Dynamic Dog Assessments
A Dynamic Dog Assessment is an invaluable way of highlighting areas of potential discomfort in your dog, discomfort which may be affecting their behaviour but which may not be immediately obvious. It is an assessment not just of posture and of gait, but also of the dog engaging in all the various activities of daily living, during which they may be offering clues as to how they are feeling. The report collates all of this data and presents the findings in a report with accompanying video and photographic evidence, a report which can be presented to your vet who may then use it in order to support their own investigations and diagnosis of your dog.
Pain in dogs can be extremely subtle and may not always manifest in the ways that we might expect, but just as it may do in humans, pain can certainly affect behaviour in dogs.
Problems like aggressive behaviour, resource guarding, separation issues, noise sensitivities, repetitive behaviours and anxiety may all be influenced by pain. Other less obvious behavioural changes such as a reluctance to climb stairs or to get up or down from furniture, a decreased enthusiasm for walks, or reduced enthusiasm for physical interactions may all be signs that a dog is experiencing discomfort.
A study published in 2020 found that up to 80% of dogs presenting with behavioural issues had some form of undiagnosed pain that was either a direct cause of or a contributory factor towards their undesirable behaviours. A Dynamic Dog Assessment will enable us to determine your dog’s comfort levels, ensuring that they are able to get the help and support that they might need.
The Dynamic Dog Assessment protocol involves the following steps:
1. 90 minute Consultation
During this consultation we will speak at length about every aspect of your dog’s life, discussing the issues that you are facing together and enabling me to gather as much information as possible that will assist me in my investigations.
2. Data collection
This will involve the accumulation of photo and video footage of your dog that will allow me to analyse their gait, posture, and the way in which they undertake the activities of daily living. Depending on your location I may be able to take some of the footage myself, but the majority will be taken by you, with detailed guidance and support from me.
3. Data analysis
I go through all of the footage I’ve gathered in steps 1 and 2, noting everything of relevance.
4. Dynamic Dog Report
I write a thorough report for your veterinarian where I highlight all of my findings and explain them using relevant terminology.
5. Compilation of evidence to support the report
I mark up relevant photos and edit together the relevant video footage, highlighting areas of note for the vet that can be included with my report.
6. Vet liaison and client support
I go through the report with you and send a copy of it to your vet so that the necessary next steps can be taken in order to support both you and your dog with whatever help they might need.
A Dynamic Dog Assessment may be booked as a standalone service or as an add-on to a behavioural consultation.
If pain is contributing to a behavioural issue that your dog is exhibiting, then it is vital both ethically and practically that this is addressed first. Behavioural modification is unlikely to be successful where pain is present and remains unidentified, which is why a veterinary referral is an integral part of any behavioural consultation booked with Planet Dog. If it is determined that a Dynamic Dog Assessment is also required, then this may be recommended as an add-on service to any behavioural consultation booked.
The price of a standalone Dynamic Dog Assessment is £225.
As part of a behavioural consultation the charge for the Dynamic Dog Assessment is £150 in addition to the charge for the behavioural consultation itself.
Other Services
Planet Puppy
Learn how to communicate clearly, kindly, and effectively with your puppy using training methods which will make learning a pleasurable and rewarding experience for you both.
1-2-1 Training
For adolescent or adult dogs who would prefer to learn in a 1-2-1 environment where the sessions can be customised to meet their individual needs.
BEHAVIOURAL CONSULTATIONS
Behavioural consultations allow us to examine the motivations of a given behaviour, enabling us to devise a treatment programme that will improve that behaviour over time.