First session with behaviourist booked - feeling nervous

[elmofan]

I've just found a behaviourist with 40 years experience but I'm still not convinced that she will be able to help
Had a very bad day with Oscar today . I rang our vet to see if they would recommend getting Oscar neutered but the receptionist has advised us not too yet the behaviourist has said Oscar needs to be neutered . Tired and confused and upset .
Any advice on what the behaviourist might do would be great thanks .

i think the receptionist is wrong. if you really like the vet and want to stay with that practice i would speak to vet about it. if not i would change vet asap.

not all dogs cock their legs to wee. my 6yr old collie x hardly ever cocks his leg to wee. he squats like a female dog

both my neutered male dogs are on the lower end of their weight range. this is because they are very active and its how i, and my vet, like their weight to be. it is within your control how much your dog weighs. my neutered smooth coat collie x has a lovely shiny black coat (even won prizes for his coat in fun dog shows)

could the behaviourist mean that she will have dog walking to heel in 10 minutes and not that the problem would be solved in 10 minutes? it is entirely possible that she could walk around the house/down the street with dog walking to heel in 10 minutes but you would need to practise this every day and be consistent so that the dog walks to heel for you even if he sees something interesting that he would like to explore.

be prepared for dog to make you look like a liar just like kids they can prove that all the problems you have raised only exist when you are looking after them

I've no doubt he will be an angel for her and make me out to be a liar .
He's asleep on his bed beside me ATM looking like butter wouldn't melt

The sodding vet's receptionist should NOT be interfering with the health and training of your dog. If you are in a position to change vets, I would change. All our dogs are neutered and we need to keep weight on them. Not off.

Why does the receptionist think the dog's coat will change? It might change if there is already a problem. If the vet is any good, you would know that.

Unless your behaviourist is going to concentrate on YOU and your relationship with your dog, don't pay them. As chickchick said, your dog may well make you look like a liar! It's YOU who needs the advice and the help. We used to go to a trainer, who, if he said, sit in a puddle, you'd do it. Brilliant trainer for the dogs, but less good at the human side! I didn't mind his manner, but a lot of people might.

Thanks silent

I haven't got a clue what she meant by his coat will change and
he will pile on weight but she is definitely trying to put me off having
him neutered for some reason.
No problems with his coat or health. He's a family pet not a show
dog and i told her this.
Think i'll phone around other vets on monday morning.
The behaviourist said she will teach us [ dh
and myself] how to
give commands and teach us about using the tone of our voice
to get Oscar to listen.

It's sensible to speak to your vet (and not the receptionist) about neutering. Our vets receptionist thinks they are more knowledgable/important than they are and gives out stupid advice too, I usually just say I need to speak to the vet, not the receptionist. Their advice when my two bitches started fighting and one needed to see a vet was to 'leave them outside more and let them get on with it'... I took the injured bitch to another vet.

In some breeds the coat does change with neutering, but I wouldn't say that is a reason not to neuter. Discuss with your vet, but I would also discuss with a (good) behaviourist who has actually seen your dog prior to going ahead. Neutering can have negative as well as positive effects on a dogs behaviour and for that reason it might be better to delay it depending on what the behaviourist says, maybe especially as you mention your dog can be nervous. A good behaviourist will keep an open mind and appreciate that training solves training problems, not neutering. (that's not to say it can never help or it's not a good idea for health reasons, but it's also not a training aid)

Elmo, if your vet receptionist wants to give out advice, they can go to vet school for six years and learn. Until then, they should concentrate on doing their job. Please do not be sidetracked by them, and listen to what your vet has to say (who has been six years at vet school).

