Frequently Asked Questions

At Snout & About, our Behaviour Consultancy process is designed to support both you and your dog through lasting, evidence-based change. Rather than jumping straight into “training” specific behaviours, we begin by addressing your dog’s overall wellbeing — physically, emotionally, and behaviourally.

First Things First: Lowering Arousal & Supporting Recovery

Most behaviour issues — such as reactivity, barking, or destructive habits — are symptoms of deeper emotional or physiological stress. That’s why we don’t simply treat the behaviour. Instead, we look to identify and address the root cause.

We start by helping reduce your dog’s overall arousal levels. This often means building a supportive routine for the entire household, designed to help your dog’s brain and body recover from stress. This stage may include:

  • Environmental management strategies

  • Enrichment and needs-based frameworks

  • Daily support routines that lower stress

Only once your dog’s emotional state begins to stabilise do we layer in targeted behaviour modification.

Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind the Behaviour

For example, if your dog lunges or barks at other dogs, the solution isn’t just teaching “what to do when Fido reacts.” We first need to understand why it’s happening. Is your dog fearful? Frustrated? In pain?

In some cases, we may recommend a veterinary referral, especially if there’s been a recent or sudden change in behaviour. Our approach is always collaborative and prioritises your dog’s emotional health first.

Tailored Training – When Your Dog is Ready

Once your dog is feeling mentally and physically healthier, we move into the training phase. This stage differs between consultants, but generally involves:

  • Follow-up coaching sessions, (provided by an assigned trainer or by your consultant) where we guide you through practical training exercises

  • A customised treatment plan based on your dog’s needs and learning style

  • Ongoing support to ensure progress is achievable, sustainable, and realistic

For clients of Cork Behaviour Services, a technical trainer will be assigned to help implement your training plan. Additional sessions with a trainer are available from €55/hour.

Our Promise

 

We take a holistic, ethical, and evidence-based approach to every case. Your dog is an individual — and so is your journey. We’re here to walk that path with you, every step of the way.

We do! For travel costs, please see the individual County page for Cork, Kerry or Kilkenny. For consultations further afield, please email info@snoutandabout.ie

Additional travel costs can be discussed depending on where you are but may be charged at a day rate of upto €550 as this may include overnight fees for your consultant. 

This is variable and dependent on the individual dog and their family. Training a dog is not a one stop shop or a quick fix, it takes time, dedication and commitment. We work to set you and your dog up for success and focus on small, incremental  wins towards our end goals.

Our dogs are as unique as their nose prints and sometimes, a large part of working through these journeys involves remodelling our own expectations of our dogs. Our team are every bit the educator as they are the trainer and we can guide you through this with the utmost of support and understanding. 

Absolutely. It is particularly important to seek the advice of a Behaviour Professional when working in aggression.

Aggression for the most part, whilst very worrying for owners and, potentially unsafe, is in most instances, from your dogs perspective a normal survival response.

Force, pain, punishment or outdated methods of dominance, flooding and causing discomfort to the dog will, as stated in many scientific publications, make matters worse and most likely increase risk potential.

The breed and the size of the dog is irrelevant in the methods used. In most instances, aggression is related to pain, traumatic or aversive learning, mismanagement of behaviour, genetical components or environmental conditions.

Our Behaviour Consultants have extensive experience working through aggression cases in varying levels of severity.

Working through aggression will require strict environmental management protocols to ensure the safety of other people and other animals in the home and in public spaces. 

It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing things differently. The most difficult part is often changing our human habits and we’ll work with your daily schedule to ensure your program works for you and your needs. Like us, our dogs need days off too and over exposure in behaviour modification can do more harm than good.

Prior to consultation, please ensure your dog has had their usual meal. Training on an empty stomach can create frustration, not motivation! Ensure all medications are given as usual and your dog has had their normal outlets for the day in terms of enrichment and exercise unless instructed otherwise. 

Pop the kettle on and don’t worry about providing training treats, we’ll look after that. Do state in your application however if they are allergic or sensitive to any particular food stuffs.

Life happens to us all and if you need to cancel, please give as much notice as possible and we can reschedule when you’re ready. The team are all self employed so it’s important we’re given as much notice as possible so we can try to fill your appointment slot.

If you need to cancel a second time, a full deposit will be required prior to booking in a third time.

If a member of the team needs to cancel, we too will do everything we can to provide as much notice as possible and reschedule your appointment asap. 

Sadly, our industry isn’t regulated and this means anyone can call themselves a trainer or even a behaviourist. There is an overwhelming amount of bad advice out there from television shows to google searches and social media. Despite their enormous popularity and huge platforms, or huge TV network shows, such individuals often advocate for methods that cause pain, discomfort and in some instances, gravely dangerous outcomes for your dog and for other people.

A recent survey of our clients showed that over 56% of our clients had previously used services from an unregulated professional that resulted in their dog being physically or mentally affected. In addition, spending in excess of €400 prior to finding our services.

Our team have all studied applied animal behavioural sciences and complete over 32 courses every three years to ensure we’re up to date on the latest advances in the behaviour and training industry.

There are many wonderful trainers throughout Ireland but few Behaviour Consultants. If we can’t help you, we will gladly find you someone in your area who can. Provided you get certified support, we’re happy.

Yes, Snout and About services have been approved by Allianz.

Allianz will request your vet inculdes on their clinical files, reffered to behaviour consultant. You can download the Claim form from their website and ask your vet to fill this in. Allianz will contact your vet and your behaviour consultant and request clinical files and case notes. Your claim will then be processed and you will be refunded as stated in your policy.

Please check your own insurer to see if they too cover training and behaviour services which may be approved also.

An invoice for services will be issued with your behaviour program in most instances.

Options include Bank Transfer, Revolut and Paypal. Cash on the day may also be accepted. Please provide payment within seven days from receipt of your program.

Please check with the individual consultant or trainer as some of our trainers from other organisations may request deposits. At present, Snout and About Consultants do not operate on a deposit scheme.

Failure to make payment may result in a small court summons but we’d like to avoid that for you at all costs. If you’re struggling to get the fees together, please let us know. 

 

We never want professional advice to be inaccessible and payment plans can be facilitated between you and your consultant.

We reserve payment plans for those who are in receipt of supported social payment or in extenuating circumstances. 

For professional mentorships, Catherine Griffin can provide further support and discount for underrepresented communities. Please email info@snoutandabout.ie