Behavior Assessments
Behavior transformation starts with understanding
You love your dog, but you don’t always understand their behavior
Addressing concerning behaviors requires more than skilled training; it requires an understanding of what causes those behaviors in the first place. We use the science of behavior analysis to determine the Why behind your dog’s actions. Then we design a holistic plan to provide relief, support your dog, and fit your dog and your life together seamlessly.
Intensive Behavior Program
Get detailed understanding and put an in-depth plan into action
This program is designed to get straight to the heart of the behaviors that make life with your dog more challenging: separation anxiety, reactivity, aggression, resource guarding, concerning behavior around children, and more. Once we understand your dog’s triggers and the factors that reinforce their behavior, we’ll create a custom plan to address them. This is our most intensive program, involving a high level of research and data analysis.
What’s included:
Five 60-minute sessions
Five hours of behind-the-scenes analysis, planning, and report preparation
Comprehensive, detailed report and customized training plan
Training starts after 1-2 sessions (following in-depth analysis)
You’ll leave with a comprehensive, detailed behavior report, a customized training plan, and targeted strategies to change your dog’s behavior.
Investment: $2450
Sliding scale options available
Behavior Jumpstart
A higher-level look at challenging issues
Designed to get you started right away, Behavior Jumpstart takes a less in-depth approach to your most pressing challenges. While it is still a focused program involving careful analysis, we don’t get quite as detailed about your dog’s behaviors in this shorter-form version.
What’s included:
Four 60-minute sessions
Two-and-a-half hours of behind-the-scenes analysis, planning, and report preparation
Brief report and customized training plan
Training starts in the first session
Investment: $1495
Sliding scale options available
We support families whose dogs are:
Lunging and barking on walks
Growling at, snapping at, or biting people
Having conflicts with other dogs
Experiencing separation anxiety (or other forms of anxiety)
Struggling with handling or veterinary care
If you’re not sure whether your challenge is a good fit, <just ask!>
How it Works
1. Tell us everything
On our first (free) 30-minute intake call, we’ll ask you lots of questions about your dog’s behavior and your needs to determine which program is the best fit.
2. Behavior analysis
We’ll use the data and videos you share (more on that below) to do a deep dive into the root causes of and contributors to your dog’s behavior. Based on our findings, we’ll create a customized training plan. (Note: for Behavior Jumpstart, this step is less detailed so we can get straight to training sessions.)
3. Training sessions
We’ll teach you and your dog the strategies to manage their current behavior and replace undesirable behaviors with healthier alternatives. Whether we do hands-on training in person or demonstrate over Zoom, we’ll leave you with a solid understanding of how to manage each step of your dog’s progress.
4. Take away new skills
We offer additional support after your behavior assessment package has ended, but you’ll leave with a step-by-step training plan, a detailed report about our work together, and the strategic tools you need to support you and your dog. Training on your own, get back in touch when you’re ready for next steps, or reach out right away to build on the foundation we’ve created.
Your participation is key
For a successful experience, guardians should be prepared to work closely with us! We know it’s a hard road that led you here, and we are here to support you.
During the Behavior Assessment process, we’ll ask you to:
Collect data (we’ll customize a template)
Submit videos (we’ll tell you what to send)
Meet with us at least weekly (we’ll identify the best schedule together)
Ask questions when you have them
Practice training between sessions
Our Approach
We empower individuals to improve their quality of life and restore joy to their relationships with their dogs using the science of behavior. By helping people understand and confidently respond to their dog’s behavior, we restore hope, unlock joy, and strengthen bonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Behavior Assessment, exactly?
Everything your dog does has a reason behind it—even if that reason seems baffling to us. The root causes of a dog’s behavior, including the contributing factors that reinforce it, make up the behavioral “function.” That complete picture is what we look for in a Behavior Assessment. Once we understand the Why behind your dog’s behavior, we can develop and help implement a training plan to replace challenging behaviors with healthy ones.
We start with Why because it’s not enough to know the What of a dog’s behavior. For example, one past client had a dog that jumped on guests with enough force to scratch and bruise them. Many dogs do this to get attention from the guests, but this dog did it to get a response from her family members—who, understandably, stepped in when she jumped. Our approach to training her was different than it would have been for a dog who just wanted attention from visitors.
How do I know if Behavior Assessments are a good fit for my dog?
Both of these programs are appropriate for any family that is dealing with challenging behavior. We know that it can be expensive and time-consuming to address these types of behaviors. We start with an assessment so that we can be confident about what is contributing to your dog’s challenges and to ensure we recommend efficient and effective training programs. As a result, you can be confident that your training and management are appropriate.
What is the process to get started?
We start with a (free) 30-minute intake call to learn more about your needs and determine which program is right for you. If there is another package that would be a better fit for your needs, we’ll let you know. Of course, it’s also a time for you to ask us your questions.
After the call, we’ll send you a follow-up email with our recommendations. If you’d like to move forward, we’ll send over a contract and invoice for you to complete digitally, and then we’ll schedule your sessions. We typically meet weekly, and sometimes twice a week, depending on the behavior and everyone’s schedules.
Is training required after I complete this program?
For many of the families who complete these programs, there are ongoing training recommendations. We collaborate with you to prioritize goals to work on during our sessions together.
Following the completion of your program, you may choose to continue to work with your dog independently or you might benefit from support through our ongoing Behavior Support Program. You might also choose to work on your own and reach out again when you are ready for next steps. Nearly everyone still has work to do following their program, but you will leave with a clearly defined path to follow.
