Frequently Asked Questions

Is my dog a fit for your services?

I work with dogs who...
- Experience acute or chronic fear, anxiety, or stress
- And/or display aggressive or reactive behaviors

What methods do you use?

Behavior therapy involves holistic stress reduction, building resilience to stress, and enhancing self-regulatory skills. This can involve increasing agency, creating emotional change, investigating physical health concerns, tailoring enrichment plans, and more. I will never advise anything that causes pain, discomfort, frustration, fear, or distress to your dog. I will never advise that we attempt to suppress or punish your dog's behavior.

Is virtual behavior therapy right for my dog?

Learn more here about why virtual options are a gold standard for dogs experiencing acute or chronic fear, anxiety, or stress.

What's the difference between a behavior consultant and a dog trainer?

Unfortunately, the dog training and behavior industry is entirely unregulated. That said, "training" and using a "dog trainer" often refers to work that focuses on operant conditioning (learning to perform behaviors). Dogs experiencing acute or chronic fear, anxiety, or stress do not need this type of training - their behaviors are a result of negative emotions and high stress levels, not a lack of training. Behavior consultants are knowledgeable, skilled, educated, and certified in treating behavior as a symptom and digging deeper to make problematic behaviors unnecessary by addressing the root cause.

How long does behavior therapy take?

How often do we meet?

All new clients start with a New Client Consultation Package, which includes an initial two hour meeting. Subsequent sessions are one hour in duration, and we generally recommend meeting every week or every other week. Communication between sessions via email or text, and video updates is an important part of the process - your support extends beyond our meetings. Find more information on what's included in our New Client Packages.

What if I need, but can't afford, behavior therapy?

We strive to never turn clients away due to an inability to pay, and have financial accessibility baked into our business model. If you have pet insurance, we recommend you check to see if behavior therapy is covered! Otherwise, please reach out, or learn more here about the Best Life Accessibility Fund.