Dog training and behaviour support across Edinburgh and the Lothians to help you and your canine companion
Services
Contented Canines offer both individual in-depth behaviour support and practical training sessions for dogs in Edinburgh and the surrounding area. We offer a dedicated, professional service with an empathetic and knowledgeable approach. Each dog is treated as an individual and advice is tailored to suit their needs and your circumstances and only welfare-friendly, reward-based training methods are used. Please follow the links below to book one of our services.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAINING AND BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT?
Training support can be offered to you and your dog if your dog is usually relaxed and comfortable in every day environments but you need specific coaching on teaching a particular behaviour such as recall or loose lead walking. If your dog exhibits any unwanted behaviours other than those relating directly to the training goal, then they would benefit from behavioural support. If during a training session, your dog is showing signs of stress that indicate they could benefit from more in-depth behavioural support then we will advise you of that and offer you the opportunity to book a session with us.
Please note as it is vital to correctly diagnose a behaviour problem, it is only possible to give advice over the phone/email after a personal consultation. Dogs that are booked in to attend training sessions that are exhibiting behaviour issues will need to be seen for full behaviour consultations as the training is not likely to be fully effective without addressing the underlying emotion.
IMPORTANCE OF VETERINARY REFERRAL
When providing behavioural support, we work in co-operation with your vet to ensure there is no physiological cause for your dog's behaviour issue/s. If you decide to work with us, you can either complete our veterinary referral form directly with your vet or we will ask for your consent to contact your vet to obtain a referral and information from your dog's clinical history. Your vet may need to see your dog before our consultation to enure there are no obvious health reasons for the change in behaviour.
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PET BEHAVIOUR PROBLEM?
The best way to treat a pet behaviour problem is to first determine what is causing the problem behaviour. Behaviour therapy follows a psychological approach and concentrates on finding the root of the problem. Pet Behaviour Counsellors have specialist knowledge that enables them to establish the cause of the behaviour, what is motivating the pet to continue that behaviour and to then develop a suitable method of manging or stopping that behaviour. Re-training can involve many different methods but all are kind to the animal. All cases are different so treatment must be adapted for each individual animal. Change takes time and there is seldom a quick fix but if you are prepared to put in a little hard work then you will soon be on the path to a happier life with your dog.
CAN YOU TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS?
You definitely can but as we all know, old habits, die hard. Your pet's problem behaviour may have developed over a long period of time. The longer the behaviour has been expressed, the more effort is required and the longer it will take for it to stop or improve.
