Animal behaviour care can be hard for owners to navigate due to confusing titles. Trainer, behaviourist, behaviour consultant, behaviour therapist, veterinary behaviourist, and veterinary psychiatrist may all sound official. Some people using these titles are highly skilled. Some have university degrees, supervised experience, and a strong understanding of learning, welfare, and clinical risk. Others have limited training, no formal education, and no meaningful oversight. The

Dominance theory is one of the most persistent myths in dog behaviour. Owners are often told that dogs pull on leash, jump on people, guard food, growl, ignore cues, or sleep on furniture because they are trying to be “dominant.” The usual advice is to become the “pack leader.” This sounds simple, but it is usually wrong. Most behaviour problems are better explained by fear, frustration, anxiety, pain, learning history, lack of training, or a mismatch between normal dog behav

Many people want a simple explanation for a dog’s behaviour problem. A Border Collie chases cars because it is a Border Collie. A German Shepherd barks at strangers because it is protective. A Labrador steals food because Labradors love food. A mixed-breed dog is reactive because someone thinks they can see a certain breed in its face. These explanations are tempting because they feel clear, but they are incomplete. Breed and genetics matter, but breed alone is never enough t

Many people love their cats and dogs deeply. They share our homes, routines, sofas, beds, and daily lives. They can comfort us, make us laugh, and become central to the household. That bond is real and important. However, affection can slide into anthropomorphism, which means interpreting an animal through a human lens and assuming that they think, feel, or want the same things that we do. In 2007, Bradshaw and Casey suggested that this creates a specific welfare problem for

Living with a cat or dog who has behaviour problems can be emotionally exhausting. It is not just the barking, hiding, lunging, urine marking, pacing, destructiveness, compulsive licking, panic during storms, or fear of visitors. It is the daily experience of watching an animal you love struggle and not always knowing how to help. Many owners feel sadness, guilt, frustration, embarrassment, fear, and isolation simultaneously. That does not mean they have failed. It means they