We are proud to offer a new service aimed at pet parents around the country trying to find an animal behaviorist who may not have a local expert. By providing video consultations, knowledge gained from working with a wide variety of animals as a zookeeper can be used to help provide guidance on many behavioral issues.
Who should use this service?
Video consults are generally suggested for people who own an exotic animal and may not have access to someone to answer behavioral questions. We can help you with your parrot, small mammal, reptile, or most any other animal found in the pet trade. There should be a behavioral goal in mind: if there is something you would like to do with your animal, such as having it step onto your hands voluntarily or stop biting. These consultations can also be helpful for issues such as overgrooming/plucking or stress at the vet. If you have a domestic pet such as a dog or cat who cannot find an animal behaviorist in their local area, we can also help.
What to expect
Consultations will begin with your description of the problem you would like to address. For best results, try to stick to one goal. For example: I would like my macaw to not scream when guests enter the house. Another example: I would like to be able to pick up my chinchilla without him/her running away. The trainer will obtain some relevant background information, and help you make a plan and give guidance on how to achieve your goals. If the situation suggests it, we may make a followup appointment for 2 weeks or a month.
Limitations
Unfortunately, a 30 minute video chat is not a good substitute for having a behaviorist come in to your home. Without meeting your pet and seeing it’s home and setup, it is hard to get a complete picture. This is particularly pertinent to domesticated animals like dogs and cats, who usually require a much more hands-on approach. However, using our 10 years of experience with training, we will do our best to provide targeted advice to help you and your pets have more positive experiences.
Logistics, Scheduling, and Payment
People who are interested should have access to Skype or Google Hangouts, preferably on a computer. If no computer is available, you may use either of those apps on your smartphone. We can be found on both platforms by searching for pawsitivereinforcementpa@gmail.com. After filling out the intake form, Heather will text or email you to schedule a time for the consultation. Payment is expected in advance via Paypal, Zelle, or Google Pay using the same email. The consultation costs $30 for 30 minutes of video interaction between the hours of 10:00am and 5:00pm EST. Evening and weekend consultations incur a $5 surcharge.