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138 To Avoid or not to Avoid – That is the Question!

June 9, 2026 · 26 min

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138 To Avoid or not to Avoid – That is the Question!

The avoidance of triggers and stimuli is such an important part of the treatment plan and falls into the Management "M" of the "7 Ms" Veterinary Behaviour Treatment Plan Template!

However, it is also the part that gets possibly the most pushback from caregivers for a number of different reasons.

In this episode, I chat through those reasons as well as why I believe avoidance is so important for brain processes and eventually achieving a successful outcome.

I also talk about the risks to the pet when we don't avoid and continue to expose them to threatening or frustrating triggers.

Finally, I talk about some of the strategies I use to get caregivers on board and how we eventually do start the process of re-introduction to those triggers, stimuli and contexts.

If you are a behaviourist or trainer working in practice, you may be very familiar with this topic and listening to my approach and reasoning may give you a different way of tackling some of these conversations.

If you'd like to learn more about the "7 Ms" approach to Veterianry Beahviour Treatment Plans, then my Masterclass on exactly this topic is for you:

https://katrin-jahn.mykajabi.com/treatment-plans

If you liked this episode of the show, Veterinary Behaviour Chat, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!

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