PHOENIX DOG BEHAVIORIST

PROFESSIONAL DOG BEHAVIORIST SERVICES IN PHOENIX

PHOENIX DOG TRAINING ® 

In-Home and Private Training, Online Virtual Dog Behavior Consultations, Live Coaching, and Training

WINNER OF THE “BEST DOG BEHAVIOR TRAINING IN PHOENIX AWARD”

10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS IN A ROW

2014 – 2015 – 2016 – 2017 – 2018 – 2019 – 2020 – 2021 – 2022 – 2023

THE VALLEY’S AGGRESSIVE DOG AND FEARFUL DOG EXPERTS

“We can train ANY dog!”

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We offer Professional Dog Behaviorist Services and Behavior Modification Services in Phoenix, Arizona, and throughout the country. 

Q: Is there a Dog Behaviorist Near Me?

A: To answer your question, the answer is yes.  Our Dog Behaviorist serves all of Arizona and the United States 

Q: What is a Dog Behaviorist?

A: The term “Behaviorist” is misused in many situations. Some dog training professionals refer to themselves as behaviorists or dog behaviorists, but they misuse the term. Professionals without an upper-level degree specializing in behavior should rightly be considered behavior consultants or counselors. An Animal or Dog Behaviorist has upper-level degrees (MS or Ph.D.) Those with Masters’s Degrees are known as Associate Applied Animal Behaviorists, like our Behaviorists, and those with a Ph.D. are called Applied Animal Behaviorists. Lastly, some Veterinary Behaviorists have completed schooling as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine but also have extensive education and internship in behavior.  One of the main jobs of a Veterinary Behaviorist is to identify and treat any underlying medical contributing factors to behavior. Veterinary Behaviorists can also prescribe appropriate behavioral medicine for dogs with severe behavioral problems like separation anxiety, aggression, fears, and phobias.

In most cases, this is over six to eight years of formal education specializing in psychology, canine cognition, behaviorism, learning theory, ethology, biology, zoology, endocrinology, neurobiology, physical anatomy, canine physiology and kinesthetics, advanced training in the normal and abnormal behaviors of dogs and animals.  Some are certified, and some are not.  See more information on certification below.

An Animal or Dog Behaviorist can evaluate a pet’s behavioral problems, can work with your pet’s Veterinarian to help potentially diagnose medical problems that may be contributing to these behavioral problems, and that veterinarian can treat any medical contributing factors. 

A Dog Behaviorist will often work very closely with a dog trainer and your pet’s Veterinarian to treat and help the “whole” animal. A Phoenix Dog Behaviorist is qualified to develop and help you implement a behavior modification protocol and treatment plan for your pet, which includes counter-conditioning and systematic desensitization and may or may not include a referral to a veterinarian for behavioral medicine in the treatment plan for your pet. 

PHOENIX DOG BEHAVIORIST SERVICE SUCCESS STORIES

Q: What is your “success rate,” and do you guarantee results?

A: A dog owner should be cautious of any person who states that they “guarantee” fixing your dog’s severe behavior problems. Although Phoenix Dog Training guarantees their regular dog obedience training, it is impossible to guarantee a total 100% cure and total remission from severe dog aggression, severe dog anxiety, and phobias, to mention a few. Also,  dog and animal behavior can be very complex and result from genetics, medical problems, neurological problems, and neurochemical imbalances.

In addition, painful conditions, visual, auditory, or cognitive deficiencies, and deficits contribute to prior experiences, traumatic experiences, habituation, and learning, the current environmental situation in which the dog or animal is placed, and possible dietary nutritional contributing factors. We can modify and improve many behaviors, some that we can learn how to work with, manage and control and/or prevent, and some that we can fully resolve. The results we see can vary depending on the severity of the particular animal or dog’s behavioral problem(s), the owner’s ability to dedicate time and effort to behavioral modification protocols, and the dog’s motivational state. So, success is not guaranteed, but always our goal. Most problems are helped and in remission with a few behavioral consultations. Some need additional follow-up.

 BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SERVICES IN PHOENIX

Q: Are behavioral problems simply training issues?

A: Some pets and dogs would benefit largely from some simple training, but many behavior problems require much more than that. Dog Trainers are not the same as Dog Behaviorists with Advanced Training and Upper-Level Degrees (MS or PhD.) in 99% of cases. There are no requirements to be a dog trainer, and in Arizona, anyone can call themselves a dog trainer with no training, education, or experience. Dogs and Animals, like people, can develop many fears, anxieties, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and many types of aggression that require an in-depth history and actual behavioral modification, with counter conditioning, systematic desensitization (a lot more than dog obedience training, and leash correction type dog training) to help resolve these behaviors.

Sometimes trainers will employ aversives or punishment to resolve some of these behavioral problems, which may actually aggravate the problem further. Training can, however, be an integral part of behavioral modification. Often, a good trainer or Dog Behaviorist will be employed or recommended to help the owner work with behavior modification techniques once prescribed and explained in the initial behavioral consultation. Many trainers wrongly call themselves a behaviorist without the proper training. They are really just regular dog obedience trainers who often make serious mistakes with your dog’s well-being and with your dog’s behavior. At Phoenix Dog Training, our Dog Behaviorist is one of the world’s leading behavior specialists in difficult and severe behavioral problems in dogs and domestic pets, such as fears, anxieties, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, cognitive impairment such as canine dementia, along with various types and severity levels of aggression. 

 PHOENIX CANINE BEHAVIORIST SERVICES 

Q: Do you answer behavioral questions and give behavior advice over the phone?

A: Not generally in any detail.  An adequate history and description of the problem is impossible to get quickly over a phone call, and attempting to do so would provide you and your dog or pet a grave disservice.

Q: What is behavior modification?

A: Behavior modification techniques alter a dog or other animal’s behaviors and reactions to stimuli using operant and classical conditioning techniques. The most commonly employed techniques include systematic desensitization, counter-conditioning, reinforcement of more appropriate behaviors, and extinction.

Q: Do you use or prescribe behavioral medicine

A: No. If we suspect your dog may have a contributing medical issue, we will refer you to your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist.  We work with and collaborate with many veterinarians in the valley. 

Q: Where do I go for an In-depth Behavioral Consultation?

A: In-depth Behavioral Consultations typically occur by real-time video consultation or at your home with a Professional Dog Behaviorist.

Q: How do I make an appointment to see the Behaviorist and to get a Behavioral Consultation and help with Behavior Modification?

A: Appointments can be made with our Phoenix Behavior Consultant or our Canine Behaviorist by calling the main office number (602) 769-1411 Monday thru Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The appointment is typically 1-2 hours in length and has a fee of $295.  Your dog’s full medical record is also required 24 hours in advance of the appointment with the Phoenix Dog Behaviorist, or the appointment will be rescheduled or canceled.   All of your dog or pet’s medical records are also required and can be emailed to us before your dog or pet’s appointment.

Your pet’s medical record must be received 24 hours before the appointment, or the appointment will be canceled. The canine behavior questionnaire and history will provide detailed information on various aspects of your dog’s environment, health, activities, and behaviors (both normal and problematic). This is all vital information to receive before the consultation to give the behaviorist a basis to start the behavioral appointment and focus on the behavioral history once the consult begins.

Call or Email Phoenix Dog Training for any additional questions or information and find out about scheduling an appointment with our Behaviorist.

SCHEDULE YOUR INITIAL CONSULTATION

$295 (Virtual)

$595 (In-Person)

PLEASE NOTE THERE CURRENTLY IS A WAIT LIST FOR TRAINING. PLEASE FILL OUT THE CONTACT FORM BELOW TO GET PLACED ON THE WAITING LIST. 

PLEASE READ ABOUT MY SERVICES AND PRICES FIRST BEFORE FILLING OUT THE WAIT LIST FORM.

IF YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING ME WORK WITH YOU AND WANT TO RETAIN MY SERVICES, THEN PLEASE FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW.

This webpage was last updated and revised on March 17th, 2023