Dog Behaviour Modification in the UK

In January 2023, a study investigating dog behaviour modification practice in the UK was published (Daniels et al., 2023). At Woodgreen, this is particularly interesting to us, as our care and behaviour teams frequently encounter dog owners who have struggled with finding appropriate behaviour advice, and there have been regular calls for the pet training and behaviour industry to be officially regulated. Currently, the profession of behaviourist is not a protected title in the UK, meaning that anyone can call themselves a dog behaviourist and offer advice to clients. Unfortunately, this means that the standard of advice given can vary widely, with potential welfare concerns where aversive training methods are used.

In this study, aggression-related reasons accounted for more than half (55.32%) of the primary reasons for seeking behavioural advice. For a number of different issues, including aggression, both behaviourists and trainers were equally likely to be consulted for advice. Behaviourists were significantly more likely than trainers to use reward-based training rather than balanced training (a mixture of positive and aversive training techniques). Trainers were found to be offering behaviour modification plans (designed to address a behaviour of concern), and not all behaviourists were working through veterinary referrals, although good practice would dictate they should be, to ensure pain-related causes of behaviour are ruled out. Around half of respondents had consulted more than one canine professional, suggesting they did not find a solution for their problem the first time.  The findings of this study highlight the concerns within the sector that it can be difficult for struggling pet owners to know where to go for advice and the need for the introduction of the regulation of trainers and behaviourist.