As a vet nurse, I saw many dogs who struggled with the stress of being handled, vet and grooming visits. Along with dogs sensitive to sounds causing them to hide, shake or bark (which can be a struggle for everyone as sounds are so unpredictable and out of our control). Dogs can often become tense, growl, lunge and even snap if you approach them when they have a 'treasure' - a stolen item, food or a comfy spot on the sofa. Dog walks can often be stressful too due over excitement or worry.
​If this sounds familiar, then you are in the right place. I can help you enjoy life with your dog using ethical and effective methods.​
"Called Sadie off another dog less than 10m in front of her today and she came back! Trained her recall using a whistle based on the Karen's training plan.
She’s only 8 months old and I can walk her with confidence and know that she responds to me. It makes for such a nice dog walk!"
Jenny with Sadie the Lab
How I can help you...
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Relax, unwind and enjoy your dog walks.
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Manage vet visits, grooming visits and handling at home.
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Stop replacing clothes, TV remotes and cushions your dog has stolen & chewed.
Pet Insurance
As I am a full member of the APBC many pet insurance companies will cover my fees when working on behavioural issues. Please get in touch with your company to ask. Pet insurance companies will reimburse you (often minus your excess) after our sessions are complete.
Every day I guide and support owners to help their dog overcome anxiety issues. I offer behavioural sessions where I create you and your dog a tailor-made plan to follow that fits in with your schedule to set you and your dog up for success.
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​The internet, social media, friends, family, and neighbours often give you conflicting advice leaving you confused and unsure where to start. Let me guide you all the way.
What is Involved?
I offer a 12-week behavioural session package which involves a Zoom call and then an in-person session.
Why a Zoom call first? -
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We can start our sessions sooner as my travel time is reduced.
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We need to talk through everything - I need to learn about your dog and the situations your dog can struggle with (I don't need to see your dog stressed to access their behaviour - in fact, we always want to avoid this to safe guard your dog's welfare - I can assess your dog's behaviour by talking to you (the person who knows your dog the best!)
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I can then give you advice, that you can put in place immediately to help your dog before we meet in-person to work on the practical side of the training.
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It is easier if we talk about your dog without me being in your home (which is a big distraction for your dog!)
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We are more productive in our in-person session as I can tailor make the training plan before we meet.​​​
The Package £440*
​The sessions -
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1.5 hour Zoom call - talking through your dog's behaviour, what you can put in place immediately to help your dog feel calmer, less stressed and in the best mind frame possible to learn.​
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2 hour in-person session at your home and/or on a dog walk - working on the practical side of training to help your dog feel better.
The support (yes, this is a lot as I am here to support you and your dog all the way!) - ​
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Information gathering from you and your vet, to help me plan and make the most of our time together.
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A written plan sent to you after each session.
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Regular check-ins between sessions to ensure everything is on track, if booking a package.
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Direct email/phone support for 12 weeks after our last session to address any queries, so that you have timely guidance and reassurance when you need it.
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Unlimited access to one of my online courses that will give you immediate help before we meet.
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Access to monthly group client support call (PB Connect) where you are welcome to ask me questions and listen to the monthly topic for further tips/training reminders (starting in January 2025 - 7pm on the last Thursday of the month).
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Access to a private client Facebook group.
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Organising a Veterinary referral, liaising with your Vet, and completing Pet Insurance paperwork.
*Travel expenses (per visit) -
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Perth City - no additional charge
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Perth & Kinross - £10 to £20
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Dundee City - £15
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Angus - £15 to £25
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Fife - £15 to £30
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Stirling - £25
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Clackmannanshire - £25
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Due to the size of these areas the above are estimates. For a quote to your location please get in touch.
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Why does my dog have separation anxiety?You are not alone! Separation anxiety is thought to affect 4 to 6 dogs and you did nothing to cause this issue! Anxiety is not about your dog being "naughty" it is an emotional problem where they anticipate something bad is going to happen (you not coming back) even though it is unlikely (because you are coming back!) With my separation anxiety training, we will work together to change your dog's emotional response - rather than anxiety we want your dog to feel calm and relaxed. If they feel more comfortable they will be able to be left home alone without feeling stressed, anxious and panicked!
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What does the training look like?My approach uses positive reinforcement-based, force-free methods. We will work to desensitise (i.e. slow and gentle exposure) your dog to you getting ready to leave your home and being left home alone. In our first call we will talk everything though - your dog's behaviour, what your goals are, what management we may need to put in place to help your dog and we will assess your dog's behaviour to see what they can currently cope with (it is okay if they struggle to cope with you even moving... this is very common!) I will then show you the first training stage and sent you a written plan after our call. In our follow-up sessions we will continue to work through the plan together to ensure your dog is progressing and is on track to being left home alone!
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Can we do these sessions in-person?Working on separation anxiety issues is more effective online! I can assess your dog at home (rather than when a stranger - me - is in your home distracting your dog) which helps me to assess your dog more accurately. We can then continue to work on the training together, while I can accurately assess your dog. Also, as I am not required to commute to your home, the package can be offered at a lower price. We can meet on Zoom, WhatsApp or Facetime - whatever suits you best. I can always give you extra help to set up any new programmes/technology to ensure our calls go smoothly.
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Will my dog's separation anxiety be fixed within one month?It can be great to use the first month (or two) to intensively work on your dogs separation anxiety training while being guided and support by me. Within this time, I will pass on knowledge about how to work through your dog's training and aim to give you a noticeable difference in your dog's behaviour when home alone. All dogs are individuals which results in not knowing how long it will take you to help your dog to be happy home alone, so it may take more than 1-2 months to achieve this goal. However, during the support you will gain confidence in the training and you will learn how to continue building on the training, even after our support is complete. Over time, you can achieve your goals!
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I have already tried everything, why sign up for this training?I understand, you can spend a small fortune on lots of different dog training courses, trainers and behaviourist not to mention the time searching the internet for answers. I have learnt how to help dogs overcome separation anxiety by working directly with Julie Naismith (a world-renowned separation anxiety expert). This training technique has helped thousands of dogs become comfortable while home alone. It is the one proven method that has show to be the best progress (Overall, 2021).
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Why could my Vet be involved?It is important to liaison with your Veterinary Practice and to view your dog's clinical history before we start behavioural training together. Many medical conditions can contribute to behavioural issues, this needs to be taken into account when working on changing behaviour. Simply put - we could do all the training in the world to help your dog overcome their issues, but it is unlikely to help if a medical issue is fueling your dog's behaviour. We need to cover this base. When you sign up to work on behavioural issues a Veterinary Referral form will be sent to your Veterinary Surgery for completion via email. This ensures your Vet is happy for us to work together and keeps them up-to-date.
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Can I claim the costs on my pet insurance?As a full member of the APBC many pet insurance companies will cover my fees. Please call your insurance company if you plan to claim. Claiming on your insurance is assessed on a case-by-case basis so it is best to check first. Please inform your company that I am a full member of the APBC - companies only cover fees of behaviourists who are members of particular organisations (the APBC being one of them). To book in a separation anxiety package the fee is required within two days to confirm your appointment days/times. Then you can claim the cost back from your insurance which will get paid directly to you (often minus an excess).