Sophie White
BVetMed MSc MRCVS
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- ABTC registered Veterinary Behaviourist
- ABTC registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist
- Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
- Full member of the APBC
- ABTC trustee
Areas of specialist interest:
Human directed aggression, handling issues & cases with complex medical histories.
Hello, I'm Sophie. I am a veterinary surgeon with over a decade of clinical experience, and the founder of Veterinary Behaviour Support.
Why am I here, not still in general practice?
Well, it just sort of happened... in first opinion practice I had a keen interest in chronic pain management and undertook extra training in acupuncture and soft tissue massage. It became apparent that my patients' pain was impacting more than just how they moved, it was impacting how they felt and how they behaved too.
I also spent a lot of time crawling about on the floor offering everyone squeezy cheese. Over time I acquired a growing list of clients who specifically wanted me to see their pet because of my willingness to accommodate their preferences and try to minimise their stress.
By this point I was already becoming increasingly interested in behaviour, but the final piece of the puzzle came in the shape of Teddy, our second rescue dog. Ted arrived, all cute and bouncy and full of adolescent attitude. It became quickly apparent that he had some big feelings about a lot of things and wasn't one to keep his opinions to himself. I was out of my depth! Thankfully a wonderful dog trainer took me under his wing and pointed me in the right direction. I started learning to help Teddy, and quickly realised I should be learning for all my patients too!
From there my passion grew, a Masters Degree followed, then a year working in the Behaviour Team at Dogs Trust. I knew that in the end I wanted to bring all of this together to provide high quality veterinary care to as many pets as possible, helping them and their people through whatever behavioural challenges they faced.
Cerys Watson
LLB (Hons) PgDip LPC ABTC-ATI
- ABTC registered Animal Training Instructor
- Accredited Member of the Professional Association of Canine Trainers
Cerys is our Client Coach & Trainer.
She offers emergency management calls to provide interim help and advice whilst you await your full consultation.
She is also available for in person or remote coaching sessions once you have received your full assessment & plan.
Cerys also works independently teaching scent work and puppy / adolescent classes.
Sarah Penturn
BCc(Hons) BVM&S MRCVS
- Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
- FABC candidate member
Sarah graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, and completed an intercalated Bachelor of Science in Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Bristol. After gaining experience as a small animal general practice, Sarah followed her passion for behavioural medicine by joining Dogs Trust as a veterinary behaviourist and spending 3 years in a Residency with the European College of Animal Welfare and Behaviour Medicine.
Sarah also regularly delivers CPD to support vets, behaviourists and animal shelter staff to learn more about topics including small animal behaviour, psychotropic medications, and the interplay between pain and behaviour.
Sarah is currently living in Australia. She splits her time between clinical behaviour, out of hours telemedicine and volunteering for a local greyhound charity.
Sophie's Boys - Ted & Elvis
Why choose Veterinary Behaviour Support?
The fact you have found yourself here, reading this, means it is very likely that you feel in need of help. Are you struggling to cope with your pet's behaviour? Maybe you simply cannot understand why it is happening, or how you can help them?
If you are looking for help from someone well qualified, experienced and supportive, you are in the right place. I am here to help your human and animal family live together happily and safely, to ensure your pet can live their best life and finally help you understand why they behave the way they do. It won't be a quick fix, there will likely be ups and downs along the way, but you can be reassured that you will be supported throughout our time working together.
I am not in the business of telling you what you have to do, unless there is a genuine welfare or safety concern. Instead my aim is to help you make informed decisions about what is right for you and your pet. To change an animal's behaviour, the first step is often changing the behaviour of the people around them. To do that I need to understand your beliefs, family dynamics and environment just as much as I need to learn about your pet. The advice you receive will be truly unique and personalised.
I am lucky to have developed a huge breadth of experience working with people and animals from many different walks of life and cultural backgrounds during my time in veterinary practice and the charity sector. Regardless of your views or previous choices you will be treated with respect and compassion, as will your pet. My aim is to help you regain your confidence, enjoy spending time with your pet again and build a strong and meaningful bond with them. I want to give you the tools to be able to continue your journey independently when you are ready.
Your pet won't be disappointed with your choice either... I firmly believe in force free, fear free methods, rooted in up to date scientific research. Each animal will be respected as an individual and have their welfare carefully addressed; ensuring their physiological, emotional and behavioural needs are met throughout the behavioural modification process.