"...Frankie and I received a lot of support and guidance during our brief time with you and even in that short time Frankie definitely felt the benefit. During my sessions with Kate (which I really enjoyed, she really listened to me and asked such good questions) it was clear that a lot of time and effort had gone into them - I say a big thank you for your kindness and commitment to Frankie. "
"I came to DVBP when I realised my dog was heading down the a path to becoming a sad statistic. I was very concerned I’d be given unrealistic expectations for training and it wouldn’t stick long term. However I was so wrong. Loni and her team were so understanding, empathetic and practical when coming up with a plan for my busy schedule. I’ve seen huge improvements in my dog's behaviour and have valuable insights into his point of view. We had an open dialogue and support between sessions. I’d definitely recommend them to anyone in need. Loni was absolutely brilliant, as was Giulia. I saw Dennis make so much improvement and I felt much more empowered to help shape his relationship with the family."
"In the 10 months since we started working with you all, we now have a completely different dog. Slowly but surely, he is learning to feel more comfortable in the presence of other dogs, we are so proud of him and his progress! Walks have become really enjoyable, we almost feel excited to go out and see all of his progress in action! 95% loose lead walks, mostly sniffing and very content. We feel like we now have the tools to help him and deal with most situations!”
The owner's perspective of Fidget, a 2 year old Norfolk Terrier displaying fear.
"I (as the primary veterinary surgeon) referred Fidget (a 1 year old, at the time of referral, male Norfolk terrier) to DVBP for signs of generalised anxiety, especially around other dogs. Fidget has made great progress thanks to the team’s knowledge and professionalism. The owners report how grateful they are for Kate with her compassion and understanding; taking into account all of Fidget’s individual habits and needs. Fidget now copes with life very well."
The vet's perspective of Fidget.
"I loved the service I got from them, I think they were great. The behaviourist and trainer I dealt with were both very lovely. It was great that you could send updates and get a reply - it was a really good service and I was really impressed with them."
"I was almost at the point if he continued we wouldn't be able to keep him - he was biting my son and all of us... it was bad, and massively effecting all of our lives. We couldn't risk that. There was no second home for him so to be here now is massive.
I've enjoyed the journey. It's taught me a lot and I can forward that knowledge on to other people. Pain is such a massive factor. I've told so many people "Check for pain!". Thank you all so much - I do really appreciate all that you have done for us!""DVBP were so compassionate and caring when advising with our older dog Mylo. It turned out he was struggling with pain and this was directly impacting his behaviour. With the advice and help he got a new lease of life and was much happier and settled. Our personal well-being also improved. Thank you DVBP!"
“Took a while but here’s today’s attempt at a grooming session - clonidine and trazadone on board for an hour before starting, he doesn’t seem to have an issue at all being brushed now (which in itself is a big improvement on 18mths ago!)”
Jess, a vet from Northumberland who had a professional consultation for her own dog, Rummy, a 3 year old cocker spaniel who was anxious and would only tolerate his front legs being groomed, but nowhere else.
"When we contacted you we had been on the verge of returning him to the breeder and I was pretty terrified of him. My son said this morning after a positive interaction with Oz: “Imagine, we almost sent him back, he would probably have been put down if we had!” That really hit me because that’s a reality for a lot of dogs. Thanks to your support we have got through some pretty tough times and have the skills to manage situations better. I hope we will keep on learning and improving as his family"
"Having you to talk to, we’ve found it really helpful. You’re the only people we’ve spoken to from a behaviourist background that have made us feel justified regarding the extent of Murphy’s behaviour. You were the first people to really understand Murph and you’ve never even met him, you have really helped us."
Murphy, a 3 year old Springer x Cocker Spaniel who displayed distance increasing behaviour to his owners. Managing his environment and avoiding triggers especially in new situations was severely limiting his owners lives.
"Snooky is a very anxious dog, particularly when visiting the vets. Other attempts to train her and desensitise her had been unsuccessful but the behavioural programme has had a positive impact and made the visits easier (although it continues to be work in progress). You are supported each step of the way by knowledgeable staff, particularly when you need reassurance."
"Hugo is a long haired miniature dachshund who has had significant separation anxiety and noise sensitivity ever since I picked him up as a pup! We had gotten to our wits end with the poor dog, despite our very very best efforts. Loni and Giulia have been unbelievable and things have been pretty ground breaking for us! Their care, consideration and advice were profound, and they did it with patience and understanding. Hugo is a different dog! Along side medication and ongoing training, he is able to be in a car without becoming dramatically distressed. My parents can actually leave him to go out for dinner - something we never thought we would be able to do! We will be continuing our work alongside the support from Loni and the team, and I know we are in safe, caring hands. Thank you!"
Hugo had separation anxiety and his owner couldn't leave him even to nip to the local shop.
"Thanks for your invaluable advice and support over the past few months. Although open minded, I must admit, I was very sceptical when I went into this! ...when I was looking for a cat behaviourist, I honestly thought I would need to find one close to where we live, as I assumed, the behaviourist would need to visit us and train the cat and honestly had no idea that it would pretty much be about training “me” and not having to include Bijou in any of the sessions! As daft as that may sound, that’s what I thought."
Bruce, 2Y Springer X Cocker Spaniel, needed behaviour medication to complement the support he was getting from his vet and from his behaviourist, Hannah Antrobus (dog and puppy behaviour trainer specialising in spaniels and spaniel cross breeds). Bruce now visits the beach off the lead and has excellent recall. A successful result following a professional consultation with DVBP veterinary behaviourist, Hannah Donovan.
Blu, a very friendly young labrador who worked with our trainer, Ali. Blu had a habit of jumping up at people and would cry if left alone in a room when other people were in the house.
Hal, a rescued cross breed who was extremely nervous and fearful.
The Bowdens, Bedfordshire
Julia, Hertfordshire
Lisa, Bedfordshire