When, Where, and How

Consultations are generally 90 minutes long and take place at your home, at a neutral location of your choice, or via Zoom.

Initial Recommendations

When you schedule your appointment, I will review your dog’s behavioral history from your profile. I may call you for clarification and make recommendations based on our conversation.

• We may determine that a virtual consultation is less stressful for your dog and a safer option for your behavior consultant.
• If your dog has shown aggression to humans, I will likely ask you to purchase a muzzle and send instructions to condition your dog to be comfortable wearing the muzzle in preparation for our in-person consultation.
• Please avoid exposing your dog to their triggers in ways they cannot yet handle. Our goal is to keep them feeling safe and to stop the rehearsal of maladaptive stress patterns.
• In some cases, it makes sense to refer you to your veterinarian before our appointment. Our behavior change plans often involve the support of your veterinary team.

Virtual Consultations

If a virtual consultation is a better choice for your dog or situation, we can easily convert your appointment to that. You only need a computer, iPad, or cell phone with a web camera!

Virtual Behavior Consulting is the same price as in-person appointments.

Get a Behavior Journal

Why? Because a behavior journal is an extremely useful tool in determining more subtle patterns in your dog’s behavior that you may have otherwise missed, seeing improvement when it’s slow going, and finding successes to celebrate. A behavior journal isn’t required for the consultation, but I will ask you to start documenting information about your dog going forward.

Some of the things you will write in your journal are:

• Details of any incidents that have occurred or continue to occur
• What you think may have caused the behaviors to occur
• What happens before and after the behavior, if you can determine it
• Additions of enrichment, exercise, or training
• Changes in food or feeding schedule
• Changes in usual routines (dog or human)
• What you love about your dog
• Tiny wins (big wins too!)

Treats and Rewards

We will use food treats during the appointment because food is easy, effective, and efficient when training new behaviors or dealing with behavior problems. It’s important to have the treats your dog is motivated to work for.

Have a variety of pea-sized treats such as crunchy kibble and some high-value treats such as meat or cheese.

Even if you’ve listed your dog’s food allergies or restrictions in your behavior profile, it’s a good idea to let Jennifer know in advance.

2 Hours Prior

Do not feed your dog a full meal within 2 hours of the appointment. Your dog shouldn’t be hungry, but being a little peckish is helpful.

30 Minutes Prior

Take your dog for a short walk to allow them to sniff and relieve some energy. Ensure they have eliminated and will be comfortable for the duration of our appointment.

10 Minutes Prior

Please secure your dog in a crate, behind gates, in a back room, or outside in the yard. You can provide a special chewy or a stuffed frozen Kong toy to help keep your dog occupied. This prevents your dog from practicing behaviors we might be trying to address from the very start.