Home » About » FAQ

FAQ

General questions

How can Second Nature Behaviour help me?

In the treatment of pet behaviour problems, it takes time to establish cause and develop treatment plans that are suitable to different owner’s circumstances. We are experienced and well-qualified pet behaviour counsellors, who, on referral from veterinary surgeons, are able to offer the time and expertise necessary to achieve these objectives at an affordable cost.

What sort of problems can Second Nature Behaviour help me with?

The range of behaviour problems exhibited in dogs, cats and parrots is varied. It includes aggression, destructiveness, toileting problems, marking, spraying, self-mutilation, vocal behaviour, nervousness, car travel, livestock chasing and general control. We can offer help with these, as well as other behaviour problems exhibited in smaller companion animals and birds.   Our table of services can be downloaded here.

If you are seeking general training (e.g. to perform tricks on cue) or socialisation for your pet, then we recommend seeking an ABTC registered Animal Training Instructor.

Do you offer expert witness, school animal, or child fostering/adoption assessment services?

Unfortunately, we do not currently offer these services.  However, we very much recommend looking at the ABTC Expert Witness Register, CCAB Register, or look for another local FAB Clinicians member.

How do I book an appointment?

Contact us for a no obligations chat. After you have been referred by your veterinary surgeon, you can phone us on 0121 299 0188 to discuss the details and costs, or book online here. You can access the referral form here, or your vet can make the referral online here.

Why should I choose Second Nature Behaviour?

Currently, in the UK anyone can practise as a clinical animal behaviourist whether they have any qualifications and experience or not.  However, there are moves afoot to put pressure on the government to regulate the profession.  The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) is one body that aims to be an umbrella regulatory body for the sector. The Council is made up of several professional trade bodies, representing animal trainers and behaviourists to the public. The ABTC sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills necessary to be an animal trainer or behaviourist. The ABTC maintains national registers of appropriately qualified and experienced practitioners.  A strict Code of Conduct and an annual CPD (Continuing Professional Development) requirement is expected from the professional trade bodies who are members of the Council.

The Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FAB Clinicians) is one such professional trade body, representing externally, independently accredited clinical animal behaviourists and those working towards independent accreditation.  CCAB Certification (formally the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Accreditation Committee) run the only independent scheme in the UK that assesses and accredits clinical animal behaviourists (‘CCABs’), who need to meet high educational, experiential and ethical standards.  CCABs are recommended by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and it is this certification that most pet insurance companies require

Zoe Demery, who runs Second Nature Behaviour, has a doctorate in animal behaviour and a first-class honours degree in zoology and psychology. She is a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) in dogs, cats and parrots, which means she is fully accredited with the ABTC and CCAB Certification.  She is very happy to be a Certificated Member of FAB Clinicians. All of Second Nature Behaviour’s associate behaviourists are well qualified, but are still working towards CCAB accreditation.  We all work according to the Code of Conduct set by the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians.

Exemplary feedback from our clients indicates they are appreciative of someone having the time to listen to them and to deal with their pets’ problems. Second Nature Behaviour can offer years of experience, well-qualified, empathic behaviourists and great facilities. We are able to provide you with the tools and the time you need to develop thorough behaviour treatment plans that are suitable for your pet’s individual circumstances. We employ kind, reward-based techniques to resolve behaviour problems in a range of animal species.

Will I be a member of a class?

No. Behaviour consultations (indeed all of our services) are held on a one-to-one basis, normally lasting between 1 ½ and 3 hours.  If you are seeking training classes, then we recommend finding an ABTC registered Animal Training Instructor.

What happens during the consultation?

Consultations are held on an appointment basis, either at one of our regional clinics or in your own home. If possible, all family members involved should be present. A history of the problem will be taken and your pet’s temperament assessed. After this, the counsellor will explain the motivation for the behaviour and devise a treatment programme to help you modify your pet’s behaviour.

What happens after the consultation?

