Is your dog reactive, aggressive or anxious around dogs or people? 

This 5-session Reactive Dog Programme in Chorleywood, High Wycombe or Aston Clinton is for you!

Walking your dog should be relaxing. However, it’s often far from it if your dog displays reactive or anxious behaviour!

Laura understands that you might feel despondent, embarrassed, concerned or frustrated by your dog’s behaviour. Perhaps you’ve even started to dread walking them? 

Laura can help you on your journey to enjoying walks again. This is not just about gaining control, but about gaining understanding and trust. The structure of this programme ensures that your knowledge and skills can evolve over weeks/months, avoiding quick fixes and striving towards long-lasting behaviour change.

“I am amazed by how much Amber has changed!”

“We’ve come a long way in 10 months! Laura has made me much more confident in my training ability which is paramount to the fact that Amber is very intuitive and picks up on my demeanour. I am extremely grateful for Laura’s invaluable experience and her continual support. I am so glad that I went with a recommendation from my vets. All I can say is I am gaining much more than I thought I would because of Amber’s reactivity. Laura gives me confidence with the training and I feel more relaxed.”

Jan Rockell and Amber

Laura Ward, Clinical Animal Behaviourist with her collie dog in Buckinghamshire

Laura Ward - Clinical Animal Behaviourist

Laura understands the roller coaster of emotions which comes from living with a dog with behaviour problems, and how these issues can impact your everyday life, as well as simply feeling bad that your best friend is not at his/ her happiest. 

But you are closer than you think for a better life for you and your dog!

Sadly, Laura does not have a magic wand. However, she has worked with hundreds of dogs, and understands that behaviour change can be achieved starting with the small wins and better understanding, and building upwards from this foundation.

dog on a beach

Reactive Dog Programme

A 5-session programme of 1:1 support for reactive dogs.

£650

Zoom introductory session (recorded upon request)

  1. An introduction to principles of behaviour change so you are prepared for your first session

  2. Provide an opportunity for Laura to take a detailed history so she can gain a good understanding of your pet’s issues and why these developed.

4 in-person practical sessions (booked 3-4 weeks apart)

These usually take place at Chorleywood Common, Hughenden Park or Aston Clinton Park. You can select your preferred location.

Email support between sessions

Liaison with your vet (if required, within 6 months of consultation)

Processing of insurance claims

Travel expenses

After your program ends, additional 1:1 follow-ups/ classes/ group walks can then be booked if required, according to your needs. 1:1 follow up support is £75 (£90 inc. VAT) per session.

Why choose Laura?

Time and time again Laura is called in to help a dog who has already seen multiple trainers or behaviourists. Often previous training efforts have failed because the professional has tried to focus on training and control and failed to look at the whole picture. 

As a Clinical Animal Behaviourist, you’ll find that working with Laura is very different!

Time is taken understanding the problem, and whilst listening to a history Laura will be considering canine ethology, neurochemistry,  aspects of psychology such as learning and emotions and the biology of stress responses, diet and health considerations.

Taking all this into consideration and delving into years of experience, Laura will take a practical and realistic approach to creating a treatment plan that is ethical and manageable for you and your dog. 

Laura also understands that for every dog with a behaviour issue, there is a human also struggling. Laura believes in being kind and compassionate towards her human clients, just as much as the canines. 

Laura’s academic qualifications include: 

  • Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management

  • BSc (Hons) in Applied Behaviour

  • NVQ in Veterinary Nursing with the RCVS

Laura’s demonstration of practical experience includes:

  • Over one thousand happy clients over the last ten years of behaviour and training work

  • Achieving Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) status*

* This qualification is only awarded to people by The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) who have proved their ability to be professional, effective, humane and considerate to both animal and human, whilst taking a tailored and measured approach to each individual case. Application and assessment is only open to those who have gained the necessary academic qualifications and gained sufficient experience in the field. 

Is this right for you and your dog?

This programme is designed for owners of dogs who are reacting to other dogs or people in an undesirable way (and where this is the only issue). For multiple issue cases, a behaviour consultation is required.


Typical problems that would be suitable for a reactivity program include:

  • excessive nervousness

  • growling

  • barking

  • lunging

  • snapping

  • biting

  • inappropriate interaction with other dogs, which could include play

“Laura is a great trainer, her calmness is very reassuring and her knowledge of the job in hand is exceptional.”

Amber, Lucani and Marley

Here’s how it works

Get In Touch

Contact Laura to arrange your Zoom call. These tend to take place on a Wednesday morning or evening, but let Laura know if you need another time slot. Laura will send you a Zoom link on the day.

1

Vet Referral

We will email your vet and request a referral. It is a good idea for you to inform your vet that you have booked a behaviour consultation, and they have permission to share your dog’s medical history. 

2

Get Ready

Complete the questionnaire (sent with your booking confirmation email), book in your four in-person sessions (3-4 weeks apart) and pay your invoice (this will be sent 1 week before your first session).

3

Zoom Session

Meet Laura for your Zoom appointment. This will involve history taking, sharing principles of behaviour change and explaining how we will work together, so that we both know what to expect.

4

In-Person Training

Get Laura’s practical, hands-on help and personalised support, tailored to you and your dog in the four in-person training sessions. See below for information about typical location and timings.

