Dog Behaviour Blog

I cannot recommend Second Nature enough. Zoe gives both my dogs so much care and attention. I have two German Shepherds who are extremely anxious around other dogs. Zoe accompanied me on dog walks to give practical help and advice for challenging situations! She is great at giving tips and tricks, training suggestions and food recommendations for my boys. Not only is Zoe amazing with the dogs but she is a lovely person to work with and made me feel at ease. The best service you can get for a reasonable price. Thank you Second Nature, Trixy

We have really enjoyed the behaviour consultation process. Zoe has shown us how to deal with our dog’s problems. We now have the tools to carry on with his training. The walks with Zoe, in particular, have provided what we need to stop Benji’s chasing. We know it is going to be a long process for Benji’s problems, but we now know how to go about trying to change the behaviour with consistency. We know that it is fear that is making Benji chase. We would definitely recommend Second Nature and would use you again if required in the future. Many thanks for your help, Dawn and Paul

Really pleased with the outcome and what an enjoyable experience meeting with you – Ted has calmed down a lot now! It’s great that I can cuddle Rob now without worrying! Ted is much calmer when people visit, but we’re still working on him tolerating strangers approaching me. Nonetheless, on the whole fantastic! Thank you for all your help! Michelle & Rob

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. Gracie came to live with us from the Retired Greyhound Trust. Gracie was finding life very difficult as she was incredibly anxious and her inability to sleep through the night, cope with anyone other than us coming to the house and her extreme nervousness on encountering other people on walks was making us doubt if we could keep her. This was extremely upsetting for us as she is a very loving dog. As a result of Gracie’s issues and the stress, it was causing her and us, we were referred to Second NatureBehaviour by our vet. Zoe visited us at home and spent over three hours observing Gracie and talking with us about our experiences with her. This consultation was very successful and almost over-night enabled us to improve the ways we approached and helped Gracie, through: Diagnosing Gracie’s condition as generalised anxiety disorder and gaining a full understanding of the implications of this condition;     Working in partnership with our vet to create a clinical as well as a behavioural plan;     Teaching us how to “address” Gracie in order to reduce her stress levels – this technique we were able to share with visitors and had a great calming effect;     Using treats to reward small steps forward that quickly grew into lasting improvements;     Recognising some of Gracie’s stress triggers and developing a regime that reduced them / where possible avoided them; and     A behavioural programme that helped Gracie during stressful times. Gracie has now been part of our family for 15 months. There is still a lot to be done to continue to help Gracie, but thanks to Zoe’s input, when she is at home with us she is now a happy, playful, confident and very affectionate dog. During walks she is nowhere near as scared of traffic, people, noises as she used to be, and no longer ‘freezes’ as she used to at times. The coaching we have had from Zoe through the initial visit and follow up has given us confidence that we can, over time, continue the progress Gracie has made so far to help her live an even fuller and happier life. We would absolutely recommend Zoe to anyone who has an animal struggling with behavioural problems, as the progress we have seen Gracie make is wonderful, and has made our lives much better, too. Thank you, Anette and David

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. Echo shows nervous aggression whenever people come near him.  The overall consultation process has helped us as a family to understand Echo a lot better and why he acts as he does at times.  The behaviour plan is always on hand to help us in certain areas with Echo and it works so long as we all stick to it, which we do. Without Zoe coming to see us and organising a behaviour plan for our border collie, I feel I would have had to rehome him.  We still have a long way to go, but we now know Echo and how he reacts in situations and why so we can quickly defuse it. A wonderful service from Second Nature knowing we can call Zoe at any time is so reassuring.  Thank you Second Nature and Zoe –  so friendly and understanding! Thanks for all your help! Claire

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. Very helpful after the home visit with follow-up emails and other offers of help to ensure we had all the support we needed. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a professional behaviourist. Regards, James and Sarah

I must say the advice you gave me was excellent. I would without hesitation recommend you to anybody with a problem dog. The consultation process I found most useful in setting out the ground rules. I also found the literature to be most helpful for reference. Things have really improved with Riley on and off the lead – he actually comes back to recall! Although he has progressed a lot, he still has the odd chewing lapse. I don’t think Riley will ever be the ‘perfect dog’, but having him has become so much more pleasurable, thanks to your guidance. Best wishes, Paul

