Behavioral Consultations
Dr. Ward provides individualized behavioral consultations for dogs experiencing a wide range of concerns, including:
- Aggression directed toward people or other dogs
- Fears and Phobias
- Generalized and Separation Anxiety
- Inappropriate Elimination
- Excessive Vocalization
- Impulsivity and Difficulty Settling
- Destructive and Escape Behavior
- Compulsive Behaviors
Behavioral problems are among the most common reasons dogs are relinquished to shelters. With appropriate management and behavior modification, however, many of these concerns can be meaningfully improved.
Dr. Ward works closely with clients, providing individualized recommendations, practical coaching, and ongoing support. Seeking help early is generally best because repeated behavior can become more established over time.
The Initial Behavioral Evaluation Appointment
Fee: $650 for an appointment lasting up to two hours
The fee covers the evaluation of one dog. For cases involving aggression between household dogs, an additional-dog fee may apply. Please contact Dr. Ward for further information.
Pet insurance: Some pet-insurance plans may reimburse all or part of the cost of behavioral consultations. If your dog is insured, please check with your insurance company to see whether your policy includes behavioral coverage.
Please follow the steps below to schedule and prepare for your dog’s initial appointment.
1) Contact Dr. Ward 
If you believe that your dog may benefit from a behavioral consultation, email Dr. Ward at AboutDogsLLC@gmail.com.
Please include:
- A brief description of your dog
- A summary of the behaviors that concern you—a bulleted list works well
- Your home location
Some consultations take place in the client’s home. Online video consultations are also available and work extremely well. An online appointment may be recommended if you live outside the local service area or if your dog presents a bite risk to visitors entering the home.
Whenever possible, all adult members of the household should participate in the appointment.
After reviewing your email, Dr. Ward will send you information about appointment availability and a link for online scheduling.
2) Schedule the Appointment
Use the scheduling link provided by Dr. Ward to select an available appointment.
Once an appointment has been confirmed, a cancellation fee applies if it is canceled or rescheduled within two weeks of the scheduled date.
Every dog deserves a thorough and comprehensive evaluation. Before the appointment, Dr. Ward devotes considerable time to reviewing your dog’s pre-appointment paperwork and, when provided, relevant videos. This allows more of the appointment to be spent evaluating your concerns, discussing possible contributing factors, and developing appropriate management and treatment recommendations.
3) Complete the Behavioral History Form
After scheduling, you will receive an email containing a link to complete your dog’s Behavioral History Form online.
The completed form must be submitted to About Dogs LLC at least three business days before your appointment.
The form is also available through the link below:
- CANINE BEHAVIORAL HISTORY FORM: Complete and submit online
Videos of the problem behavior can be helpful when they can be obtained safely. Please do not provoke your dog or create a situation in which your dog, another animal, or any person could be placed at risk.
4) Review the Pre-Appointment Information
Please download and review WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A BEHAVIORAL CONSULTATION AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
This document explains how to prepare for the consultation and what you can expect during and after the appointment.
5) Attend the Initial Appointment
Both in-person and online appointments provide a comprehensive behavioral evaluation and individualized recommendations.
During the appointment, Dr. Ward will:
- Review your dog’s behavioral history, relevant health information, and the specific behaviors of concern
- Observe and evaluate your dog’s behavior through real-time observation, relevant video, or both
- Conduct a behavioral risk assessment when aggression or biting is a concern
- Help you thoughtfully evaluate safety, welfare, management options, and realistic next steps for your dog and family
- Discuss realistic treatment goals and develop individualized management and behavior-modification recommendations
- Explain appropriate behavior-modification techniques, using demonstrations or video examples when helpful and safe to do so
- Provide practical exercises to help you begin working with your dog
Written Treatment Plan and Supporting Resources
Following the evaluation, Dr. Ward will prepare a detailed, individualized written treatment plan based on your dog’s behavioral history, needs, and living situation. The plan will outline treatment goals, management recommendations, behavior-modification exercises, and priorities for moving forward. It will be emailed to you within one week of the appointment. You will also receive relevant educational handouts and, when appropriate, instructional videos.
Follow-Up Appointments
Fee: $280 per hour
Follow-up care is recommended in most cases. These appointments allow Dr. Ward to evaluate your dog’s progress, answer questions, refine exercises, and adjust recommendations based on how your dog is responding. Follow-up appointments typically run thirty minutes to an hour for online sessions and an hour for in-person sessions, though either may run longer depending on your dog’s needs.
After each follow-up appointment, Dr. Ward will provide relevant supporting resources and handouts. For appointments lasting an hour or longer, a written summary is also provided that includes any new recommendations or revisions to the treatment plan.
The recommended timing, length, and number of follow-up appointments will depend on the nature of the behavioral concerns, your goals, and the progress you and your dog make.
Consistent practice between appointments is important because each session builds upon the work completed previously. In most cases, exercises can be incorporated into your daily routines.
Before Each Follow-Up Appointment
Please complete and submit a Progress Report online at least three days before each follow-up appointment.
Approximately one week before your appointment, you will receive an email containing a link to the Progress Report. Your responses allow Dr. Ward to evaluate your dog’s progress and prepare any appropriate adjustments to the recommendations.
The form is also available through the link below:
- PROGRESS REPORT FORM: Complete and submit online