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Animal Behaviour Experts in the West Midlands

Clinical Animal Behaviourists in Birmingham Wolverhampton Derby Stoke-on-Trent Solihull Burton-upon-Trent Dudley Halesowen Redditch Kidderminster Stafford Stourbridge Walsall Tamworth Lichfield West Bromwich Atherstone Aldridge Evesham Tipton Cannock Bromsgrove Smethwick Willenhall Oldbury Droitwich Spa Uttoxeter Rugeley Stone Stourport-on-Severn Brierley Hill Wednesbury Brownhills Alvechurch Shrewsbury Telford Newport Oswestry

We have a team of clinical animal behaviour experts in different companion animal species.  Whether furry or feathery, the animal behaviourists at Second Nature Behaviour provide pet behaviour counselling services to help animals and their caregivers better understand each other. As described below, there are different services available for different pet species, in your home, on a local walk, in dedicated outdoor spaces, at one of our regional clinics and onlineIn urgent situations we can provide preventative, first aid advice through triage callsMake sure you speak to your vet about a referral first We can also work in close collaboration with a veterinary behaviourist where necessary to better understand how your pet’s mind and body work together.

Note that you may be able to claim back the fees from your pet insurance company, but you will need to check with them first that your individual pet’s insurance policy covers behaviour work.

Highly qualified clinical animal behaviourists and dog trainers

We have a team of pet behaviour experts in different companion species.  Whether furry or feathery, Second Nature Behaviour help animals and the people who care for them better understand each other.

We also have highly qualified expert dog trainers to support you with your dog training problems. 

Find out more about our team of dog trainers and animal behaviour experts here.

Behaviourist Megan with a cat
Keely Needham clinical animal behaviourist
Zoe Demery Clinical Animal Behaviourist
Hannah Dawes with her dog Noodle (cropped image)

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get expert help now from one of our
animal behaviour experts

Dog behaviour consultations & dog training

The dog behaviour specialists at Second Nature Behaviour can offer you and your dog years of experience in dealing with anything from simple training issues to serious canine behavioural disorders. Common behaviour problems found amongst dogs include:

dog paw on hand

 

  • Aggression both towards other dogs and people;
  • Separation problems;
  • Destructiveness;
  • Toileting problems;
  • Excessive barking;
  • Nervousness, fears and phobias;
  • Excessive territoriality;
  • Car problems;
  • Livestock chasing;
  • Self-mutilation.

Our most popular option when hiring one of our dog behaviourists is to have a home visit consultation on referral from a veterinary surgeon. You receive a dog training manual and a tailor-made treatment plan, followed by further visits where necessary. At least 3 months of remote follow-up support from one of our dog behaviourists is included.

Prices for our dog behaviour consultations are dependent upon how far you are away from us and who you would like to lead your consultation.  You could alternatively come to one our regional or virtual behaviour clinics with your dog, which is a more affordable, but not as thorough an option.  You can book an appointment through our web site or contact us if you have further questions.

We also have a team of accredited dog trainers based in Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham, who can travel to see you and your dog in and around Staffordshire and the West Midlands. Our dog trainers provide support for dog training problems such as pulling on the lead and poor recall. We also provide puppy training advice.

 

Claim on pet insurance

Did you know? You may be able to pay for our dog behaviour services through your pet insurance. We accept direct insurance claims for our dog behaviour consultations through certain insurance companies.

Cat behaviour consultations & training

Our cat behaviourists can support you with your cat’s behaviour problems. Cats are sensitive beings, who can become easily stressed by changes in their home and/or local neighbourhood environment. Common behaviour problems found amongst cats include:

  • Toileting including spraying and marking;
  • Aggression;
  • Problems between cats in the same household;
  • Problems with other cats in the neighbourhood;
  • Excessive vocalisation;
  • Self-mutilation.
Two cats lying on a wall outside

The best option for most cat behaviour problems is a home visit 2 hours’ consultation with one of our cat behaviourists on referral from the veterinary surgeon. This includes a tailor-made report sent to you after the initial consultation, a follow-up session, as well as optional weekly check-ins via calls, WhatsApp text or email for 6 weeks. Prices for our cat home visits are dependent upon how far you are in from us and who you would like to lead your consultation.

