Behaviour Support Programme
Personalised Support for Anxiety, Confidence and Everyday Behaviour Challenges
Sometimes a dog is not aggressive or highly reactive, but everyday life is still difficult.
Your dog may struggle when left alone, become frightened by noises, find handling stressful or seem unable to relax in unfamiliar situations.
You may feel as though you are constantly trying to prevent them from becoming worried or overwhelmed, without knowing what will genuinely help.
The Behaviour Support Programme provides personalised guidance for dogs experiencing anxiety, low confidence and other behaviour challenges that need more than basic training.
Together, we will explore what may be contributing to your dog’s behaviour and create practical steps to help them feel safer, cope more successfully and enjoy a better quality of life.
Programme Investment — £495
The programme includes your Behaviour Assessment and four personalised follow-up sessions.
Start with a Behaviour Assessment
Could This Programme Help Your Dog?
This programme may be suitable if your dog is experiencing:
✔ Fear or anxiety in everyday situations
✔ Separation-related behaviour
✔ Noise sensitivities or phobias
✔ Low confidence around people, dogs or new environments
✔ Handling, grooming or veterinary-care worries
✔ Difficulty settling or switching off
✔ Over-arousal and becoming easily overwhelmed
✔ Fear of travelling or getting into the car
✔ Challenges adapting after rescue or rehoming
✔ Behaviour changes following a frightening experience
✔ Other concerns affecting your dog’s emotional wellbeing or everyday life
Some adolescent dogs may also benefit when their behaviour involves significant anxiety, fear or difficulty coping.
For general adolescent training concerns such as jumping up, recall, loose-lead walking or everyday manners, the Training Support Programme may be a more suitable and affordable option.
You do not need to decide which programme your dog needs before booking. Your Behaviour Assessment will help us identify the most appropriate level of support.
Looking Beyond the Behaviour
Behaviour does not happen in isolation.
A dog’s ability to cope can be influenced by many different factors, including:
🐾 Emotional wellbeing and stress
🐾 Physical health or discomfort
🐾 Previous experiences
🐾 Home environment and routines
🐾 Sleep and opportunities to rest
🐾 Exercise and enrichment
🐾 Relationships with people and other animals
🐾 Changes within the household
🐾 What the dog has learned from previous situations
Rather than concentrating only on stopping unwanted behaviour, we will look at what your dog may be communicating and what changes could help them feel safer.
This allows us to create a plan that reflects your individual dog, household and everyday circumstances.
Why Ongoing Support Can Help
An initial assessment can provide important understanding and practical recommendations, but some behaviour concerns need continued guidance.
Your dog may need time to:
- Feel safe enough to learn
- Develop confidence gradually
- Adjust to changes in routine
- Practise new skills in different situations
- Recover from stressful experiences
- Build positive associations without being overwhelmed
The programme gives us time to work at your dog’s pace, review what is helping and adapt the plan when needed.
You will not be expected to complete a rigid set of exercises or push your dog through situations they cannot currently cope with.
Progress will be based on your dog’s emotional wellbeing, not simply whether they perform a behaviour on command.
What Is Included?
Comprehensive Behaviour Assessment
We begin by discussing your concerns and exploring your dog’s history, routines, environment, health and behaviour.
This gives us a clearer understanding of what may be contributing to the problem and what support is likely to be most helpful.
Four Personalised Follow-Up Sessions
Your follow-up sessions allow us to introduce changes gradually, practise appropriate skills and adjust the plan as your dog progresses.
Sessions may take place at home, outdoors or online, depending on your dog’s needs and the behaviour we are supporting.
Personalised Written Behaviour Plan
You will receive a clear plan tailored to your dog and circumstances.
This may include:
- Changes to routines or the home environment
- Ways to reduce stress
- Confidence-building activities
- Gradual exposure plans
- Settling and relaxation support
- Handling or cooperative-care exercises
- Enrichment and decompression
- Training foundations
- Management strategies
- Realistic goals and progress markers
Practical Guidance for Everyday Life
The plan must work outside a training session.
We will consider your available time, household, family commitments and the situations you genuinely need help with.
You will receive manageable steps rather than an unrealistic list of tasks.
Support Between Appointments
Reasonable email support is available between sessions for brief questions, updates and clarification about your plan.
This helps you feel supported if you are unsure whether you are carrying out an exercise correctly or need guidance following a setback.
Video Feedback Where Appropriate
You may be able to send short videos for feedback when filming is safe and does not place your dog under unnecessary pressure.
Ravendale Resources
You will receive relevant guides, worksheets or trackers to support the work completed during your programme.
Progress Reviews
We will review what has improved, what remains difficult and whether your dog’s plan needs adapting.
Behaviour support should respond to the individual dog rather than follow a fixed formula.
How We’ll Work Together
Step 1 — Understand What Is Happening
Every programme begins with a Behaviour Assessment.
You will have time to explain what has been happening and how it is affecting both your dog and your household.
We will explore possible emotional, environmental, learning and physical factors before deciding on the most suitable way forward.
Where behaviour has changed suddenly or physical discomfort may be involved, I may recommend consulting your vet.
