Cost of Behavioral Specialist (how much, vet, aggressive, training) - Dogs - - City-Data Forum

xray731 · 05-21-2013, 03:02 PM

Does anyone know the fees charged by a behavioral specialist? I was interested in adopting a 9 wk old puppy from the SPCA but they said that the puppy has some behavior issues and would need a behavioral specialist. My heart broke when I learned her history and I have no problem getting her treated but cost is a factor.

TY

Dashdog · 05-21-2013, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xray731

Does anyone know the fees charged by a behavioral specialist? I was interested in adopting a 9 wk old puppy from the SPCA but they said that the puppy has some behavior issues and would need a behavioral specialist. My heart broke when I learned her history and I have no problem getting her treated but cost is a factor.

TY

It would vary by where you live and how much help you need, You can call behaviorist and ask them what a consult costs and what they charge to work with you after the consult. It is not cheap but sometimes it does not take a lot of sessions but it is also a lot of hard work .They teach you how to work with the dog then it is up to you so besides cost consider the time factor involved. If you really are not willing to put hours of training into the dogs then seeing a behaviorist will not change a thing as you are the one doing the home work.Not all issues can be 100%resolved as genetics may be part of the issue. At 9 weeks the puppy still has a few very important weeks left in its social development so if you get the puppy it needs to get started right away.

That said many dogs that start out with issues do go on to become your once in a life time dog as because of them you learn more then you do with an easy dog and all that time you spend working with them can build a great bond. I know as My Jazz had fear aggression so was reactive and we did work with a behaviorist but that was 16 yrs ago so I am sure the costs have changed a lot . While she was able to live an active life doing agility, playing at flyball, doing dog parades and other dog events and just out there with many dogs around she was never 100% over the issues as he felt hers was a genetic cause but I was able to keep her under control by staying on top of her body language.If I did not pay attention to her body language as another dog approached and get her focused on me then she would go off in one of her reactive tangents. Despite her issue she was a very intelligent love bug and by far the best dog I ever have ( and no doubt will ever ) own. Don't get me wrong as I have loved all my dogs and love the two I have now as each is special in its won way but that bond Jazz and I shared is nothing I have ever had with any other dog.

purehuman · 05-21-2013, 06:14 PM

Wow, the dogs 9 weeks?..You should be able to sort through any "issues" the puppy has...I mean it's still veeery young. Maybe the behavior specialist needs some work.... I wouldn't go for it, but I'd still adopt the puppy.

oberon_1 · 05-21-2013, 09:06 PM

The cost strongly depends on the number of sessions and interactions. A dog behaviorist may be able to asses the problem and guide you on how to continue. A trainer on the other hand, may require more sessions, but not at such young age.
I suggest to have the puppy vaccinated and enlist her in a puppy class. From there, you can take it further with advice from the trainers and other participants.
Good luck!

Dashdog · 05-21-2013, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by purehuman

Wow, the dogs 9 weeks?..You should be able to sort through any "issues" the puppy has...I mean it's still veeery young. Maybe the behavior specialist needs some work.... I wouldn't go for it, but I'd still adopt the puppy.

Maybe maybe not as I got Jazz as a small puppy and her fear of dogs was very obvious as she freaked out when she met my 14 yr old dog and my parents dogs . Once she got over her fear she was fine with those dogs and I got her right into puppy class and she was terrified of the other puppies so the trainer also owns a dog boarding place that does day care so despite her young age he allowed me to bring her several times a week, so she got to be around lots of dogs. and all were positive encounters. She would arrive and not want to play with any of them but would watch them for a couple hours and then join in and soon be in control of most of them so she had plenty of good socialization yet she remained fear aggressive and reactive to dogs she did not know and was that way her whole life. Once she knew a dog she was usually fine with it even if she had not seen it for a few years but dogs she did not know it was a process getting her to accept them. She saw the behaviorist when she was 2 and he felt it was genetic and told me I could learn to work with it but he doubted she would ever not be that way and he was right. so not all issues puppies have can be worked out and being we do not know what this puppies issues are it is hard to say if it can. But yeah this puppy is in those critical socialization weeks .

xray731 · 05-22-2013, 04:54 AM

I'll have to call around and see if I can find a behavior specialist and their fee. The Spca has dropped the price of the puppy to $100 but in order to adopt her - I have to do a meet and greet with my other 2 dogs and have a signed note from a behavior specialist that I have contracted with him for help. I've had and raised dogs all my life - 50+ years and each has their own quirks that you have to work through. She supposedly is calm and docile and then will act aggressive like she's the alpha dog. She also likes to chew on arms they say. The litter was found at an abandoned home living in filth when they were 3 weeks old.

The pup was adopted once and brought back - but I thought it funny that in the almost 7 weeks that she's been at the SPCA, if they have a behavior specialist on staff - they haven't been working with her. Both the staff and behavior specialist really tried to steer me away from her - and I really worry that she won't be adopted.

Really will have to think about this. Not afraid of hard work but cost may be the problem.

xray731 · 05-22-2013, 11:51 AM

Good news! Some couple adopted the one I was looking at! Just as long as she gets a good loving home! Thanks for everyone's help!

Picca · 05-26-2013, 04:57 PM

Sounds like you'll have to produce proof of consulting the behaviourist, but I'd lay odds that you have more experience than the behaviourist does. Therefore, I'd vet the behaviourist very carefully before committing, whatever the price. At three months, that puppy is as open to re-education as it will ever be, so you should be OK.

Good luck with it. Don't let anyone pressure you into doing anything that feels wrong.

spencgr · 05-26-2013, 07:55 PM

Glad the puppy was adopted. Just as a point of reference, I paid $400 for my last behaviorist visit (approx 3 years ago). This included an on site visit (it lasted about 1.5 hours), written report with results and recommendations, and unlimited phone call consults for a year. This was the second time that I used her, and her recommendations were so spot-on, I never used the phone consultations. I live in the DC Metro area.