5

In person sessions tend to be scheduled as follows:

Chorleywood (Tuesday, Thursdays or Fridays mornings)
Hughenden (Tuesday afternoon, Thursdays, Friday mornings)
Aston Clinton Park (Wednesday)

Unfortunately weekend appointments are not available.

“Don’t look any further!”

“Laura is an expert in this field and will help you learn how to communicate with your dog appropriately. She's kind and compassionate. She knows exactly the struggles of an owner of a reactive dog and will help you find the best strategy to become a better handler and a better dog owner as a result.”

Luisa and Lemmy

FAQs

  • Many insurance companies cover for behaviour services by a Clinical Animal Behaviourist accredited with the ABTC, CCAB, APBC or TCBTS, so a behaviour consultation with Laura Ward should be covered if this is the case. 

    It is best to check your policy information or call your insurance provider before booking. 

  • After your first consultation, you can fill out a claim form provided by your insurer. They will then contact Laura Ward, usually asking for an itemised invoice, a copy of the behaviour report and a copy of the vet referral. 

    The insurance company will then pay you (the policy holder) the monetary value of the behaviour consultation package less your excess. 

  • Firstly, it is vital that we ensure that your pet is in good health and not suffering from any issues which may be contributing or even causing their behaviour problem. It also opens a dialogue with the vet, so if any health issues are detected (Laura can sometimes pick up on details that could only be detected by working with a dog in their natural environment e.g home or a walk), Laura has a point of contact to discuss concerns. This open dialogue is also helpful should medication or neutering options need to be discussed. 

    Secondly, behaviourists must follow the code of conduct written by the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) and its practitioner organisations. Working on vet referral is an important stipulation of being an accredited professional.

  • Laura meets Reactivity Programmr dogs specifically at:

    Chorleywood Common (Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Chalfont St. Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Burnham, Farnham Royal, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Watford, Hemel Hempstead)

    Aston Clinton Park (Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Tring, Berkhamsted)

    Hughenden Manor Park (High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Lane End)

    Note - Occasionally an in-house session is needed and this can be discussed with Laura on a case by case basis.

  • Chorleywood Common (Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Chalfont St. Peter, Chalfont St Giles, Burnham, Farnham Royal, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Watford, Hemel Hempstead)

    Aston Clinton Park (Aston Clinton, Aylesbury, Tring, Berkhamsted)

    Hughenden Manor Park (High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Lane End)

  • This must be decided upon on a case by case basis. The answer will be individual to your family and the involvement of each family member with your dog.

  • A trainer changes behaviour by training new skills e.g. recall, heelwork etc. However, this can be superficial and not addressing the root issue. Often this training can build trust, confidence and create management strategies, so as long this is reward based and fun this is no bad thing!

    However, a behaviourist considers your dog’s case through many lenses; health, neuroscience and the biology of stress, neurochemistry, ethology (species specific natural behaviour), the psychology of learning etc. A behaviourist will take all into consideration, and the plan will aim to deal with the root of the problem/s and aim for lasting behaviour change. 

    Laura is qualified as a trainer and behaviourist.

  • Laura follows the Code of Conduct for the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC), the Association Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC), The Canine Behaviour and Training Society (TCBTS) and the Association Pet Dog Trainers (APDT). As such, she will aim to use reward based techniques and always will have your dog's welfare at the forefront. Laura does not believe in short cuts and quick fixes at the expense of your dog. 

    That said, Laura takes a pragmatic approach to her work. Pressure is a fact of life at times, and Laura believes that understanding how to use pressure to communicate is vital, provide boundaries and structure where it is needed, and use reward based training techniques to build trust and predictability to an otherwise unpredictable and at times confusing world. 

  • Individual animals, learning history, and physical and genetic influences on behaviour cause variation, so it is impossible to guarantee success. In addition, the human end of the lead can be highly variable. 

    It also depends on how one defines success. 

    However, Laura has worked with hundreds of dogs covering a variety of issues, and drawing on this experience can work in a nuanced and effective way. 

  • £780 including VAT. 

  • Follow up sessions can be booked as needed. These are £90 including VAT.

  • Laura’s academic qualifications include: 

    * Advanced Diploma in Canine Behaviour Management

    * BSc (Hons) in Applied Behaviour

    * NVQ in Veterinary Nursing with the RCVS

    * Achieving Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) status

    Laura’s Accreditations include: 

    * Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB)

    * Full member Association Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) No.01184

    * Animal Behaviour & Training Council (ABTC) Accredited Practitioner

    * Full member and vice chair for The Canine Training and Behaviour Society (TCBTS)

    * Full member Association Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC)

    * Scentwork UK instructor and Judge

  • A behaviour consultation would be more appropriate. 

    Whilst taking the history Laura will ensure she understands all the issues you are dealing with, but will help to prioritise within the plan so you do not feel overwhelmed. 

    Less important issues can always be returned to at a later date.

“Would 100% recommend, Laura has been lovely, very patient and so knowledgeable.”

Karen McNab and Logan

Ready for you and your dog to enjoy walks again?

Click on the button below to get in touch with Laura to book your Reactivity Programme.