Treatment programmes vary according to the nature and severity of the problem. Sometimes only the initial consultation, remote support and some hard work on your part work are sufficient. Moreover, a detailed report outlining the therapy will be sent to you and your veterinary surgeon. Further advice and aftercare are provided via further sessions and email for at least 3 months. Where treatment dictates it, or if you would prefer face-to-face support, a follow-up appointment can be arranged online.   Alternatively, we can come to your home again.  If you are a dog owner, we offer extensive face-to-face support following the initial consultation as part of our standard service.

Where does the consultation take place?

Although we are based in Birmingham, full consultations generally take place in your own home, allowing us to get a clearer picture of what is going on. We may also go out on one of your local walks.

We will travel to see cases up to approximately 1 ½  hours’ drive from Birmingham, including the West and East Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire. We also hold monthly regional and virtual behavioural clinics.  For parrots and cats outside our normal service area, we can see you over online video link.

Do you offer behaviour consultations for species other than dogs, cats and parrots?

Absolutely!  For instance, we can offer a range of behaviour advice about small furries, including enrichment advice.  Different rodents have different social structures in the wild, which means they each have different behavioural needs in the captive environment.  We are also experienced in birds other than parrots, as well as reptiles.  Second Nature Behaviour can help you understand your pet’s behavioural needs, subtler communication cues and resolve any issues that you may be having with each other. The key is to reduce your pet’s stress levels, which will in turn greatly reduce your own!  Note though that we have not been independently accredited by ASAB in our abilities to help with species other than dogs, cats and psittacines.  Where we feel that a case is beyond our competence, then we will refer you onto another more appropriately qualified individual.  Please contact us for further information, or ask your vet for a referral.

I have multiple pets with problems within my household – does this mean you’ll charge double?

No, we won’t, although it often brings some complexity to the problem. For instance, if you have two dogs or a dog and a cat, we will charge our standard dog consultation price as we would for just one dog.

What kind of guarantees can you offer me? What if your suggestions don’t work?

We cannot guarantee a ‘cure’ or work miracles, but if between us we can diagnose what is going on, and if you are prepared to work hard, dramatic improvement is not unusual.  The treatment plan is designed to be fluid.  If what we initially suggest doesn’t seem to have much effect, then we will reassess and make some other suggestions about what to do. 

How quickly will we see results? How long will it take to solve the problem?

There is no quick fix to any kind of behaviour problem. The treatment plan advised may produce results very quickly, but often it will take time, effort and commitment from all of the family to produce the improved behaviour. Always remember that your pet’s current problems may have developed over a long period of time, so it may take a particularly long time to improve. It really varies from individual to individual. However, support from us is ongoing, as you need it. Following your consultation, further advice is available by phone and email as you progress, or face-to-face if you require it. Progress is often faster with greater follow-up behaviour support within your own environment.

Will neutering my pet cure their problem? Should we do this before a behaviour consultation?

This is something that you need to discuss with your vet. Sometimes vets advise that neutering can make the behaviour problem worse, so it would probably be best to wait at least until after the behaviour consultation even if you decide with them to go ahead with it.

Will you tell me if the risks are too great? We are considering rehoming or euthanasia – you are our last hope.

It is important to have realistic expectations for what can be achieved.  Behaviour problems take a lot of time and work to improve, sometimes never fully going away.  However, very often at least some management strategies and techniques can be put in place to help with the behaviour. Your behaviourist will be able to discuss the different options with you once they have fully assessed your pet and your situation.  The behaviourist will make a risk assessment as well as provide you with the treatment plan if necessary.

When should I consider a clinic consultation instead of a home visit?

The clinic is a much more affordable option than a home visit, but it is not suitable for all individuals or problems. The clinic is designed to provide you with some management strategies rather than a full behaviour modification treatment plan.  A clinic behaviour assessment is not as thorough as a full behaviour consultation in your home. For instance, a thorough exploration of the home environment may be central to the treatment plan. In each clinic session only really one behaviour problem can be dealt with at a time.  As with a home visit, your vet is still kept informed at all stages of the process.

 

Payment and paperwork

Why must I seek a referral from my vet? I’m sure my pet is perfectly healthy – what’s the point?

