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Dynamic Dog Assessment

My Approach

My Dynamic Dog Assessment can be used either as a stand-alone service or, more commonly as a pre-cursor to the standard Behaviour Consultation.  Essentially, it helps your vet to identify if your dog is experiencing pain or discomfort which is contributing to their behaviour challenges. Many dogs tense up when they visit a vet which makes it more difficult for your vet to identify and diagnose pain in the short consultation window that they have with your dog.

Using my knowledge and experience of a dog’s anatomy and the training I have received to spot potential signs of discomfort, I use my observations of your dog and their movement to compile a detailed veterinary report with corresponding photo and video evidence of your dog. I then share my findings with your vet to support their physical examination of your dog and subsequent diagnosis and treatment. Often, only once physical pain is addressed can a behaviour support plan be truly effective.
"A recent study carried out at Lincoln University by Daniel Mills, a professor of Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, found that approximately 80% of dogs that presented with behavioural issues had some form of undiagnosed pain that was a direct cause of, or a contributing factor to, the challenging behaviour. "
Unfortunately, dogs do not always show signs of pain by limping or whining. Pain related behaviour is extremely complex and the subtle signs can go unnoticed for months or even years.

The Dynamic Dog Assessment differs from my standard Behaviour Consultation because it focuses first on understanding if pain is the cause of, or a contributory factor to your dog’s behaviour challenges. It looks in even greater detail about every aspect of your dog’s day-to-day life. This encompasses how they sleep, the way they move, how they navigate around the house, how they play and how they eat. My findings are summarised in a veterinary report with accompanying video and photo evidence.

Once the Assessment has been completed, and depending on the outcome, you may choose to work with your vet to treat any diagnosed health issues to ascertain the impact of treatment on your dog’s behavioural issues.  Many customers choose to combine this pain mitigation approach with a Behaviour Consultation and it’s accompanying Behaviour Support Plan. 
Dynamic Dog Assessment – What’s Included?Here’s what’s included in a Dynamic Dog Assessment:
  1. DISCOVERY CALL
    15 minute free pre-assessment call
  2. DOG HISTORY
    You’ll complete a Consultation Form providing core details, to be submitted 72 hours before our Deep Dive Discussion
  3. DISCUSSION PREPARATION
    I will send you an outline plan for our Discussion so that you know what to expect.
  4. DEEP DIVE DISCUSSION
    (in person or by Zoom) – a 1 - 1½ hour discussion about every aspect of your dog’s day-to-day life with you.  Expect to go into a lot of detail! If conducted in person then I can assist with some Evidence Gathering if required.
  5. EVIDENCE GATHERING
    This entails gathering photos and videos of your dog doing day-to-day activities so that I can observe them physically.
  6. EVIDENCE ANALYSIS
    I will review all the information gathered in the Consultation Form, our Deep Dive and the supporting photos and videos
  7. VETERINARY REPORT & LIAISON
    I compile a detailed veterinary report with supporting video and photo evidence to document my observations to enable your vet to diagnose any underlying health issues that may be contributing to your dog’s behavioural challenges, and start a treatment plan. I send this to your vet and answer any questions they may have.
If you require my help with Evidence Gathering and a separate session is required for this, then an additional charge will apply for my time.

If I need to travel more than 5 miles from my home for any in-person Deep Dive Discussion or to assist with any Evidence Gathering, then an additional Travel Charge will apply.
  Behaviour Consultation – to address the Behaviour issuesMost customers also book a Behaviour Consultation to discuss how to cope with their dog’s challenging behaviours. This includes a tailored Behaviour Support Plan which can work alongside any vet treatment plan.Read More

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