Some feline issues may be appropriate for our clinic consultations.  We also offer virtual video consultations for cats around the around.  You can book an appointment through our website, or give us a buzz to chat through things further.

Our cat behaviour experts provide behaviour consultations across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, Telford and surrounding areas. Our cat behaviourists can also offer consultations virtually over video call.

Book a consult

get expert help now from one of our
cat behaviour experts

Parrot behaviour consultations & training

Pet parrots are susceptible to a wide range of behaviour problems, from aggression to household members and/or each other, to anxiety, excessive vocalisation, self-mutilation and boredom. Depending on the particular species, this can be due to a range of factors. Psitaccines are very sociable and intelligent creatures, so problems such as feather-plucking may arise from either an environment lacking in stimulation and companionship, or even a far too busy environment.

Second Nature Behaviour can offer expert advice on how to resolve such issues through a full avian behaviour consultation by visiting your home.

Parrot training

Depending on the issue, you may instead be able to join us at one of our monthly regional or virtual behavioural clinics.  It often helps just chat things through with us face-to-face. Alternatively for our international clients, we offer dedicated online video consultations.

Dr. Zoe Demery has published and lectured parrot behaviour and learning around the world. She is currently the only independently accredited Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) in parrots and she is a Certified Parrot Behaviour Consultant with the IAABC.  She only utilises positive, reward-based solutions, based on what is known about the ecological background of your particular parrot species. This ethological approach keeps the cognitive well-being of your bird in mind at all times. If you would like more information, please contact us and ask your avian vet for a referral.

Book a parrot consultation now through our web site.

Other exotic companion species behaviour & training advice

Bearded Dragon sitting on a log buried in sand - small

We can help you with a range of species, including small furries, reptiles and birds. Second Nature Behaviour can help you understand your pet’s behavioural needs and subtler communication cues, resolving some issues that you may be having with each other. We offer home visits, clinics, one-to-one training sessions and general enrichment advice for different species. For complex issues, we will put you in touch with an appropriate species expert.  The key is to reduce your pet’s stress levels, which will, in turn, greatly reduce your own!  Get in touch to find out more.

For instance, different rodents have different social structures in the wild, which means they each have different behavioural needs in the captive environment.  They also have distinctive sensory abilities, which give them a unique perspective on the world, which we humans can only begin to imagine.  Nonetheless, rodents are all essentially prey animals, which means – whether they are hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, chinchillas, or rabbits – in captivity, they often exhibit similar behavioural problems related to their constant drive to be vigilant against predators approaching from above or behind.  This includes aggression, destructive behaviour, fur chewing and urine spraying.

Lynne

Lynne vet behaviourist
Zoe’s feedback and advice throughout the process of carrying out consultations, writing reports and following-up with clients have been invaluable

Emma

Emma Simmons with horse
Zoe has helped me to focus on my strengths and given me the confidence to embrace and develop them. I highly recommend Zoe as a mentor.

Faye

Faye Rogers' dogs snuggled up together
Zoe is always kind and encouraging but also very professional and Informative.

Rosalind

Ros Wrightson with her dog
Zoe really goes above and beyond for her mentees and is very approachable.

Hannah

Hannah Burton training her dog
My favourite thing about mentoring with Zoe is that she has a way of challenging you and helping you to grow whilst also making your feel incredibly supported.

Charlie

Charlie Wright clinical animal behaviourist
Your mentoring is very personalised. You provide more than just mentoring through cases – it’s career mentoring

Carole

Carole - Mentee of Second Nature Behaviour
Zoe herself is a very supportive, welcoming and encouraging person who helps to build your confidence as well as your knowledge and she dedicates a lot of her time to trying to help others succeed in the pet behaviour industry

Emma the vet

Parrot vet
As a referring vet, i want my clients to feel happy with whom I have referred them to and I can honestly say every one has been very pleased!

