Q. How does ABCS, Inc. differ from other behavioral modification services?
A. In terms of the qualifications of its personnel. The founder and director of the service is Richard Polsky, Ph.D. Dr. Polsky holds a doctorate degree in animal behavior. He is a certified applied an animal behaviorist, only one of approximately 40 currently practicing in the United States. His is academic training in the field of animal behavior, coupled with his extensive experience in providing counseling and behavioral therapy services to owners since 1981, provides an assurance to owners that they will be served with the highest degree of professionalism and competence.
Q. Is the service expensive?
A. Absolutely not. ABCS, Inc. provide services to owners in a cost-effective manner. This is made possible by treating the pet in the home environment in teaching the owner to serve as the agent of change.
Q. How much time will I have to spend applying the techniques of behavioral modification?
A. Involvement and a sincere commitment on the part of the owner(s) is always necessary for successful resolution of behavioral problems. The amount of time depends on the treatment options chosen and the nature of problem. For most canine problems, 30-45 minutes per day over a period of several weeks usually suffices. Generally, feline problems such a litter box problems do not require as much time.
Q. What is the success rate of ABCS, Inc.
A. Very high. Most behavioral problems can be reduced in frequency and intensity or totally eliminated. Generally, owners can expect to see at least some improvement. Prognosis for behavioral problem depends on factors such as this history behind the problem, the kind of problem, the severity and intensity of the problem, and the breed and sex of the pet. References from previous clients can be view here.
Q. Does Dr. Polsky make house calls?
A. Yes. House calls are needed to see the pet in its own environment and to assess factors in the home environment which might influence the problem behavior.
Q. How does behavioral therapy and behavioral modification differ from obedience training procedures?
A. Different procedures are involved. In behavioral therapy, unlike obedience training, a detailed case history first needs to be taken for the purposes of diagnosis and prognosis. Medical causation needs to be ruled out. Second, once the problem is disgnosed, the specific environmental stimuli associated with the occurrence of the misbehavior need to be identified in order to be meaningfully used into a behavioral therapy program. Next, the dog or cat needs to be subjected to the relevant behavioral modification procedures in the same environment and under the same conditions in which the problem behavior occurs. These procedures differ from obedience training in a number of significant ways: namely, the typical obedinece commands such as heel, come, stay, stand usually have no relevance to a solution for the problem. For example, a dog who is intolerant of being left alone (e.g. separation anxiety) in most cases is already fairly well-compliant to obedience procedures. Further, it is important to note that in obedience training it is not essential to focus on specific contextual features relevant to the goals of training. For example, a dog can be trained in a park, on the street or in the owner's backyard. In contrast, during the process of behavioral therapy, a dog must be exposed to the relevant stimuli and worked in the same conditions that are associated with the elicitation or causation of the misbehavior. For a more in-depth discussion of the differences between an animal behaviorist and dog trainer click here. For an overview of the methods used in behavioral therapy click here.
Q. Can drugs be used to supplement behavioral modification?
A. Yes. For some kinds of behavioral problems and for some individuals, supplementing behavioral modification with drug therapy may be beneficial. Nonetheless, this is an area that is still controversial. Recent studies suggest that the greatest change is often brought about through the timely application of behavioral modification and not solely through the use of a drug. Drugs often do not impact the dog or cat in the desired fashion, they frequently have side effects, and generally they cannot be used on a long-term basis. Click here to for a article authored by Dr. Polsky which discusses guidelines on how drugs should be used in behavioral therapy.