Step 2 — Create a Personalised Plan
You will receive clear recommendations designed around your dog’s needs and your everyday life.
The first steps may focus on reducing stress and making situations more manageable before introducing more structured exercises.
Step 3 — Put the Plan into Practice
Across four follow-up sessions, I will guide you through the plan, help you recognise progress and support you with any difficulties.
We will work at a pace your dog can cope with rather than rushing towards an arbitrary deadline.
Step 4 — Review and Move Forward
As your dog develops, we will review what is working and make changes where needed.
At the end of the programme, you will have guidance for continuing progress and can book individual follow-up sessions if further support would be helpful.
Support for Both Ends of the Lead
Living with an anxious or fearful dog can have a significant effect on the people caring for them.
You may feel guilty about leaving your dog, worried about exposing them to the wrong situation or frustrated that everyday activities feel so difficult.
You may also have received conflicting advice that has left you unsure what to believe.
You will not be judged.
My role is to listen, help you understand what your dog needs and give you realistic guidance that can fit into your life.
There may be setbacks, and progress may not always be linear.
That does not mean you or your dog are failing.
What Could Progress Look Like?
Every dog will have different goals, but the programme may help you work towards:
🐾 Greater confidence in everyday situations
🐾 Reduced stress and overwhelm
🐾 Improved ability to settle and rest
🐾 More comfortable handling and grooming
🐾 Better preparation for veterinary visits
🐾 Increased confidence when travelling or visiting new places
🐾 More successful coping when briefly separated
🐾 Faster recovery following stressful experiences
🐾 A clearer understanding of your dog’s body language
🐾 Greater confidence in how you support your dog
No ethical behaviour professional can promise a quick fix or guarantee a particular outcome.
What I can offer is careful assessment, compassionate guidance and a plan focused on realistic, meaningful improvement.
Separation-Related Behaviour
Separation-related behaviour can range from mild distress to severe panic.
Signs may include:
- Barking or howling
- Destructive behaviour
- Toileting indoors
- Pacing or inability to settle
- Scratching at doors or windows
- Refusing food when left
- Following family members constantly
- Becoming distressed during departure routines
Separation support often needs to be carried out gradually and may require remote observation or specialist planning.
During your Behaviour Assessment, we will discuss your dog’s individual behaviour and whether this programme is appropriate.
In more severe cases, I may recommend working alongside your veterinary surgeon or another specialist professional.
Why Choose Ravendale?
With Ravendale, you can expect:
✔ A qualified Canine Behaviour Practitioner
✔ Kind, force-free and evidence-informed support
✔ A personalised plan tailored to your dog and family
✔ Practical strategies designed for everyday life
✔ Clear explanations without blame or confusing jargon
✔ Support for both the dog and the owner
✔ Advanced qualifications in canine behaviour
✔ Licensed Family Dog Mediator status
✔ Kids Around Dogs Approved Professional status
✔ Membership of INTOdogs, ICAN and the Dog Welfare Alliance
✔ Regular continuing professional development
✔ Home visits across Horsham, West Sussex and surrounding areas
✔ Online consultations where appropriate
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Behaviour Assessment First?
Yes.
Every Behaviour Support Programme begins with a Behaviour Assessment. This ensures that your recommendations are based on your individual dog rather than general advice.
The assessment is included within the total programme price of £495.
What If I Have Already Paid for My Assessment?
If you join the recommended programme within seven days, your £175 Behaviour Assessment payment will be deducted from the programme price.
The remaining programme balance would be £320.
Can I Book Follow-Up Sessions Individually?
Yes.
After your Behaviour Assessment, you can choose individual behaviour follow-up sessions at £95 each.
The programme is available for owners who would benefit from structured support, continuity and better overall value.
Is the Programme Suitable for Separation Anxiety?
It may be suitable for some separation-related cases.
The type and severity of separation distress can vary considerably, so the most appropriate support will be discussed during your Behaviour Assessment.
Some dogs may also need veterinary involvement or a more specialist separation plan.
How Quickly Will My Dog Improve?
There is no fixed timescale.
Progress depends on your dog’s emotional state, health, previous experiences, environment and the nature of the behaviour.
Some management changes may make daily life easier quite quickly, while deeper emotional change often takes longer.
Will I Receive Work to Complete Between Sessions?
You will receive practical recommendations to continue between appointments.
These will be designed to be manageable and appropriate for your dog rather than generic homework for the sake of it.
What Happens If My Dog Is Actually Aggressive?
If your assessment identifies aggression, significant bite risk or more complex behaviour, the Aggression & Complex Behaviour Programme may be recommended instead.
The reasons and any difference in price will be discussed openly before you decide how to proceed.
Ready to Take the First Step?
You do not have to wait until the behaviour becomes more severe before asking for help.
A Behaviour Assessment gives us time to understand what your dog is experiencing and decide what support will be most helpful.
Following the assessment, you can continue independently, book individual follow-up sessions or transfer into this programme for structured ongoing support.
Behaviour Assessment — £175
Behaviour Support Programme — £495, including your assessment
Start with a Behaviour Assessment
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