Behavioural Counselling

Behavioural counselling helps you curb any problematic behavioural issues you’ve noticed from your pet, especially over a long period of time. It’s completely normal if your furry friend misbehaves every once in a while but prolonged behavioural issues could be a sign of an underlying health issue or other concern that needs to be addressed.

Why does my pet need behavioural counselling?

Pets can’t directly tell us what’s happening inside their bodies. Sometimes their behaviour is their only way of communicating when they’re in pain or if something else is wrong. Behavioural issues aren’t always a sign of an underlying health issue but in some cases, it is. If your pet shows any of the following signs, especially over an extended period of time, it might be time to book a behavioural counselling session with our team:

• Destroying couches, dining tables or other furniture
• Excessive growling or hissing at other animals
• Uncharacteristic biting or scratching at you or other family members
• Lack of appetite
• Excessive peeing

How do you support them?

Since behavioural issues can be a sign of underlying health problems, our first step is to ensure your pet is healthy. After assessing your pet’s overall health and ruling out any potential health concerns, we’ll create a behaviour modification plan that helps you support your pet in curbing problematic behaviours. We want to make sure your pet stays on track so we’ll schedule follow-up appointments to make modifications if needed. If you’re interested in discussing behavioural counselling with our team to see if your pet is a good fit, please contact us at 416-941-8920.

How can I manage problematic behaviour at home?

It’s important to follow your pet’s behavioural plan closely. Everyone who cares for your pet should be on the same page about helping them curb any problematic behaviours. Please share their behavioural plan with your family members, dog walkers or anyone else who spends prolonged time with your pet. With a collective effort over a prolonged amount of time, you’ll start to see changes in your pet’s behaviour. The most important thing is not to get discouraged if your pet seems to not be making any progress. Consistency is key.