A strong link between the veterinary surgeon and the animal behaviourist is essential in all cases. In order to rule out any physiological causes for the problem behaviour and in accordance with the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians‘ Code of Conduct, we only work on veterinary referral. Behavioural symptoms are often intertwined with some medical conditions. To provide a truly holistic solution to your problem, your vet needs to be involved at all stages of the process. The behaviourist will work closely with your vet, who often provides ongoing support from their end for various elements of the behaviour plan. 

How does the vet referral process work? What do you need from them? Do I have to pay more? My vet just said to give you a call – is that enough?

We will send you a referral form to give to your vet. Ask them to look at your pet and fill the form in. You should send this to us prior to the consultation, together with any clinical records that your vet may think are relevant. Alternatively, your vet may like to email, fax (0844 358 3201), or post their records directly to us. Note that they can also fill in their referral online. If you have already spoken to your vet, then this may be sufficient, but please double-check with them. Different vets have different ways of doing things. Some vets charge an extra fee for a referral.

How much does it cost?

The total cost is dependent upon the species, the location of the consultation and who is your primary clinician.  Consultation prices start at £150.  You can find our table of services here.

How should we make the payment?

Consultation bookings are secured upon receipt of the full fee in advance, which can be paid by debit/credit card over the phone, online here, BACS transfer, or we can email you a unique link upon request. Some services require a deposit (e.g. dog consultations), whereas others, such as clinics, require the full fee to be paid in advance before appointment slots can be secured.  A confirmation letter and behaviour questionnaire will then be sent to you. 

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

How do you take card details? Who is your merchant provider?

Our merchant providers are PayPalSquareStripe and GoCardless.  All four institutions are Authorised Payment Institutions regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 

We primarily use GoCardless for our online payments, payments by email and package direct debit payments.  You can rest assured that GoCardless: 

  • Provides access to the Direct Debit network to thousands of businesses in the United Kingdom.
  • All payments are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee. The Guarantee protects customers against payments made in error or fraudulently, making Direct Debit the UK’s safest payment method.
  • Money collected by GoCardless is held in designated client monies accounts. All sensitive details are RSA encrypted and only communicated over secure channels.

We use Stripe to process card payments over the phone.  To protect Stripe customers, all information the customer submits is encrypted to Stripe’s servers, regardless of whether a public or private Wi-Fi connection or a data service on a phone (such as 3G or 4G) is being used. Stripe complies with all required PCI (Payment Card Industry) standards. They never sell information to third-party vendors.  Stripe protects its systems with industry-leading technology and security controls, including:

  •     Stripe performs data encryption within the card reader at the moment of transaction.
  •     Stripe’s software is developed using industry-standard security best practices.
  •     Stripe’s servers are monitored around the clock by dedicated security staff.
  •    Once you have made a payment, in the unlikely event that you are unhappy with the work that has been carried out, you can contact Stripe them or us (0121 299 0188) and together will take direct steps to help resolve the problem for you.

What is your cancellation policy?

Our terms and conditions contain the details of our cancellation policy. Booking a service with us means that you accept and agree to abide by our terms and conditions. Cancellations should be made in writing.  After you’ve made a booking and paid a deposit or advance fee, there is a cooling-off period of 14 days from the time of booking.  However, if you choose for the service to take place within these 14 days, then you lose your right to cancel with a refund. 

After the cooling-off period, for clinic, triage call and follow-up appointments, the fee is non-refundable. Whereas for all other services, if you cancel more than 5 working days before the appointment day, the consultation may either be re-scheduled and the fee carried over to the next session (up to two times), or half of the total fee is retained to cover administration costs.

Any cancellations received within 5 days or less of the appointment will result in retention of all of the deposit, plus the full fee for that service being invoiced. The full fee of a service is due even if you choose not to take advantage of all aspects of the service.

What if we are outside your travel zones?

For any travel beyond our normal 30 miles, we charge the normal fee plus £2 per mile (return journey).  Travel expenses could be saved if you come to us at one of our clinics or if we see you virtually.  Give us a call on 0121 299 0188 so we can discuss the possibilities.

Are you covered by insurance?

Second Nature Behaviour and our employees are fully covered by professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

Ella 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.

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.

Dotty, Annie & Colin

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

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!

Otis, Grace & Dom

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

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.

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.

