kate V.N.

  My qualifications are as follows I am a fully qualified Veterinary Nurse, and part of the two-year course to become qualified entails animal behaviour. 1993 I passed an Animal Behaviour and Training course held by the B.V.A in October 1997 I passed a Pet Health Councillor  (Including animal behaviour) - March 1994 Passed Companion Animal Behaviour Module 1 2000 B.V.N.A Passed Companion Animal Behaviour Course Module 2  2000 B.V.N.A. Passed Companion Animal Behaviour Module 3 2000 B.V.N.A. Passed Companion Animal Behaviour Course 4 2000 B.V.N.A Passed Certificate In Companion Animal Behaviour 2000 B.V.N.A I am not going to continue, I think these justify me being able to give advice, perhaps you can now give your qualifications, since I see you have been giving advice on dog behaviour on this forum, without having a full history of the problem in front of you, which any behaviourist from any organisation would ask for before giving a solution to a problem. I am not a member of APDT, the puppy parties I held were at the veterinary practice I worked at. Which if you knew anything about puppy parties, you would know that it was in Veterinary practices that most of them started, with good reason, which again you would know about if you had ever attended one. As for dog training classes I ran them once again at the vets and also at a local club. Although I certainly think APDT is a good organisation and has a number of very good and experienced dog trainers registered with it, I'm also afraid I do have to say that I have met an APDT trainer that had passed the course and could call themselves a dog trainer having had no previous experience of handling dogs and got the qualification after a very short course. So I do say again QUALIFICATIONS ARE NOT EVERYTHING. In my humble opinion experience is far more important. You can now spend your time ranting and raving at everything I have said, but I should inform you that I will not be bothering to reply to any more of your sarcastic and unwarranted comments. As it is I can’t believe that I have wasted my time answering your belligerent question about my qualifications.      

In the past I have not involved myself on this forum for fear of the very thing that has just happened. I don’t know why anyone bothers to offer advice if it is going to be received so badly. I have noticed this happen to others on a number of occasions on a number of different forums, so I should have known better I suppose!  Everyone thinks they know better and are quite AGGRESSIVE with their views. I responded to the original enquiry because help was asked for. Well I will give a bit more of my  "UNQUALIFIED, EXPENSIVE ADVICE” I don’t even remember mentioning a fee for my work. Believe it or not some people try and help others and importantly their animals out of kindness. I have seen and had to re home to many pets that owners have just given up on or can no longer handle!!!!! On top of which I have had to hold perfectly healthy animals for Euthanasia, while their owners slink off out of the room, because they can't handle or have ruined their dogs and will not give permission for rehoming to dogs that could have bee rehabilitate. So don't attack my character without having the full information.  Their are a number of people who call themselves behaviourist of one form or another and their are number of qualifications that you can receive that puts your name on a number of different registers. However I am the first to say that it is not the qualifications that count, but the experience you have with handling the animals. I have heard of the organisations you mentioned, funnily enough and some of my qualifications come from their veterinary courses and yes they are a very good organisations. In England I too saw animals on veterinary referrals. But was always aware of my capabilities and if I wasn’t happy taking on a particular case I would refer them to others with more experience, but as you have pointed they can be expensive . Perhaps you have heard of Sarah Heath, Caroline Bower, Peter Neville and Roger Mugford, just a few who’s courses I have been on and who came down and gave lectures at the practice I worked in. The idea in my practice and I thought asked for on this forum was to first try someone who maybe in the area who maybe able to help and if not then go further a field if necessary. The reason I stupidly felt I should disagree, not attack or shoot down in flames, but disagree with the previous correspondent was because no method of training should be discounted unless it is an unkind way of teaching or training an animal. Because some methods work better on some dogs and their owners than others. I do however agree whole-heartedly that choke chains should be a thing of the past. I am not going waste my time any further in going into details as to the benefits particularly with the older and younger generation to the not allowing the dogs on the furniture, beds etc. Or the not feeding your dogs before you eat (I did not say starve the poor things and leave them to wait hours before their next meal). Except to say they are part of a kind and gentle method of re training a dog with problems and a way of avoiding problems with certain breeds at a later date. Suirely we all know that preventing a problem from occuring in the first place is far better that trying to cure it at a later date. Hence the need for puppy parties. By the way also given freely to clients at our practice. Anyway anyone who would like more information on this let me know I will happily e-mail them FREE OF CHARGE. Can I finally say that at the end of the day I presumed the idea of this topic was to help animals and that being so I would say always listen to any advice given, whether it's from a friend a neighbour, a dog breeder, a dog trainer, a vet or dare I say it an animal behaviourist as long as it’s a kind method of training  just listen or read and try and find the right one that suits you and your pet.  And be sure I have learnt my lesson on replying to a forum.  

Hopefully I can be of some help. I have lived in France for 5 years and run gites. However since being here I have been helping owners with their pets in a number of ways including running a dog training course that a number of people had asked for. I am a qualified veterinary nurse with qualifications in animal behaviour and was the animal behaviourist for my practice for a number of years.  I ran puppy parties in my practice for over 10 years and over 800 puppies came to them. I was also a dog trainer and ran a number of courses including the good citizens dog scheme. Sorry if this sounds like I’m blowing my own trumpet, but I think it is important for you to know  my experience in this field. Also although I agree some of the behaviour methods over here are out dated I'm afraid I do have to disagree with one of your previous correspondents who said that the method of "eating before your dogs and not letting them sleep on the furniture" is outdated. These are infact very important rules for difficult dogs. (I agree not everyone has to follow them, I share a bed with 3!  If you would like any further information please get in contact and I will happily fill you in on any other details you may want. I have to say although I moved over her to have more time to spend with my own animals I have always found it rewarding trying to help people overcome any problems they have with theirs.  

Having been a qualified veterinary nurse for over 10years in England. I whole hearterly agree that unless you intend to breed from your bitch, you will reduce a number of life threatening diseases by having her neutered. e.g Mammary masses and pyometra's. Normally the best time to spay is half way between seasons e.g 3 months after her last. However you mention she is having phantom pregnancy, is she lactating? ( producing milk) because if so she will need medication from the vet to dry her up before the operation. After she is spayed it can be very difficult to stop. I'm afraid I cannot comment on whether to have a bitch spayed in france or england I can only say that this is a very large operation, although routine ( sometimes I have to remind people that it is the same as a hysterectomy on a woman, this seems to put it more in context for what the bitch goes through) so it is important that you go to a good vet and not just the cheapest. Obviously the best way of finding a good vet whether in england or france is by personal recommendation.   Hope this helps

I am frequently asked by my guests whether I know of any takeaway restaurants (Indian / thai etc) in the area or anyone who will come and cook within the gites for them. These guests normally have very young children who don't want to go to restaurants in the evenings and want a night off BBQ'S. Does anyone know of anyone offering this service in 47 near Villeneuve sur Lot? Thanks Kate  

Hi, I'm a qualified veterinary nurse/animal behaviourist who has been living in france for 3 years. I run gites, but I have also recently started looking after peoples pets, dogs/cats at my own home. They must be good with dogs and cats and generally well behaved e.g house trained. I do train dogs as well for those who want/need help. We have 14 acres of our own land and lots of other fields to walk them in. I live just outside villeneuve sur lot 45 minutes from Eymet. For further information on Aunties Ark I have left my email address below.   [email protected]