Nicki the vet

Cat and vet
As a vet, I have referred many of my patients to Zoe – she works absolute miracles on cats, dogs and parrots!

Luke, Harry & Trixie

2 dogs
I cannot recommend Second Nature enough. Zoe gives both my dogs so much care and attention.

Benji, Dawn & Paul

Terrier
Zoe has shown us how to deal with our dog’s problems.

Ted, Rob and Michelle

Dog
Really pleased with the outcome and what an enjoyable experience meeting with you – Ted has calmed down a lot now!

Gracie

Dog
Whilst Gracie is still an anxious dog, she has made incredible progress and if we are completely honest, more progress than we thought she could make.

Echo

Dog
I do think that if we had not had help Echo wouldn’t be with us today, so this service has been fabulous! With the behaviour plan in place and lots of hard work from us as a family we now have a more relaxed dog.

Chip, James & Sarah

Dog
We found Zoe to be extremely knowledgeable and attentive when it came to talking us through the processes we needed to follow to get our little Yorkie under control.

Riley & Paul

Dog
I must say the advice you gave me was excellent. I would without hesitation recommend you to anybody with a problem dog.

Pebbles & Family

Puppy lying in grass
Pebbles is just wonderful! Thank you ever so much for your help and support – we couldn’t believe the improvements with her after just one week.

Trinity, Bella & Rachael

dogs
Zoe changed our lives for the better. We can’t thank Zoe enough.

Dotty, Annie & Colin

Dalmation
We feel totally supported – Second Nature Behaviour are sticking with us on the journey!

Brambles & Corinne

Dog
I trust them completely: what they don’t know about animals is not worth knowing. Their calmness and reassuring manner transfers to both dogs and owners.

Bubba, Karen & Gary

Dog
It was very helpful to speak to you. You offered some very good advice, most of which we have put into practice and we really are seeing results.

Alfie, Mary, Michael & Chris

Dog
We were a little apprehensive going to the meeting with Zoe, but we shouldn’t have been as she made us feel at ease very quickly. We were amazed at how quickly Alfie settled. The suggestions Zoe made were easy to follow.

Ernie, Jennie, Ian & Alfie

Dog
We’ve been delighted with the service. You’ve tailored your approach specifically to our concerns and have always been available for advice and further support.

Ozzy & Bev

Dog
I would happily recommend you to any owner with a dog-reactive dog. Your set-up with stooge dogs is excellent. I was very pleased to find you.

Goldie & Lucy

Dog
Thank you so much for all your support with Goldie! The advice and training Zoe gave us has transformed our walks and made life much less stressful!

Sophie, Chloe & Rosie

Dog
I wholeheartedly recommend Second Nature Behaviour. I have marvellous professional advice and support.

Blaze, Laura & Glyn

Dog
Although it is still early days, Zoe has helped us feel more in control, thereby keeping Blaze in a happier place.

Cocoa & Julia

Dog
I have been following your advice with Cocoa and we have noticed a difference in his behaviour already!!

Bailey, Andrew & Denise

Dog
We found Zoe and her team to be extremely professional and knowledgeable, taking the time to listen to our concerns and offer practical and helpful advice.

Dylan, Juliet & Carl

Dog
Zoe’s early input was so helpful at looking at Dylan’s night-time anxieties in a new way. Her ideas and strategies really worked!

Frank & Lynne

GSD dog
You were fab and I couldn’t have asked any more of you.

Buzz, Andy & Faye

Dog
We were very very happy with the service you guys gave us and have recommended you to a several people. Buzz has made so much progress since we have seen you!

Jessie, Charlotte & Dan

Dog
It was so lovely to meet you guys! Thank you so much for your help, you have such a kind attitude and have plenty of time for people!

Yogi & Rupert

Dogs sitting together
You can tell Zoe is passionate about what she does and clearly loves animals. She is very thorough and is always on hand for advice.

