Help for your dog’s behaviour problems in Den Haag, Delft, Rijswijk, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Scheveningen, the Westland, and region. Skype sessions can be planned for clients further afield. Canis bonus works in Dutch, English, or French.
You can enquire (free) about behaviour therapy with me here (from the OhMyDog website, my dog training school in The Hague),
Is dog behaviour therapy for me?
It might be if you often worry about your dog’s behaviour but have given up hope. Don’t assume nothing can be done. I have helped families get their lives back so that:
- They can have guests again without constantly worrying about an incident
- They can walk the dog at normal times again without being scared of bumping into other dogs
- They are no longer mortified about that urine smell
- They can spontaneously go to the restaurant without worrying about the dog staying home alone.
I can help on a wide range of behavioural issues including aggression (to your own or to strange dogs; or to people), toilet training, fears, over-excitement, separation problems and barking. I can help even if the dog is old and the problem long-established.
If you recognize your problem, make an evaluation appointment to find out what you can do.
Not a magic pill, not a quick fix and we use treats
Quick fixes are rare in behaviour therapy, and often you’ll need to work hard and long to get small results, especially at the start. My role is to guide your efforts and design the exercises that are the most likely to result in an improvement in yours and the dog’s quality of life. I will explain, demonstrate and coach you into executing training exercises, but the rest of my time with you will be spent evaluating and steering.
If you are after a quick fix or someone who does all the work for you, we might be mismatched. We are definitely a mismatch if you are uncomfortable using food in training.
Dog behaviour therapy steps
- 2-hour evaluation: I come to your home to meet you and the dog, get more facts about the problem, explain what causes it, give you tips, and explain the therapy steps. We agree together on the next step, be it 4x practical training appointments or continuing alone.
- 4x short training appointments: I come to your home for practical training appointments when we practice the steps together, I perfect your training and answer questions. After each set of 4x sessions, we evaluate progress and I only leave once you feel you can continue alone. In many cases, the first set of 4x sessions are enough to get you to that point.
Dog behaviour therapy approach
I use modern, food-based techniques and not punishment.
I follow the medical model of behaviour therapy: diagnosing the behavioural condition and using standard-of-care protocols from scientific research and clinical practice to teach the dog to control his behaviour and emotions better. If I suspect a psychiatric or other medical diagnosis, I collaborate with your veterinarian. In some cases, I advise behaviour medication together with behaviour therapy for the initial stages.
After all this serious talk, let me reassure you: the training sessions are play-based and relaxed.
Credentials and experience
I have been a dog behaviour therapist here in The Hague since 2009. I am also the designated behaviour therapist for the Veterinair Centrum, a group of veterinary clinics in The Hague. Aside from my behaviour work, I am also the co-founder and head trainer at OhMyDog! (dog training school in The Hague), where I run obedience, fun and puppy classes with great pleasure.
After completing my first degree in Zoology (University of Newcastle), I got a series of professional certifications including the demanding O&O dog training instructor program. Because I believe dog behaviour problems deserve qualified professionals, I also got a postgraduate specialisation in applied animal behaviour (magna cum laude).
I have been approved by the Utrecht University’s certification institute for scientifically trained animal professionals: Certipet. This entitles you to health insurance refunds (if you have the right policy).
