Behaviour Counselling

29A Tekkerstraat – 3040 Ottenburg

 Tel/fax:  016/47.35.24

 Gsm : 0475/68.90.62

 E Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 
Why  go and see  a behaviourist ?

The relationship between a family and a domestic dog is luckily often without problems but it can sometimes be difficult or deteriorate. Why ?

The family dog is so  much part of our lives that we sometimes forget that a dog is a dog. We are two different species. Dogs unfortunatily are not humans or primates, they are canids and therefore think and see the world and our morals very differently from us. These differences can generate in the dog a state of misunderstanding and unexpected reactions or anxiety wich are not understood by the family which can even  more dammage the relationship. The dog can then be considered as unreliable or even dangerous.

 The job of the behaviourist can be compared with that of a mediator. After being given a complete description of the dogs life, we will help you to understand the situation and give you the keys to re-establish communication.

What does a behaviourist do ?

The work of a behaviourist is based on his knowledge of different scientific disciplines such as :

              *  Ethology, especially in dog behavior, dog communication, and their social codes
              *  Psychology, especially one branch called systemic, in which each group forms a system and affects the others.
         
 This is also valid for the human/dog relationship

 What happens in a consultation?

 All behavioural consultations are conducted on a one to one basis and will take place in our center or at your home depending on the problems you encounter.

The first  consultation takes about 2 hours, during which we will take a look at the history and current environment of the dog and family. We will identify stress, fear and anxiety signals. All these will be revealed and discussed with you.

In the second part of this consultation we will give you positive, humane solutions to manage and modify the dogs behaviour.

The second consultation takes place two or three weeks later and takes about one hour. You will tell me about the changes that have occured and we will see if other changes are needed.

We don’t rely on choke chains or « alpha » techniques such as rolling, hitting, throwing stones or lifting the dog.There are better techniques out there that are easier to manage and work with. Behaviour problems with dogs have nothing to do with « dominance ». Despite the misinformation in  popular literature that dogs are always striving to be the boss- for many thousands of years man has selectively, bred dogs to be submissive, not dominant over people.

Your dog doesn’t especially have to be trained and even less given drugs.What he needs is respect, understanding and confidence in his being a dog, in order to trust and understand you.

It is essential to consult your vet to rule out any clinical problems since there are some medical reasons that can trigger off an agressive episode.

 When to call in a behaviourist ?

 Ideally before the dog’s arrival !

Indeed the behaviourist is qualified to help you to find the most appropriate dog, according to your lifestyle and family: ex. breed, male or female, puppy or shelter dog.

He/she will give you advice about what you will need to know to create  a good and respectful relationship from the beginning.

For any concern you have about your dog’s behavior, such as ;

Agression (toward family members, visitors, children or unfamiliar people, other dogs or animals), resource guarding, anxiety (separation or generalized), barking, destructiveness, fear/shyness, housetraining, hyperactivity,jumping up,generally bad mannered,…

Again the behaviourist will be the right person to help you to understand your dog and to give you the right advice to restore harmony in your relationship.

The success of a therapy is co-dependent on the motivation and the eagerness of the owner to follow the given advice.

 Behaviourists and dog trainers are two different jobs and require different training.

In Belgium there is no official  Degree in Applied Animal Behaviourism, so do ask the person your are asking for help about his/her qualifications. Improper advice can delay or even worsen resolution of the problem(s).

The information Canischola provides is based on the most in-depth, up to date information available in scientific littérature and not just on personal opinion and experience.

Price: 175€ for the 2 consultations

 Reniers Christiane
Certified Applied Dog Behaviorist trained by Michel Chanton (ethologist and founder of the behaviorist title and training in France