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. Now a few months later we are pleased to report that Pebbles has made remarkable progress – we have newfound confidence! When before she became extremely anxious when left alone, now we find Pebbles will often settle down on the mat or sofa and just wait quietly. We have returned to her being pretty calm and relaxed, although on one occasion she did put all the sofa cushions on the floor first to make herself more comfortable! Whilst on her walks she is now getting plenty of run-time on the training lead and loves to play fetch games. Socialising with other dogs is increasing and Pebbles seems much more comfortable with all kinds of breeds now. Pebbles loves people and she is also improving when we have visitors. There is still more work that needs to be done for her greetings, but she has definitely improved in this area. All in all, we are so pleased with Pebbles’ progress! Your visit came at a crucial time and helped us focus on what steps we needed to take first, so thank you.  We seriously couldn’t have wished for a better service!  We were honestly at our wit’s end and at a loss with how to cope. From day one of meeting you, we felt reassured and more confident in understanding Pebbles’ needs and how to integrate her into family life.

Zoe changed our lives for the better.  We can’t thank Zoe enough. 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 put lots of hard work in too with support from Zoe. Whilst we still have a long way to go, things have vastly improved and we can enjoy our beautiful collies again.   Thank you so much, Rachael

We feel totally supported – Second Nature Behaviour are sticking with us on the journey! We are fostering our first rescue dog who had never been properly socialised with other dogs. Zoe assessed Dotty and produced a very thorough and professional report, which has been invaluable in giving us the confidence and the practical techniques to help our dog gain confidence and improve her behaviour. The aftercare following the original assessment, report and subsequent training event has been fantastic – all our questions have been answered in a very thoughtful and caring way. Annie and Colin

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. I have and will continue to recommend Second Nature Behaviour to any animal owner’s who need support and guidance.  They have been so helpful in sorting out my rescued loopy lurcher’s nervousness and socialising problems. I will continue to rescue dogs and cats and it is reassuring to know professional animal behaviourists like Second Nature Behaviour are out there on hand to advise and actively work with us, as animals can be affected by the stress of life events and need guidance and support as much as humans do. Thanks, guys for a great service! Corinne

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. As you say, it is an ongoing thing, so we still have a way to go, but we have found the whole process very positive and it is definitely something we would recommend. Best wishes, Mary, Michael & Chris

We were a little apprehensive about 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. Some of the things we were already doing and others just simple things like closing the kitchen blind have helped enormously.   When you have a puppy/dog, you don’t realise how easy it is to give out crossed signals and they obviously respond, affecting their behaviour.  It was really interesting and once at home and going through the training booklet; well I think it is worth anyone who takes charge of a new pet to seek out advice from a behaviourist like Zoe because it could prevent many problems from occurring. We are really pleased we decided to see Zoe and are trying our very best to put in place the suggestions she has made. Alfie’s behaviour is improving already, although we realise there is never a quick fix. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Zoe and the practice to anyone who needed the service. Best wishes, Mary, Michael & Chris

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. We’ve noticed a huge improvement in Ernie already and have learned through you to recognise his signs of stress and when he needs to be left alone. We still have lots of work left to do but are confident that we will continue to make improvements following the methods you’ve given us. Many thanks, Jennie, Ian & Alfie

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! To think that only a few months ago he used to lunge, bark, growl and basically go for anything he saw, and now whenever he sees anything he doesn’t like he just looks to us for praise, I’m amazed!! Zoe was really kind and understanding with Goldie which made us all more relaxed, and were always available if we needed further advice, thank you so much! Lucy

Although it is still early days, Zoe has helped us feel more in control, thereby keeping Blaze in a happier place. She has given us the confidence to let him approach other dogs where appropriate. Walk times are getting to be more enjoyable and Blaze has made a new friend!  The service provided is excellent – we have felt supported the whole time by the contact we have received from you.  Can’t wait to see Blaze progress further! Best, Laura and Glyn  

