Relief for Colorado dog parents living with fearful or aggressive dogs
If you’re struggling to take your dog on outdoor adventures, you know the meaning of stress.
Let us help reduce the stress for both you and your dog by teaching them that people aren’t really so scary. Your dog can be the best hiking dog yet.
Do you struggle with a dog who…
- growls, barks, lunges, snaps at, or hides from strangers on the street
- makes neighbors and visitors feel uncomfortable
- can’t share a hiking trail with people or other animals
- has taken a dislike to specific family members or children
- growls or snaps at you while eating or playing with toys
Imagine instead a dog who…
- smoothly passes others
- happily ignores or greets neighbors and guests
- calmly walks by your side on the longest hikes
- is a relaxed member of the family
- readily shares their food and toys
No matter how challenging your dog’s situation, we’re here to help. Even biting—just let us know what’s going on and we’ll tackle it. Without judgment. We’re in your corner.
We truly understand what you’re going through, and it’s our mission to help you reach more enjoyable, peaceful times with your best friend.
Let’s Get Started: 2 Steps to Make Change
Step 1: Your Initial Behavior Assessment Consult
We’d love to bring you relief. When you’re ready, the first step is your initial consult.
Depending on your case and preference, you’ll meet with one of our behavior vets for a Behavior Vet Consult or one of our behavior consultants for a Head Start Appointment. You can come to our office, or we’ll come to your home for maximum convenience. (Not sure which team member you should meet with? Don’t worry; we’ll make sure you’re in the right hands for your needs!)
We’ll take a history, meet your pet, and listen to your behavior training goals. If you meet with a behavior vet, your visit will also include a physical exam (if safe), medical diagnosis, and the prescription of medication if needed. Then we’ll formulate a personalized behavior modification plan and schedule your training. We’ll also begin some foundation exercises, answer your pressing questions, and put a management plan in place for immediate relief.
Step 2: Your Customized Behavior Modification Program
Your personalized training program will be just that: personalized. We’ll create a plan specific to your goals and your busy lifestyle. For more serious cases, much like a psychiatrist supporting talk therapy, a consult with our behavior vets can support the behavior modification process with medications when warranted.
You’ll also have the choice of whether to Take the Leash (we’ll coach you to carry out your behavior modification training) or Hand Over the Leash (your dedicated behavior consultant will train your pet for you).
Why hand over the leash?
Many of our clients choose to Hand Over The Leash and have their dedicated behavior consultant carry out their training plan for them. It’s no wonder: Coloradans have unique lifestyle demands and commute challenges. We’re active people. Adding daily dog training practice sessions to an already over-burdened schedule often just isn’t feasible.
Here are the advantages of letting us train for you:
Faster results
Stronger, more lasting results
Progress while you work
Peace of Mind
Ready for a new leash on your pet’s behavior? Ready for change?
The first step is simple—just reach out to schedule your initial consult. We’re here.
What causes fear and aggression in dogs?
Fear is normal and critical for survival. It helps dogs avoid danger by running away, freezing, or fighting. Aggressive threats (the “fight” in “fight or flight”) are often the result of fear.
However, some fears are abnormally intense and/or triggered by everyday occurrences that do not pose a true threat. This is the result of a complex interplay between genetics and the environment (including the in-utero environment, current and previous homes, nutritional exposures, learning experiences, social exposures, medical health, etc.).
At Behavior Vets, we see patients suffering from the entire spectrum of fear, phobia, panic, and anxiety. We use the latest technologies in veterinary medicine, applied behavioral analysis, and enrichment and environmental modification to help our patients to feel more joy and less fear. When dogs are less distressed, their behaviors improve. And that means less stress and more joy for our human clients, too.