Because the first symptom of many illnesses and diseases is a change in behavior, we strongly recommend that you first have your pet examined by your veterinarian before seeking behavior consulting services.  Many “behavior problems” masquerade as medical problems so having your pet evaluated by your veterinarian first is the best option for you and your pet.

We offer court ordered and private requested evaluations in Arizona, but can no longer provide them in Colorado because of our AZ location. Evaluations are conducted in person at our location.  Click HERE for more information.

We are not taking any new behavior problem cases at this time.   

For expert witness or legal consulting services please Click HERE to be taken to that page

Appointments are scheduled either at our location OR very often remotely via Zoom or by conference call, followed by an in-person visit when needed.   We are not offering in-home visits at this time unless you are very close to our Sun City AZ location.

Depending on our schedule, in-person appointments may be available for select areas in Colorado during the summer  (June – September, contact us for more information).

Dr. Hetts or Dr. Estep will conduct an extensive behavior interview with you, observe and work with your pet, and create a behavior modification plan for you to implement that will be explained in detail.  You’ll be provided with a written copy of the plan, and a behavior report can be provided to your veterinarian.

Please allow  one to two hours for most initial appointments.

Our approach to solving behavior problems is grounded in the sciences of behavior and learning and focuses on encouraging and reinforcing desired behaviors while preventing unwanted behaviors.  Response prevention is a BIG part of success and can be accomplished without pain, harm or fear.  We help your pet learn new responses to events and situations that are now causing problems for all of you.  Shock, pinch or choke collars are not part of our tool box.  Nor will be talking about “dominating” your dog.

Fees

Brief Assessment and “Quick Tip” Consults:  These telephone or video consults are 20 minutes long and are $50.  They are appropriate for easy, straightforward issues such as help with initial house training, or normal puppy or kitten behaviors.  Brief consults are also useful as a starting place for more complex problems to help you become more informed about what will be required to work with your pet’s problem, the likelihood of success, management procedures you can implement immediately, and our assessment of whether you have truly already “tried everything”.

Zoom and other distance consults are $275 / 90 minutes.  The first session is usually about an hour, with the remaining 30 minutes available for subsequent follow-up

Consults at our location and specified follow-up appointments range from $300 – $500, depending on the type of problem and follow-up required. Specific fees will be determined during the initial inquiry when we learn more from you about the specifics of your pet’s behavior. Court ordered evaluations will incur a fee for the report that will be written for the court.

Payment is usually by credit card but Paypal is also accepted.  A $100 deposit will be charged once the appointment time is confirmed. Except in emergencies, this deposit becomes non-refundable 24 hours before the scheduled appointment time.

To Schedule An Appointment or For More Information:

Email us at Info@AnimalBehaviorAssociates.com or call our office at 303-932-9095.

Please Note: We do not usually provide pro bono (no charge) behavior consults via telephone or email.  Pro bono work or reduced rates MAY be considered for non profits under special circumstances.