I have been following your advice with Cocoa and we have noticed a difference in his behaviour already!! He’s still bonkers but our change in approach has hugely improved his behaviour.  Your advice for simple yet effective changes around the house is a life-saver and Cocoa is a lot less stressed too!  There is a way to go yet but it’s definitely going in the right direction.  We have found your support and guidance extremely helpful – in my opinion, worth every penny! Thank you, Julia

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. We have employed Second Nature Behaviour for our pet boxer dog, Bailey, on a couple of occasions due to some behavioural issues he was experiencing. Zoe visited us at home. Her thorough report was backed up by e-mail/telephone support, as well as written literature, which we also found useful. We subsequently followed up the home visit with attendance at a practical class at their Showground site, which again proved beneficial. Bailey’s problems have now been addressed, for which we are grateful to Zoe and her team! We would not hesitate to use their services again should the need arise or recommend them to others. Best, Andrew and Denise

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! We understood that it was not a quick fix and we’ve had to take our time. Zoe gave us a long-term goal and we’ve got a better relationship with our dog in other aspects as well, not just sleeping alone, but playing and fun training too. His nervousness of wind is still a bit of an issue, but Dylan’s a much happier dog now both at night and in the day – and so playful! Thank you! Juliet and Carl

We were very very happy with the service you guys gave us and have recommended you to several people. Buzz has made so much progress since we have seen you! Zoe from Second Nature was very knowledgeable about dog behaviour and has helped our dog Buzz to overcome several anxieties, as well as general training and follow-up advice. She was great with Buzz and picked up on many of his idiosyncrasies, offering excellent advice. We are really proud of him. We really appreciate the excellent service and care you gave. Thanks again for all your input – we found it very interesting and enlightening. Best wishes, Andy and Faye

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! We have been practising the exercise you taught us and hey presto!! Jessie seems to be accepting dogs in a closer environment than ever before – speak soon! Charlotte & Dan

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. Zoe has helped tremendously – we still have some work to do, but we got to the bottom of both my dogs’ issues and from then was able to get treatment and train accordingly. She communicated with my vet and got us on the medication my dog needed. Definitely recommend! Best wishes, Zara

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. Murph now sits patiently on the mat by the back door while I get my shoes on, coat on and lead out. He also sits by my side while I open the back door and waits for my say so before he leaps out the door! Much more controlled, calmer behaviour.  He is walking on the lead much better too. He was always good on the way home but always tugged on the way out. Now no tugs on the lead! Haven’t quite made it to the vets yet, but we are working on it!  Now working on tricks on his mat in prep for the vets.  Sit, down and look in his ears etc. I have even let him sniff the vets step most times we walk past. Onwards and upwards! Murphy is a lovely dog and a few issues had become huge, whereas they were easily correctable. Best wishes, Anna

Irene used to be terrified of noises.  The service Zoe provided gave me the confidence and skills to make Irene more confident. Irene is doing really well now – so much that the vet emailed Zoe to say how much better she is. People who meet us in the mornings on our walk also comment on how much more confident she is.  Irene will tolerate the odd bang as long as they do not go on for more than 3 or 4 times.  I found the tips and care plan very useful to train me to help her. I thank you for your help and support. Kind regards, Pauline

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. We continue to walk them together but without risk.  Both go to kennels when we have breaks where we can’t take them with us and show no hassle/anxiety when we leave them, although they are both pleased to see us when we return. Kizzy’s impulse control over food has improved greatly.  She now sits and waits patiently while we sort her food out, put it on the floor and doesn’t move until we tell her. All in all though we are managing really well! Kizzy’s so affectionate it’s unbelievable and there are two elderly ladies in the village who make a beeline for her when they see her to give her a fuss and let her kiss them, on the face too!  Her reaction to joggers and cyclists is now just a long look, no pulling or wanting to join them as before and she just carries on walking, no break in stride etc. Zoe’s advice has made us more aware and conscious of what we do with both, not just Kizzy. Best wishes, Barry & Hilary

