Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers about dog behaviour, aggression, reactivity, anxiety, puppy training, classes and working with Ravendale Training & Behaviour.
Not sure what support you need? Please get in touch and I will help you choose the right service.
No. You will not be judged.
Living with a dog who barks, lunges, growls, guards, snaps or struggles to cope can feel incredibly isolating. Many owners worry that they have failed their dog or that other people will blame them.
My role is not to criticise you. It is to listen, understand what has been happening and help you find a safer, kinder way forward.
You do not need to have handled every situation perfectly. Reaching out for support shows that you care about your dog and want things to improve.
Yes. Many people contact me after trying training classes, online advice, social media tips or several different training methods.
This does not mean you or your dog have failed. It may simply mean that the advice did not address the reason behind your dog’s behaviour or was not suitable for their individual needs.
We will look at your dog’s emotions, health, environment, history, triggers and daily life. Sometimes meaningful progress begins with changing the plan rather than trying harder with the same approach.
You do not need to wait until the behaviour becomes severe before asking for help.
Early support can be especially helpful if your dog is beginning to growl, guard, bark, lunge, avoid situations, become increasingly anxious or struggle to recover after something has frightened them.
Behaviour can become more established when a dog repeatedly practises it or continues to feel unsafe.
Contacting me early does not mean you are overreacting. It gives us an opportunity to understand what is happening and reduce the chance of the situation escalating.
You can contact me first, but a veterinary check may be recommended before or alongside behaviour support.
Pain, discomfort, illness, hormonal changes, sensory changes and some medical conditions can influence a dog’s behaviour. This is particularly important when aggression, anxiety, sensitivity or other behaviour has appeared suddenly or changed unexpectedly.
Your vet can help rule out or identify medical factors that may be contributing. Behaviour support is most effective when your dog’s physical health and emotional wellbeing are considered together.
Please tell me your dog’s age, breed, how long they have lived with you and the main behaviour you are concerned about.
It is also helpful to explain who or what triggers the behaviour, when it started, whether anyone has been bitten or injured and what you have already tried.
You do not need to write everything perfectly or use professional terminology. Simply describe what you are seeing in your own words.
Honest information helps me understand the level of support and safety planning your family may need.
Yes. Where possible, it is helpful for the people who regularly care for or live with your dog to understand the plan.
Dogs can become confused if different family members respond to behaviour in very different ways. Involving everyone can help create greater consistency and reduce misunderstandings.
However, I also understand that work, family commitments or personal circumstances may prevent everyone from attending.
I will help you make the plan as clear and practical as possible so it can be shared with other household members.
Focus on preventing situations that repeatedly overwhelm your dog.
This may mean choosing quieter walking times, creating distance from triggers, using barriers around visitors, avoiding busy environments or giving your dog more opportunities to rest.
Do not deliberately expose your dog to difficult situations to test them or try to make them “get used to it.” Repeated overwhelm can increase stress and make behaviour more difficult.
If there is an immediate risk of a bite or injury, use safe separation and contact your vet or an appropriate behaviour professional for advice.
Please be honest with me. A behaviour plan should support your life rather than make you feel as though you are constantly failing.
Living with a dog who has complex needs can be emotionally and physically exhausting. You may also have work, children, health needs, other pets or caring responsibilities to consider.
We can break the plan into smaller steps and prioritise the changes that will make the biggest difference.
Progress does not require perfection. A realistic plan that you can follow is more helpful than an ideal plan that leaves you overwhelmed.
Your dog does not need to greet me or interact with me straight away.
Some dogs need space, time and a carefully managed introduction. Others may feel safest behind a secure barrier, in another room or observed from a distance initially.
I will not take your dog’s avoidance personally or pressure them into interacting.
How your dog responds is useful information. The priority is to help them feel safe enough for us to understand their behaviour without unnecessarily increasing their stress.
You do not need to apologise. These are some of the behaviours I am there to help you understand.
We will manage the situation as safely as possible by adjusting distance, reducing pressure or changing the environment.
Your dog will not be punished for communicating that they are frightened, frustrated or overwhelmed.
A reaction does not mean the session has failed. It can provide valuable information about your dog’s triggers, body language, threshold and ability to recover.
No. I will not deliberately overwhelm your dog or force them into close contact with something they are frightened of.
Working too close to a trigger can make it difficult for a dog to think, learn or feel safe. It can also increase the risk of barking, lunging, snapping or biting.
We will begin at a level your dog can cope with and adjust the plan according to their body language and emotional state.
The aim is to build skills and confidence gradually, not to test how much pressure your dog can tolerate.
Yes. A well-fitted basket muzzle can be a valuable safety tool and does not mean that your dog is bad or dangerous.
Muzzles may be recommended when there is a bite history, a risk of redirected aggression, difficulties around handling or uncertainty about how a dog may respond.
Your dog should be introduced to the muzzle gradually using positive associations rather than having it forced onto them during a stressful situation.
A muzzle is part of a wider safety plan. It does not replace appropriate distance, management or careful behaviour support.
Yes. It is important that you tell me about any bite, snap or attempted bite when you first make contact.
I will need to understand what happened, who or what was involved, whether an injury occurred and what was happening immediately before the incident.
This information helps me assess risk and recommend appropriate safety measures. You will not be judged for being honest.
