Great question! Pets with significant behavioral-needs rarely see positive change in a “one-and-done” session or group class setting. They need their humans to understand how an individual pet communicates, something that takes time for us humans to learn. I’m here to help be a “translator” for your pet, offering insights into their body language, emotional states, and how to support them through behavioral and life changes. That’s a lot for you and your pet to learn, so we can do that together! Here are the steps in working toward behavior change:

Step 1: Pre-Scheduling Requirements

After completing the Contact Form, I will reach out to confirm if I’m the most appropriate option for helping with your pet’s needs. If so, these 4 items are required to be completed and returned to Derpy Paws Behavior Consulting before you will receive a link to schedule your pet’s Initial Consult:

• A comprehensive behavior history form to complete,
• A services agreement to sign electronically,
• An invoice to prepay, and
• A draft message on how best to request medical records be shared with me by your pet’s veterinary clinic.

Step 2: Initial Consult

During the Initial Consult, I’ll ask additional questions about your pet’s behavior (+/- medical) history and your goals for life with your pet. A tour will be requested of the spaces your pet has access to throughout the home, as well as access to the outdoors. And I will offer initial recommendations, including ways to manage/reduce the current behaviors and preliminary behavior therapy training interventions.

Step 3: Behavior Training Sessions

Meaningful behavior change occurs over weeks and months, meaning your pet will likely need more than 1 additional training session to work toward your goals. Session packages are an option to help keep momentum going. Please refer to the Canine Services or Feline Services pages for package fees.

Step 4: Maintenance Sessions

Many pets benefit from periodic “maintenance” sessions- single sessions to assess stable behaviors or when a pet may only need 1-3 sessions to focus on a single target behavior.