We had a behaviourist round, our 16 month old cockerpoo Pickle was pacing all day, freaking out at the postman, a very unquiet mind for a little dog. He will also go through periods of eating anything he can lay his paws on, and her advice was to seal the letterbox, move everything out of his reach, put a gate on the stairs so he couldn't get up there to chew stuff, and play games with him. She also said accept him the way he is. The latter was the most useful advice. So we work round him. she charged £30 an hour and made no claims whatsoever. In our case, as Pickle can sometimes be very nervous, she said don't neuter. So far I agree with her. I feel for you though - I find I am making just as many mistakes etc as I did with the children. Although they don't jump up at people ...!

at leave your dogs to get on with it advice . Can't say i blame you for going to a different vet .
Yes Oscar is nervous around strangers (he will pee a little bit ) but very confident around us and other dogs iykwim .
Going to make an appointment with my vet and ignore the receptionist and get her advice .
Thanks

I would second having a good chat with the behaviourist on the phone before committing to a lot of money. I forked out nearly £100 a couple of weeks ago for one who came highly recommended, is associated with the vets, APDT on her flyers... and came away being told to eat a biscuit before feeding the dog . FFS. Didn't take kindly to my questioning in that logic either!

I am working through some of the sound advice she did give me ignoring all the BS about wolves but to be honest I'm going to need another trainer, and another cheque, to really deal with the issues.

So she wants you to tease the poor dog while you eat the biscuit in front of him knowing he's hungry ? Sounds like she wants the dog to feel like he comes last in the family . Hope you find someone better soon .

elmofan it's an old pack theory instruction, based on some bogus notion that as 'top dog' I get first dibs on the food. I remember reading a few of the experienced behaviourists on here joking about it before I got the pup and was 'What the fuck?', and they all said ignore, ignore, ignore. So when my supposedly expert trainer spouted it the other day, it was a hard job not to just roll my eyes and walk out.

Actually am pretty sure Doodle just thinks "Ooh great, are we having biscuits for breakfast today, yum yum! Ooh no, it's kibble, that's just as good, yum yum, slobber slobber! Whatever, bring it on!"

LOL Sounds very "old school" Barbara woodhouse eat your heart out

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH.

That's it really. Just Arrrrrggghh.

Just had follow up session with crazy wolf lady behaviourist. Every time I tried to discuss a point I got made to feel really small, until we ended up having a pointless argument about bite inhibitiion.

Whilst under the behaviourist's eye (away from me), doodle jumped at and mouthed (in greeting) a colleague of hers. If I had been sharper I would have questioned why she, as an exceptionally experienced trainer, didn't foresee and prevent this situation, seeing as that is the advice she is giving me! Actually it turned into this mad threat situation where I was told that if I couldn't control it, I would end up with a dog who bit harder and harder to get what he wanted because he is Dr Evil in canine form and has a masterplan to take over the world.

I'm sorry, but I have never yet heard of a dog biting to get a cuddle?

Somebody pour me a

Oh dear.

Well, we have a behaviourist coming tomorrow morning. Not cheap-£650 for 2x 4hour sessions, with telephone/email advice as necessary, plans in place etc. I know she's a young pup, but I'm finding it very hard to deal with the biting and jumping constantly. Behaviourist is very highly qualified it seems (even currently doing an MSc in dog behaviour) plus master trainer with guild of dog trainers and MCFBA.

Says from my description that our puppy sounds rambunctious but that these things are always solvable in a positive manner, with no use of adversives. We shall see...

£650??????!!!!!!!

I know-sounds a lot to me too. Not sure what to do really :(

However, it's covered by my insurance policy with the kennel club, so all OK as we're not paying! :)

Bet that's a relief!

Omg just seen your update alltheyoungdoods
and lol sorry but i think you need to sack her tbh. She sounds
mad
Oscar still does that mouthing thing to coax dh to play with
him. He doesn't do it to me or dc's though.

Oh just an update - we have changed vets and Oscar
is being neutered next monday. I am very nervous about him
having the op but vet assured us its in his own best interest.

I've found a new behaviourist!

OOh I've just seen your update alltheyoungDoods

Lol glad you found a new behaviourist , hopefully you will find this new trainer more helpful . Let me know how you get on
Oscar was neutered on Monday , and he is recovering well .