Zoe is the kindest and the most considerate person – if you are looking for a professional pet behaviour therapist that loves animals look no further. Zoe is a top-class professional in her field with the results to prove it. Such a caring lady and nothing too much trouble even with telephone call out of hours when things were tough. My boys are an ongoing process and we are continuing training with Zoe. Put your faith in her and trust her methods – they really do work!  No quick fixes, but with constant work and Zoe’s encouragement, things for us are getting better. I can’t praise Zoe enough. Thank you Zoe for everything that you have done to help my two dogs Alfie and Charley – I don’t know what we would have done without you. Sonia

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. 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 and helped us to understand both what the dogs were saying to us and what message we were subconsciously sending to them. We still have occasional setbacks, but because of what we learned over 6 short months with Zoe, we can very quickly reset and get back on track. We recently moved to North Devon and thanks to the improvements in behaviour, we have had the pleasure of watching the dogs running free together along the beach, something that would have been impossible previously. I would recommend Zoe without hesitation to anyone looking to better understand their dog and improve their relationship with their furry friend. Thank you, Richard & Nickie

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. Zoe 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 unwanted dog behaviour. Zoe is very down to earth and a lovely gentle person. She puts you at ease as soon as you meet her. I’m thankful to have met Zoe and if anyone has dog behaviour issues they want to overcome, then look no further. I am so pleased that you have been able to do house visits in the evening, it’s not that easy for me to get time off work.  I feel you have taught me so much about Bobby and how to understand him better. I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone. Thank you, Zoe, you are amazing! Jayne

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. Zoe was very thorough when gathering information about their history and previous behaviour. It was obvious that she had a great understanding of dogs.  The plan Zoe sent through was really useful and detailed. Following her visit, Zoe was more than happy for Us to get in touch to discuss what was going on and suggest ways of handling it.  The houselines that she sent us to use are used on a daily basis and have been a godsend at times. Best wishes, Julie & Andy

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. Bracken is much easier to take out for walks and he is much calmer in the house. We really are so grateful to you for everything, and won’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone who is having behavioural problems with their pets! You’ve been brilliant! Vivienne

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. They were being aggressive towards each other.  However, now we are finally back to a place where we can relax around our dogs without fear of a fight breaking out due to jealousy. Zoe is understanding and always happy to answer any questions you may have. We are just so grateful to have found her and would recommend her to anyone and everyone!!!!! Thank you!! Kad & Chad

You have done everything in a very compassionate and non-judgemental way; an approach that we have really appreciated. You have provided us with sound advice when we needed it most and have been very responsive and supportive in times of crisis.  You took time to understand the character of our dog and followed this with a clearly articulated strategy for improving her behaviour, ensuring that her needs were met as well as ours.  Most importantly, you have given us a much greater understanding of our pet’s behaviour so that these improvements will be sustainable over her whole life. We have really enjoyed working with you.  We were at our wits end with Sadie’s behaviour this time last year and, without your support and guidance, would have been in a position where we would have considered re-homing her.  We are so pleased with the improvement that you have helped bring about and look forward to many happy years with our lovely beagle. Thank you so much for everything you have done and for improving our lives with Sadie. Julie & Mark

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. Zoe has been amazing and gone the extra mile with us. From diagnosing our newfie with anxiety to putting into practice an action plan but above all, always telling us the truth, even if it means saying to us that Nala’s behaviour will take a long time to fix. Zoe has always been there to listen to my worries and to be updated on Nala’s progress. I wish I had contacted Zoe a long time ago. There’s still a long way ahead but every penny has been worthwhile and every effort put into changing Nala’s behaviour (and I mean, a lot of effort – unfortunately sometimes having a dog is not only letting him out for toilet and feeding twice a day) has been made knowing we have Zoe to direct us (or change course) on the best approach. Thank you so much, Francisca

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. I have been working with Zoe for some months now to help with my dog’s separation anxiety and I cannot recommend her services enough. She is empathetic, realistic and explains things well, making what is a stressful problem much easier to deal with, without making grand unrealistic promises. Zoe is always on hand to answer queries via phone or message and work around problems that crop up and just give reassurance when I’ve felt like I’m getting everything wrong. Thank you, Lynette