Can anyone recommend a good dog behaviourist please

[FizzyFishAddict]

Hello, we are in South London and need a good behaviourist.

If i google names i get loads and i've no idea if they are any good, so i'd really prefer a recomendation if possible.

We have a rescue, he is going to dog obedience classes and whilst they are improving his general behaviour he has some quite specfic needs we aren't addressing there. (we were quite deceived as to the extent of his problems and feel very out of our depth!)

Money is unfortunately an issue for us to, so if you have any idea of prices so we could budget/brace ourselves that would be great

Thanks

You must use someone who is a member of the apbc. It will be expensive but they should find a way of helping you pay.

If you have insurance it may be covered. Have you contacted the rescue for help/advice (if they are any good)?

Can you give a rough idea of the problems? It may be that an APDT member would be able to help.

Hi thanks for the replies.

In terms of more info its a bit complicated as he was an overseas rescue- an acquaintance of ours fell in love with a picture of the dog and paid his passage but he didn't cope with her other three dogs, hence he ended up with us, so we have no background/support from the rescue.

We were told he was great with people but could be agresssive towards small dogs.

This is true, but in reality he can be agressive towards any size dog- he hates small ones in particular, but for no apparent reason will also lunge at much bigger ones on occasion, (he is never off lead but dogs that are off lead bound over to him to be friendly, and we just don't know how he is going to react each time. He is very good with the dogs in his class now, but he has got to know them all, which I think makes a difference.

It also isn't true exactly that he is good with people.He is very good with us and other people he gets to know, but if any stranger tries to stroke him, he tries to nip them.

We are implementing everything we learn at classes and he has done well, but however well he behaves normally, on those occasions where he goes for other dogs/people, it is as if we have just got him, and he doesn't even seem to see/hear us trying to restrain him.

Obviously we never let him off the lead, and do try and warn strangers from touching, but the two issues we still have are other dogs off lead coming up to him which we can't really get away from, and strangers stroking him despite our warnings- they will say things like 'oh but all dogs love me' or 'i'm great with dogs, he wouldn't bite me' etc and stroke him anyway.

I would suggest using someone from the APBC too. I used someone from there for one of my dogs, who is very dog aggressive (cannot risk him getting anywhere near a dog he doesn't know as he would bite it immediately, goes ballistic if he even sees another dog he doesn't know, eg. not my other dogs). I had a good idea of how to deal with it anyway as I am an experienced dog owner, but the behaviourist just confirmed it all and helped me put a stuctured plan in place for how to deal with it. There has been a massive improvement, although I still wouldn't walk him where other dogs are off lead yet or let him approach another dog.

Anyway, it cost £180 for the initial visit, plus travelling expenses and was a further £50, plus travel for any further visits, which we did not need. Ongoing phone or email support was provided for no further charge. A vet visit to confirm the dog was healthy was required first.

It does sound a lot of money I know, but was well worth it and as has been said, your insurance may cover the cost.

I think in the meantine with your dog it would be wise to either muzzle him or walk him in areas where other dogs cannot approach him (eg, are on leads) and if any people try and approach him, just call out 'he's not friendly'.