Pet Behaviour Consultations In-Person and Virtual
We provide pet behaviour consultations to support owners with their pet’s behaviour problems such as: aggression, phobias, overexcitability, compulsive disorders, age-related conditions and inappropriate elimination, destruction or vocalisations.
As part of our pet behaviour consultations, each individual and their family are provided with tailored support specific to their issues and circumstances. We are here to listen and work with you to find a kind, realistic solution.
Having attained exceptional academic qualifications and extensive practical experience, the clinical animal behaviourists at Second Nature Behaviour are fully insured and committed to the highest ethical standards set by the profession.
Book a FREE Discovery Call
Book a free 15-minute phone call with one of our team to discuss how we can support you.
Expert Pet Behaviour Consultations for Dogs, Cats and Parrots
We have a team of animal behaviour experts who provide pet behaviour consultations for a range of different companion species.
Whether furry or feathery, Second Nature Behaviour help animals and the people that care for them better understand each other.
There are different services available depending on the case needs and species. Animal behaviour consultations may be conducted in your home, on a local walk, in dedicated outdoor spaces, at one of our regional clinics and online. In urgent situations we can provide preventative, first aid advice through triage calls.
Make 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.
Our Clinical Animal Behaviour Services
We provide our pet behaviour consultations throughout the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry and Stoke-on-Trent. Find out more about the locations we serve.
Our Training Services
Reward-based training for dogs, cats and parrots, one-to-one or in small group classes. Calm in Company is our small-group class for reactive dogs, by invitation for existing clients.
See all our classes and workshops.
Services for Professionals
Support, CPD and resources for referring vets, rescues and allied professionals, and mentoring for budding behaviourists and trainers.
Do you need an expert witness statement or child adoption/fostering assessment? If so we recommend getting in touch with another local FAB Clinician here.
Claim on pet insurance
Did you know? You may be able to pay for our pet behaviour services through your pet insurance. We accept direct insurance claims for our pet behaviour consultations through select insurance companies.
Highly Qualified Clinical Animal Behaviourists and Dog Trainers
We have a team of qualified and experienced pet behaviour experts in different companion species, including cats, dogs and parrots.
Our dedicated pet behaviourists and dog trainers travel around the West Midlands to help you with your pet’s behaviour or training issues. These locations include Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Coventry and surrounding areas.
Our animal behaviour experts include Vet Behaviourists, registered Clinical Animal Behaviourists and accredited dog trainers.
Hannah Dawes
Vet Behaviourist
Hannah is a Veterinary Surgeon who graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2008 and has worked in companion animal general practice ever since. She works part-time at a veterinary surgery in Stourbridge. She has a General Practitioner certificate in Small Animal Medicine and a postgraduate diploma in companion animal behaviour.
Hannah is passionate about improving pets’ mental health, as well as their physical health, and is particularly interested in the effect of medical conditions on behaviour. She is an active Candidate Member of the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians. When she is not helping other people with their pets, she is looking after her own dog, “Noodle”.
Zoe Demery
Clinical Animal Behaviourist
Zoe has a doctorate in animal cognition and behaviour, and is a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) in dogs, cats and parrots, and currently the UK’s only independently accredited CCAB in parrots. She is also a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society, registered with ABTC, and certified by IAABC as a dog behaviour consultant. Zoe is a proud committee member of FAB Clinicians.
Since starting practice in 2012, she has helped hundreds of dogs and their caregivers better understand each other. Zoe also mentors budding dog behaviourists.
Megan Richardson
Clinical Animal Behaviourist
Megan graduated from Harper Adams University with a first class BSc (Hons) degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, then grew her busy clinical canine behaviour practice. She has many years of experience and is an independently accredited Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB).
Megan is an active member of various organisations, including FAB Clinicians, APBC and PACT. Last but not least Megan is registered as a CAB and ATI with the ABTC.
Book a Pet Behaviour Consultation
Get help from one of our animal behaviour experts
Ella the vet
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 I can honestly say every one has been very pleased!
Nicki the vet
Zoe has worked absolute miracles on cats, dogs and parrots and given pet owners chance to build a more understanding and deeper relationship with their pets. I have loved seeing clients back with smiles on their faces after implementing Zoe’s instructions in order to manage the issues they have had for a long time.
Behavioural issues are very complex and with a communication barrier from man to animal creating an even more difficult task, a highly qualified behaviourist with lots of experience is absolutely invaluable and for me, Zoe is just that. An invaluable asset to my work as a vet to ensure you can get the best out of your relationship with your family pets.
I will always recommend 100%. Thank you for everything, I look forward to continuing to work with you.
Luke, Harry & Trixie
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
Benji, Dawn & Paul
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
Ted, Rob and Michelle
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
Gracie
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
Echo
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
Chip, James & Sarah
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