Clinical animal behaviourists help pets and their owners solve serious behaviour problems. If your dog shows aggression towards visitors, or your cat sprays indoors despite being neutered, a clinical animal behaviourist can help address these complex issues.
Before you commit to this career path, it helps to understand exactly what studying you'll need to do and how long it takes using our free Qualification Checker.
This is skilled work that requires proper training and accreditation. You'll need a solid understanding of animal psychology, learning theory, and how to work with both animals and their worried owners.
What clinical animal behaviourists actually do
Most of your work will involve dogs and cats with behaviour problems that go beyond basic training issues. You might see a dog that's become aggressive after being attacked, or a cat that's started urinating on the bed after the owners had a baby.
You'll visit the animal at home or see them at a clinic. After watching how the animal behaves and talking to the owners about the history of the problem, you'll work out what's causing it and create a behaviour modification plan. This might involve changing the animal's environment, teaching the owners new ways to respond to the behaviour, and sometimes working with the vet if medication might help.
Trainers teach commands and basic manners. Clinical behaviourists deal with serious problems like aggression, separation anxiety, compulsive disorders and phobias. You work on veterinary referral, meaning a vet has examined the animal first to rule out medical causes.
Getting qualified
You'll need a degree in a relevant subject like animal behaviour, psychology, zoology or veterinary science. Some universities offer specific animal behaviour degrees, which give you a good foundation.
After your degree, you need supervised practical experience working directly with cases under an experienced behaviourist's guidance. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) is one of the main bodies that maintains standards for clinical animal behaviourists in the UK. To register with them, you'll need to complete required hours of supervised practice through one of their member organisations.
Requirements vary between organisations. The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) each have their own supervised training programmes with specific hour requirements. Check current requirements directly with these organisations as they can change.
Some people complete a master's degree in clinical animal behaviour or applied animal behaviour before starting their supervised practice. This isn't always essential but can strengthen your knowledge base.
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Most clinical animal behaviourists are self-employed. You might work from home, rent a room at a veterinary practice, or visit clients in their homes. Some larger veterinary practices occasionally employ behaviourists directly.
Your clients come through veterinary referrals. Vets see animals with behaviour problems and, after ruling out medical causes, refer them to you. Building good relationships with local veterinary practices is essential for getting steady work.
Some behaviourists also work with animal rescue centres, helping assess and rehabilitate animals with behaviour problems to make them suitable for rehoming. This work might be paid or voluntary, depending on the organisation.
You might run group classes for specific issues like puppy socialisation or helping reactive dogs. Some behaviourists write for pet magazines, give talks, or provide expert witness services for court cases involving animal behaviour.
Starting salaries for newly qualified clinical animal behaviourists are typically around £25,000 to £30,000 if employed. Most behaviourists are self-employed though, so your income depends on how many clients you see.
Self-employed behaviourists usually charge £150 to £300 for an initial consultation, which might last two to three hours. Follow-up sessions are typically shorter and cheaper. How much you earn depends on your location, reputation, and how many clients you can attract.
Established behaviourists with good reputations can earn £40,000 to £50,000 or more. Those who develop additional income streams through writing, teaching or media work can earn considerably more.
Self-employed earnings come with costs. You'll need professional indemnity insurance, public liability insurance, a car for home visits, equipment, and money for continued training. You won't get sick pay or holiday pay, and quiet periods mean no income. If you keep client records, you'll also need to comply with GDPR requirements.
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Your career path
The typical route starts with your degree, then finding a mentor for your supervised practice. This mentoring period usually takes one to two years, depending on how many cases you can work on.
Once qualified and registered with a professional body like ABTC, you'll spend your first few years building your reputation. This means doing good work, maintaining strong relationships with referring vets, and perhaps volunteering with rescue centres to gain more experience and contacts.
As you become established, you might specialise in particular species or types of problems. Some behaviourists focus solely on cats, others on aggressive dogs, or exotic pets. Specialising can help you stand out and charge higher fees.
Later in your career, you might train new behaviourists, write books, develop online courses, or work as an expert witness. Some behaviourists reduce their clinical work as they get older, focusing more on teaching and writing.
Practical considerations
You'll need to be comfortable working with distressed animals and worried owners. Some of the animals you see will be aggressive or very fearful. You need confidence around animals but also the sense to keep yourself safe.
The work can be emotionally demanding. You'll see animals that have been through trauma, and sometimes you'll need to tell owners that their pet's problems can be managed but not cured. Occasionally, you might need to recommend rehoming or euthanasia if the behaviour poses a serious risk.
You'll need good communication skills to explain complex behaviour concepts to pet owners in ways they can understand and follow. Many behaviour problems stem from owner behaviour, so you need tact when suggesting changes.
The hours can be irregular. Pet owners often want evening or weekend appointments. If you're self-employed, you'll also spend time on administration, marketing, and maintaining your business.
If you're still at school, focus on sciences, particularly biology and psychology A-levels. Look for degree courses in animal behaviour, ethology, or zoology with a strong behaviour component.
During your degree, get practical experience with animals. Volunteer at rescue centres, work at boarding kennels, or assist at training classes. This gives you hands-on experience and helps you decide if this career suits you.
Contact practising clinical animal behaviourists to ask about shadowing opportunities. Many are happy to let students observe consultations (with the client's permission) so you can see what the work really involves.
Join student membership of organisations like ASAB to access their resources and conferences. Start building your network early.
Clinical animal behaviour is a rewarding career for those genuinely interested in animal welfare and the science of behaviour. It takes significant training and dedication to qualify, but offers the satisfaction of helping animals and their owners live better lives together.
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