Blossom Stanyon Jones

Would recommend the Second Nature team until I’m blue in the face! We’ve been working hard to build confidence in my reactive whippet X Italian Greyhound. We’re starting to see some really amazing progress with the clear and sensible suggestions made by Keely and I can’t thank her and the rest of the team enough.

Lilly Smith

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

RSPCA Brighton

Thank you for all your help with our 3 feathered residents, Billie, Dave and Alfie. As a charity we are extremely grateful for your generosity and wisdom!

Heather Jakeman

Zoe & the team have been brillant with their help & support over the last 14 months with Badger & Patch. Two brothers from the same litter who at 6 months old had a major fight.

Nicki Davis

Second Nature Behaviour provides an excellent service for a very reasonable price. As a vet, I have referred many of my patients to Zoe for behavioural and psychological issues and have worked alongside her in managing patients with medical intervention. Zoe has worked absolute miracles on cats and dogs and given pet owners chance to

Richard Yarnell

We were referred to Zoe by our vets as one of our greyhounds was proving difficult to settle and was reactive to other dogs, seemed to have some sort of sleep terrors and was generally proving difficult to adjust into our household. Zoe’s clear methods and easy style of communication quickly put us at ease,

Sonia Webb Academyofdance

Thank you Zoe for everything that you have done to help my two dogs Alfie (Shitzu ) and Charley ((Yorkie) I don’t know what we would have done with out you. Zoe is the most kind and considerate person if you are looking for a professional pet behaviour therapist that loves animals look no further

Jayne Knight

Zoe is the best at what she does. She has given me the confidence to tackle my dogs behaviour issues. I am now able to restrain my dog myself and make going to the vets less stressful for me and my dog. Zoe is a very genuine person and thinks of solutions to overcome any

André Sousa

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 he’s acting like he is, then contact Zoe. Zoe has been amazing and gone the extra mile with us. From diagnosing our newfie with anxiety to putting in practice an action plan but

Kadioula Duggan

We went into our first visit with Zoe feeling anxious and afraid that we may end up having to find a new home for one of our beloved frenchies if they didn’t stop their aggressive behaviour towards each other. Fast forward 6 months and our dogs are happier (and better behaved!) than ever and we

Dawn Myatt

Really enjoyed the training with Zoe. She has showed us how to deal with our dog Benji’s problems & we now have the tools to carry on with his training. Would definitley recommend second nature & would use again in the future.

Rosie Jenkins

I wholeheartedly recommend Second Nature Behaviour. I have marvellous professional advice and support from Zoe who is so committed to helping me and my dog,Sophie.

Lacey and Luca

Fantastic communication, gave some amazing advice and have been very helpful with everything, couldn’t recommend enough!

karen kawycz

We have recently had the pleasure to work with Megan to help our three year old maltipoo Harry with anxieties and reactivity which has quite honestly impacted on our lives and made us so sorry that Harry was not settled and happy and also that our joy in having this beautiful little dog in our

Tess Whiting

Brilliant! We worked with Megan who is very calm and understanding to help our nervous young staffie with sound sensitivity and fear of dogs. Would recommend them to anyone with a sensitive dog who needs compassion.

Mari Patel

Our vet referred our dog, Trigger, to Dr Zoe Demery after we noticed a change in his behaviour. He had begun to show signs of fear anxiety with other dogs, including, barking, lunging and running at them. Zoe helped us to understand Trigger’s body language and taught us lots of tips and tricks to deal

K Wilmot

For the last year, Dr. Zoe Demery has been working with me and my dog Bella on separation anxiety and reactivity. I moved from the USA to the UK and back to the USA, and Zoe has stayed in touch and continued to coach me on how to improve Bella’s behavior and make her life

To Mei Lam

Zoe is a very responsible dog trainer. Our dog Toby had been a nervous dog since he arrived England, and we had found numerous dog trainers, but they are not helpful with Toby’s situation. However, Zoe had weekly check ins with us, along with regular check ins via WhatsApp. Zoe also helped Toby with his

Hemendra Singh

I recently used Second Nature Behaviour for my dog’s anxiety issues, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the service provided by Dr. Zoe Demery and her team. Zoe’s deep understanding of animal behaviour and her compassionate approach made a significant difference for us. From the initial consultation, Zoe was incredibly thorough, taking the time