Some cases may also require veterinary involvement or collaboration with another suitably qualified professional, depending on the seriousness and complexity of the behaviour.
Yes. Resource guarding can involve food, chews, toys, stolen items, resting places, people or access to particular areas.
A guarding dog may freeze, stare, move away, eat faster, growl, snap or bite when they are worried something will be taken from them.
Do not punish growling or repeatedly remove items to prove that you can. This may increase anxiety and remove important warning signals.
Support focuses on improving safety, reducing conflict and helping your dog feel less threatened when people or other animals are nearby.
Yes. Visitor-related behaviour may involve barking, lunging, growling, snapping, jumping, guarding doorways or being unable to settle while someone is in the home.
The first step is usually safe management. This may include gates, barriers, leads, separate areas or planned visitor routines.
Your dog does not need to greet every visitor, and they should not be forced to interact.
We will consider whether the behaviour is influenced by fear, territorial concerns, excitement, frustration, guarding or difficulty coping with changes in the home.
Dogs may respond differently to individual people because of their movement, voice, handling style, routines, previous interactions or emotional associations.
The behaviour may also occur because one person is present during particular situations, such as feeding, removing items, leaving the house or managing the lead.
This does not automatically mean that your dog dislikes that person.
Looking carefully at when the behaviour happens can help us identify patterns and create a plan that improves communication, predictability and safety.
Yes. Multi-dog household conflict can include tension, staring, blocking access, guarding, snapping, fighting or one dog repeatedly avoiding another.
Support will consider each dog individually as well as the relationship between them.
Management may involve separation, gates, individual rest areas, separate feeding and changes to routines or shared resources.
Dogs should not be left to “sort it out themselves.” Repeated conflict can increase stress and the risk of injury. The aim is to improve safety and reduce pressure within the household.
Yes. A complete history can be helpful, but it is not essential for beginning behaviour support.
We can work with the information your dog is giving us now through their body language, behaviour, triggers and ability to recover.
It can be tempting to assume that every rescue dog has experienced abuse, but fear and reactivity can have many possible causes.
The focus will be on helping your dog feel safe in their current home, building trust gradually and creating routines that are predictable and manageable.
Arrange a veterinary appointment, particularly if your dog has suddenly become aggressive, fearful, restless, withdrawn, sensitive to touch or reluctant to do things they previously enjoyed.
Dogs cannot tell us directly when they are in pain or feeling unwell. Behaviour change may be one of the first signs that something is wrong.
Avoid punishing the behaviour or assuming your dog is being stubborn.
Once medical concerns have been investigated, behaviour support can help address any emotional, environmental or learned factors that may also be contributing.
Yes. Medication and behaviour support are often used together.
Medication prescribed by a vet does not mean you have failed or taken an easy option. For some dogs, reducing anxiety or improving emotional stability can help them cope and learn more effectively.
I will not advise you to start, stop or change prescription medication. Any medication decisions must be discussed with your vet or veterinary behaviourist.
Behaviour support can then focus on management, emotional wellbeing, skill building and changes to your dog’s environment.
Yes, where appropriate and with your permission.
Behaviour can be influenced by physical health, pain, medication and emotional wellbeing, so collaboration can be extremely valuable in more complex cases.
Your vet remains responsible for investigating medical concerns and prescribing medication.
My role is to support the practical behaviour plan and help you understand and implement it in everyday life.
Working together helps ensure that your dog is viewed as a whole individual rather than treating their physical health and behaviour as completely separate issues.
Online support can be useful in some cases, particularly for discussing your dog’s history, reviewing videos, assessing home routines and creating initial management strategies.
It can also reduce pressure for dogs who find unfamiliar people entering the home extremely stressful.
However, online support may not be appropriate for every situation. Some dogs and families will benefit from in-person observation and practical coaching.
I will consider the behaviour, safety risks, location and needs of your household before recommending the most appropriate type of support.
Bring your dog’s usual lead, harness and any safety equipment they regularly wear.
It is also helpful to bring several types of food your dog enjoys, including some higher-value options such as small pieces of chicken, cheese or another suitable favourite.
Please tell me beforehand about any allergies, dietary restrictions or medical needs.
Depending on the session, you may also be asked to bring a long line, muzzle, mat or favourite toy. I will let you know if any specific equipment is needed.
Yes. Please tell me about anything that may affect how you participate in a session.
This could include mobility difficulties, chronic illness, anxiety, sensory needs, communication preferences or caring responsibilities.
Where possible, we can adapt the location, pace, exercises or way information is provided.
You should never feel embarrassed about asking for adjustments. Behaviour support needs to be manageable for the person as well as appropriate for the dog. A plan will only be successful if it works safely within your real life.
Progress is not always a straight line.
Your dog may react less intensely, recover more quickly, cope at a greater distance, settle more easily or become better able to communicate before reaching crisis point.
There may also be difficult days, especially following illness, stress, changes in routine or unexpected encounters.
A setback does not erase previous progress or mean that the plan has failed. It gives us information about what your dog found difficult.
The goal is not perfection. It is to help you and your dog feel safer, more confident and better able to manage everyday life.
Still have questions?
If you’re unsure about anything, feel free to get in touch.
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Ravendale Training and Behaviour
Partridge Green, Horsham, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom