner relationship and identify appropriate parenting and grooming methods for our pet. A canine behaviorist observes the behavior not only of the pet, but also of the owners. He points out inappropriate habits and actions that lead the pet to behave in an alarming manner.

Dog behaviorist, what does he do?

Dogs most often benefit from the care of veterinarians. The veterinarian is responsible for the physical health of the pet. Another area of medical expertise concerning dogs is zoopsychology. This is where a dog will find care if it is having problems with learning, emotions or cognitive processes. A dog behaviorist is a person who observes the dog and its owners in its natural environment, and then indicates what to change to make the relationship work the way we want it to.

A dog behaviorist will help us when:

• We observe an anxiety disorder in our pet. This broad term includes phobias associated with certain objects and situations, for example:
  • separation anxiety – fear of the caregiver leaving the house; poor tolerance of staying with third parties;
  • fear of people (e.g. only men);
  • fear of other animals (dogs, cats, etc.);
  • fear of going out into the open (agoraphobia);
  • fear of leaving the house;
  • fear of going into water;
  • anxiety reactions to the sight of certain objects such as a vacuum cleaner.

• We notice mood disorders in the dog. Particularly worrying are depressive states, apathy.
• We observe auto-aggressive and aggressive behaviors in our pet.

Dog behaviourist, when to use his help?

A dog behaviourist will help us when we reach the “wall” and our (so far proven) methods stop working. A dog behaviorist will also help when we take in a dog from a shelter or when we take in a pet from another home. Such trauma may need to be worked through together with the support of a professional.

Dog behaviorist is also a lifesaver when we take/buy a dog and it turns out that we can not get along with each other. Behaviorist will help us understand the behavior of the dog, learn to read and distinguish them. The role of this specialist is to translate from the dog’s language to ours and vice versa, mutual behaviors.

Read also how to help your dog acclimatize to the house!

Dog behaviorist, what to expect at the first meeting?

Any professional dog behaviorist will begin therapy with a visit to our home. Why? Because the first step of his work is to take a close look at the dog’s behavior in its natural environment. The behaviorist will probably want to see how the animal behaves at home. In the next step, the dog behaviorist will invite us to take a walk with the pet. After a thorough understanding of the source of the problem, the behaviorist will begin to show us methods and ways to communicate with the pet.

Is it worth using the services of a dog behaviourist? Definitely yes! If we care about understanding our dog, his happiness and health, then meeting with a behaviorist is a great idea.

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