Emma

I have been very impressed with Zoe and her team at Second Nature and now they see all my behaviour referrals. Their client communication, follow up support and their passion for what they do is wonderful. As a referring vet, i want my clients to feel happy with whom I have referred them to and

Abs Casaus

We have two naughty cats that we would have had to separate if it wasnt for Zoe’s help. She is friendly, supportive and created a pragmatic plan to try to get them to coexist. We have had huge progress and recommend highly to anybody having pet behavioural issues 👍

Jules Isaacs-garfield

These are wonderful people, really professional, compassionate and knowledgeable. They helped me during a crisis with my dog and their kind, factual, knowledgeable service was excellent. Can’t recommend enough.

Francisca Silva

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 he’s acting like he is, then contact Zoe. Zoe has been amazing and gone the extra mile with us. From diagnosing our newfie with anxiety to putting in practice an action plan but

Kad Bell

We went into our first visit with Zoe feeling anxious and afraid that we may end up having to find a new home for one of our beloved frenchies if they didn’t stop their aggressive behaviour towards each other. Fast forward 6 months and our dogs are happier (and better behaved!) than ever and we

Beatrice Schubert

I cannot recommend Zoe enough. I have two German Shepherds who are extremely anxious around other dogs. Zoe gives them both so much care and attention, she even accompanied me on a dog walk to give practical help and advice for challenging situations! She is great at giving tips and tricks, training suggestions and food

Rachael Harrison

Zoe changed our lives for the better. My dogs had started to fight with each other for various reasons. Zoe spent hours with us trying to work out why and how to overcome the problem. Zoe put in hours of work and we out lots of hard work in too with support from Zoe. Whilst

D Adams

I had a longstanding worry with my male cat urinating in the house and vocalising a lot. I was overwhelmed. This was a complex situation and Zoe has been really down to earth, approachable, and persistent – even at those times I was ready to give up. The home assessment and report was great, and

Claire hughes

Without Zoe coming to see us and organising a behaviour plan for our border collie, I feel I would have had to rehome him. Echo shows nervous aggression whenever people come near him. With the behaviour plan in place and lots of hard work from us as a family we now have a more relaxed

Mary Wilde

We were a little apprehensive going to the meeting with Zoe, but we shouldn’t have been as she quickly made us feel at ease, Alfie settled quickly too. Everything Zoe has suggested from closing the kitchen blind so Alfie can’t see the children next door to more complex training has helped enormously. I realise there

Richard Yarnell

We were referred to Zoe by our vets as one of our greyhounds was proving difficult to settle and was reactive to other dogs, seemed to have some sort of sleep terrors and was generally proving difficult to adjust into our household. Zoe’s clear methods and easy style of communication quickly put us at ease,

Sarah Pittaway

Zoe has been an amazing help in integrating our two fractious felines. The whole process has been really thorough and we felt that she took the time to get to know both of us and our cats. We had some immediate ‘quick wins’ from her initial recommendations and she’s been there to support us and

Tamsin Fisher

Highly recommend! Our dog was struggling with separation anxiety. We really appreciated the time Meg took to sit down with us and talk through the positive changes we needed to make to support our pup! She was very kind and professional and the dog loved her too! Thanks Meg!

Jo Morris

I would totally recommend Meg at Pro-Positive as she’s professionally trained and very good at understanding pets and their owners and why certain behaviours can develop. She was fab at helping us with our rescue who had antisocial behaviour issues and she helped and supported us to change the way we were doing things which

Mary Edwards

The behaviour therapy received has been really appropriate for my dog’s needs. He is now less anxious when going out for walks. The behavioural therapist really listened to my dog’s needs and came up with an easy to follow tailored action plan that would help him.

