11/20/2025
Thoughtful and true.
The majority of vets want to work collaboratively with behaviourists but barriers that often get in the way.
1. Most general practice vets receive little training in behaviour. They may not understand what a behaviourist does, or may underestimate how complex behavioural cases can be. Just as I would have limited knowledge of how to fix a broken leg.
2. Vets work under enormous pressure. Consultations are 10 - 15 minutes long and designed for physical health issues, not complex behaviour cases.
Behavioural collaboration requires communication, report sharing, and sometimes follow-up discussions which are rarely billable in standard practice.
3. Many vets don’t know there is a difference between a qualified behaviourist, and those with no formal education who may use aversive or unscientific methods. Because of this vets may be wary of referring to or working with anyone who calls themselves a behaviourist, fearing reputational risk or client harm.
4. Some vets worry that if a behaviourist recommends medication, or if the behaviourist’s advice conflicts with medical guidance, they could be held legally responsible. In countries where behaviourists are not regulated, this concern is amplified.
5. Behaviourists and vets often use different terminology. A vet might describe a case in physiological. A behaviourist might describe the same case in terms of emotional states and learning processes. Without shared language collaboration can feel disjointed.
6. Some vets still see behaviour as a “training issue” rather than a clinical one. This can lead to dismissiveness or reluctance to treat behaviour as a welfare concern needing multidisciplinary input. Behaviourists can also be at fault for how they communicate with a vet and may unintentionally come across as critical or directive rather than collaborative, which can create tension.
When collaboration does happen between vets and behaviourists the outcomes for animals and clients are dramatically better. Behaviourists can provide detailed history and behavioural data that helps inform medical workups. Vets can rule out or treat pain and illness that underlie behaviour issues.
