Frequently Asked Questions
What areas do you cover?
South East London primarily, although we do have regular clients in East London, Essex, and North Kent. ‘Out of Area’ clients will still be seen as long as they are happy to pay for additional travel time and expenses.
Can I join the Dog School anytime?
No, unfortunately. Class sizes are limited to 6 dogs each so pre-registration for each term is required.
How do I enrol my dog in the Dog School?
You can either call us or come along to the New Charlton Community Centre (details on Contacts page) on a Thursday evening for a booking form. You will need to fill in the booking form and return it along with your payment to us. Once we receive it, you will be sent a confirmation letter including joining information.
When does the next term of the Dog School start?
Upcoming terms will begin on:
Thursday 19th March 2009
Thursday 28th May 2009
Thursday 30th July 2009
How do I book an appointment to see you?
You will need to speak to Simone to organise a convenient day and time as well as to have an informal chat about the problems you are experiencing. For certain types of problems you may be asked to see your veterinarian first to rule out an underlying medical cause for your dog’s behaviour. You will be advised over the phone if this is the case.
How soon can you see me?
This really depends on current caseloads and your own availability. Weekend and evening appointments are available but they are popular because so many people work Monday to Friday. Waiting times can be up to 3 or 4 weeks if your availability is limited and it’s a busy period, but usually much less than that if you can be more flexible or can take a cancellation at short notice.
What if I need to change my appointment?
That is fine as long as you give at least 48 hours notice so that we can offer your appointment time to someone else who is waiting. Appointments cancelled within 24-48 hours of your appointment time will be subject to a cancellation fee of 50% of the session fee. Appointments cancelled within 24 hours of the appointment time will incur a cancellation fee equal to the session fee.
What qualifications do you have?
Simone Day holds a Master’s Degree with distinction in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling from the University of Southampton. In addition to this, she has been a regular instructor at The Dog Owners Club run by Robert Alleyne in New Cross, London since 2000. In March 2006 she secured a venue in Charlton and went on to set up Pawsitive’s Dog School which has been running successfully ever since.
Still, how do I know if you’re any good? A friend of mine paid a lot of money for someone to come and sort their dog out but it didn’t make any difference.
In any profession, there are always people who are very good at what they do and others who are not as good. Bear in mind, the most expensive are not always the best. Ideally, anyone offering training and behavioural services should have an academic qualification (preferably degree level) as well as verifiable practical experience of training dogs and resolving behaviour problems. References, particularly from other professionals such as vets, nurses or other behaviourists can be a good indicator, as can affiliation with a recognised professional body such as the UKRCB or the APBC. Speaking to others who have used a particular person may also be helpful. Then speak to the person yourself. If you have to book up through a call centre or if you don’t like the person’s manner over the phone, then don’t use them. Remember, you will be paying good money for what is effectively, a bespoke service. And, you will be inviting this person into your home so it is important that you are comfortable with them. On the other hand, it is also worth mentioning that in order for any training or behavioural advice to be effective, the owner must follow that advice and put in regular practice in order to see positive changes in their dog’s behaviour. If you’re given the best advice in the world, but do not follow it, your dog’s problems are not going to improve no matter how much money you’ve spent.
I’m really busy, can you train my dog for me?
Yes, I can, but no I won’t. Firstly, if you’re that busy, why do you have a dog? Secondly, any trainer worth their salt can train your dog to respond to them, but that doesn’t mean your dog will automatically respond to you in the same way. The relationship you have with your dog, and the level of response you get from it as a result, is a very individual and personal thing. Working as a behavioural trainer is all about teaching owners how to interact with their dogs in the right way, so it makes sense that owners absolutely have to be involved in the training process.