Ry Disney

Zoe has been incredible and so helpful for my cats, and has genuinely created a calmer and happier home for them and myself. One of my cats used to urinate on my bed daily, sometimes multiple times a day. Within our first session together back in September she gave some advice on things to change/adjust/accommodate,

Benjamin Nixon

I want to give a special thanks to Megan for the advice in which she gave for our dog Tilly. We’ve had problems when it came to walking her as she was being a little aggressive towards other dogs. Megan advised us to view the behaviour differently and to try and give her a treat

Emma Yates

Megan helped us enormously with our dachshund. She supplied many solutions to help her overcome her anxiety around walks. We now understand how to address these concerns and deal with situations where she meets other dogs and encounters sudden noises or events. We feel more confident and walk her more easily. Megan’s approach is thorough

Sheenagh Glover

I found Megan to be extremely knowledgeable but approachable and friendly. Giving good advice followed up with data sheets and a written report. There is a large age gap between my dogs, and I was looking for support in helping them to settle and bond. Although I’d had a multiple dog household before, this was

Ray Rudd

When our two dogs started to fight, we turned to Megan for help. Megan used her extensive knowledge of dog behaviour to help us to understand how our boys were reacting to situations. Megan provided very professional help and loads of information to help us understand and correct the issues we faced. We would highly

Tim Daly

I was quite anxious about getting a new puppy but with Megan’s advice and guidance the new addition has settled in brilliantly. Meg provided constructive, easy to follow advice and supplied me with a wealth of material to continue the process of training my dog. If you’re looking for someone with a compassionate, non-judgmental approach,

Philip Malpass

Supportive, efficient, effective, non judgemental and very professional. Highly recommended Dog behaviorist for all breeds and situations. If I could add more stars, I would. Meg is extremely well versed in dog behavior and works in an ethical way that you won’t find from other local trainers. You will learn so many new things from

Blossom

Would recommend the Second Nature team until I’m blue in the face! We’ve been working hard to build confidence in my reactive whippet X Italian Greyhound. We’re starting to see some really amazing progress with the clear and sensible suggestions made by Keely and I can’t thank her and the rest of the team enough.

Beth Smith

Keely at Thoughts for Paws has been wonderful with my nervous dog. Being a rescue, she can be scared in certain situations and Keely has helped her, and me through the process of making her feel more comfortable and confident within herself. Would highly recommend!

Jennifer Jenkins

Second Nature Behaviour have really helped us with our anxious & reactive dog, a miniature daxie. Zoe is especially knowledgeable and helpful. We have worked on: -Walking from the house -Welcoming visitors into the house -Consensual handling and picking up -Sound training -Encountering big dogs -Creating safe spaces for hiding/retreating -Separation training We now have

Peter Blanusa

Thankyou to Zoe and Megan for the help and advice when my dog had guarding and anxiety issues and would bite if anything dropped and also many allergies as well. With there help that gave me excersises and help and support and worked with my vet got Marley the help that he needed. Also changed

catherine dodson

Zoe was really helpful all the way through the process. Always provided good advice and checked in on how we were getting on with Alfie. Zoe gave detailed reports which we were able to refer back to when carrying out the training. We have seen a massive improvement in Alfies separation anxiety which we are

PAUL TURNER

Have met Zoe from Second Nature Behaviour at home several times – at home, in a local park and on Teams chat. We didn’t know how to deal with our dog, Bertie’s anxiety, particularly with having a baby granddaughter to look after a couple of days a week, but after being shown various techniques and

Bilton Vets

Would highly recommend – Professional service consistently provided in an efficient and compassionate manner. Bilton Veterinary Centre

Emily Parkes

As a vet I have referred multiple cases to Zoe at Second Nature Behaviour, including a family member’s dog. I would highly recommend her, she offers effective practical advice, communicates clearly with vets and clients and provides ongoing support as needed. Thanks to Zoe’s advice the family dog is calmer and happier.

Nicola Dee

Zoe is so knowledgable, patient and caring. The team are worth their weight in gold and have transformed the lives of so many animals (and their owners) by successfully managing an array of complex behavioural issues. I will always recommend Second Nature Behaviour! Thank you for all your hard work.

Lilly and Kiki

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

Elaine and Marley

It has been a comfort knowing that if I needed any more advice, you were always there. Marley is doing amazingly compared to how he was, he still sprays on new items when I bring them into the house, but has not sprayed anywhere for many many months. Without your help and advice, I do