Separation anxiety in dogs can lead to a range of challenging behaviours when they’re left alone, including barking, whining, destructive chewing, pacing, indoor accidents, and even obsessive licking.

For owners, a dog with separation anxiety can create significant limitations. It can disrupt everyday activities, turning simple outings—like an evening with friends or even a trip to the office—into stressful events.

Separation anxiety doesn’t resolve on its own, and it’s important to seek the support of a Clinical Animal Behaviourist to ensure the issue is addressed in a thoughtful and effective way. A tailored, step-by-step approach is key to helping your dog overcome these challenges.

Does your dog bark at every sound they hear in the house? Do they bark at passersby through the window, or at visitors—especially the postman? Maybe they bark when you leave for a quick errand, and again when you return?

There are many reasons why a dog may bark excessively. They could be bored and frustrated, reacting to environmental triggers, or they may simply belong to a breed that’s more vocal by nature.

My role is to identify the underlying cause of the barking and develop tailored strategies to help manage and reduce this behaviour effectively.

Resource guarding occurs when a dog becomes protective of something they value, whether it’s a favorite toy, their food, or even something unexpected, like a sock. Signs of resource guarding can include growling, lunging, lip curling, hard stares, or even attempts to bite if someone tries to take the item away.

If not addressed, resource guarding can escalate quickly, so it’s important to manage the behavior carefully to ensure the safety of everyone in the household.

I am able to lead you through a behaviour modification programme that is specific to your dog and, most importantly, work at a pace that is appropriate for your dog.

Does your dog become overly excited or reactive at the sight of another dog? Do they bark and lunge, leaving you constantly trying to avoid confrontations during walks?

Reactive behaviour can also extend to people. Does your dog bark at the doorbell or when visitors arrive? Are they unable to settle, making it difficult to have friends and family over because your dog’s behaviour feels unmanageable?

Reactivity is surprisingly common, and understanding the underlying cause is key to creating an effective behaviour modification plan. I can help you identify what’s motivating your dog’s reactions and guide you through a customised, step-by-step process to address and reduce their reactivity.

Fearful behaviours in dogs can take many forms—whether it's a fear of fireworks, car journeys, thunderstorms, lorries, strangers, or even busy town centers. Dogs can develop phobias around a wide range of situations and stimuli.

The first step in helping a dog with a fear or phobia is to recognise the signs that they’re feeling anxious. A stressed dog will often show clear body language and facial expressions that signal their discomfort.

I can help you identify your dog’s early warning signs of anxiety and work with you to implement a behaviour modification strategy. Through a gradual desensitisation process, we can help your dog feel more comfortable and confident in situations that currently cause fear.