Murphy & Anna

Dog
Murphy was scared of the vets and generally a little OTT. Things are now going really well – amazing Zoe! Thank you for coming over and giving very sensible, practical advice.

Irene & Pauline

Collie
Irene used to be terrified of noises. The service Zoe provided gave me the confidence and skills to make Irene more confident.

Kizzy, Gyp, Barry & Hilary

Bull Terrier
We have put a lot of Zoe’s advice into practice and Kizzy has turned into a lovely and very loving dog. Things with her and our older dog, Gyp, are much better and no further incidents.

Alfie & Charley

dogs
Zoe is the most kind and considerate person – if you are looking for a professional pet behaviour therapist that loves animals look no further.

Don & Poppy

Dogs playing
With a few simple techniques, easily and clearly explained, and lots of consistent practice and hard work, we now have a significantly more relaxed household and two much calmer, happier dogs.

Bobby & Jayne

Dog
I have found your knowledge of dogs behaviour inspiring and it’s clear to see you have a real passion for dogs. Zoe is the best at what she does

Cookie, Storm, Andy & Julie

Dog
Our girls, Cookie and Storm, suddenly started fighting with each other. We are really happy with the time Zoe spent with us and the dogs.

Bracken & Vivienne

Beagle
Thank you so much for all your help. Before meeting you we were at our wit’s end as to what to do with Bracken, but your time and advice has put us back in control.

Dexter & Dougie

Dogs
We went into our first visit with Zoe feeling anxious we may end up having to rehome one of our beloved Frenchies. Fast-forward 6 months – our dogs are happier (and better behaved!) than ever.

Sadie, Julie and Mark

Beagle
You have done everything in a very compassionate and non-judgemental way; an approach that we have really appreciated.

Nala

Dog
If you’re looking for someone to sort out your pet’s behaviour, that you know it’s weird and don’t have a clue why they’re acting like they are, then contact Second Nature

Skye & Lynette

Dog
Zoe is a real dog lover who understands that life has to go on around the training. I have learned and am still learning so much from her to help me help my dog.

Jules & Linda

Grey Parrot
These are wonderful people, really professional, compassionate and knowledgeable.

RSPCA Brighton

Billy the cockatoo
As a charity we are extremely grateful for your generosity and wisdom!

Lily & Kiki

Rainbow Lorikeet

You have been wonderful to work with – clearly such a caring person.  You have turned Kiki’s life around.

Nardie’s Flock

parrots
Even the budgies who were easily spooked respond well to me now and really love their fly time!

Cocky & Timothy

Cockatoo

We couldn’t be happier with the changes we’ve seen in our feathered family member – thank you Zoe.  You’ve worked wonders.

Otis, Grace & Dom

Cat
Zoe is fantastic and spotted solutions with our cat Otis straightaway.

Finn & Deborah

Cat
Zoe has been really down to earth, approachable, and persistent – even at those times, I was ready to give up.

Harry & Phantom

Cats
Really thorough process – we felt you really took the time to understand us and the cats. We saw almost instant improvements with some of the strategies suggested.

Hettie, Lily & Chester

Cats and dog
Zoe’s expertise and advice have been invaluable in helping our dog to settle at night due to separation anxiety and overcoming tricky interactions with our two cats.

Charlie & Milo

Grey cats
The help you have given us has been so useful with our two cats who weren’t getting along.

Marley & Elaine

cat
It has been a comfort knowing that if I needed any more advice, you were always there.

Billie, Tammy & Mary

Cat
Zoe, I can’t thank you enough for all your help and support with my cats. Your advice has been invaluable.

Riley & Paul

Cats cuddling
We have two naughty cats that we would have had to separate if it wasnt for Zoe’s help.

Sue Harron

Sue Harron training 4 dogs in a forest
Second Nature run an exceptional mentoring scheme. They are friendly, approachable and knowledgable, and offers the most flexible mentoring experience I’ve come across.