Feedback from our students past and present. I began my MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour journey in 2016 and qualified in November 2019. Having the option of doing the MSc course online was ideal for me as it meant I could pursue my passion in behaviour while working as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. Since qualifying I have gone on to publish my own behavioural article, with the help of my dissertation co-authors, present my results at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Online Congress and launch my own behaviour business (Let's Talk Behaviour) as well as work towards my full membership with the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).The qualification has opened a lot of doors for me professionally and given me the confidence to take on my own behaviour cases. The support and guidance I received throughout the MSc course was amazing. All of the lecturers were supportive and the course was easy to follow with assessments and online lectures. I honestly can't thank the team behind the MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour enough!Emma CampbellAs a mother of three children and working full-time, it was challenging to find a graduate programme that would fit into my life and allow me to pursue an advanced education in animal behaviour while continuing to support my family. This programme was exactly what I was looking for! The asynchronous format allowed me the flexibility to listen to recorded lectures, collaborate with fellow students and complete assessments around my schedule. The programme team, instructors and dissertation supervisors were supportive and accommodating; they genuinely cared about my success as a student.Since obtaining the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour, I have started a consultancy business and presented the results of my research at an Animal Behaviour Society conference. Completing the MSc with a research-based dissertation has helped me meet the requirements to achieve Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (ACAAB) status with the Animal Behavioural Society. I am incredibly thankful for the knowledge and confidence this MSc and the programme team have provided in my journey towards achieving this goal!Traci Weber MSc ACAABMSc Clinical Animal Behaviour 2022 graduateI have really enjoyed working on the assessment in the first module of the Clinical Animal Behaviour programme. We were asked to produce an information pamphlet for new puppy owners. The research took me deeper and deeper into this field and as a result I learnt so much, but I was really amazed at how little of this information was out there in the public domain for new puppy owners to access. As a result, I was inspired to convert my pamphlet into an online course for owners, with video instructions and e-books. The assessment highlighted a gap in the market as vets don't always have time to talk about puppy training and management in depth during initial consultations. Off the back of this, I decided to offer this course free of charge to our local vets. This has been such a great partnership opportunity and a wonderful way to get information to puppy parents when they need it. We now have seven vets enrolling their clients on the course and we are in negotiations with many more. Clients have the option to upgrade to a more comprehensive course, but more importantly every puppy at these vets gets to hear about our company. I am grateful to the MSc programme for the inspiration that has allowed me to apply my new knowledge to further develop my business.Darran Rowe - MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour, 2021-22Mindfulness4dogs - www.mindfulness4dogs.com Publications from student dissertations:TitleAuthor(s)PublicationYearDog owners’ use of training methods and their ethical stance on the treatment of animalsWeber, T., Lund, T. B., Forkman, B., McPeake, K., Meyer, I., & Sandøe, P. Anthrozoös2026Qualitative interview study exploring Maltese veterinarians’ practice of behavioural medicineDebono, M., Miele, A., & Vigors, B. Veterinary Record 2025Assessment of a behavioral scale for the measurement of fear, anxiety and stress in dogs visiting the veterinary practiceGatehouse, E., Bremhorst, A., Denenberg, S., & Loftus, L.Anxiety and Stress in Dogs Visiting the Veterinary Practice2025Self-reported cat-friendly practices and attitudes of German, French and Swiss veterinarians Griesser A-C, Chase-Topping M, Finka L, Dowgray N.Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery2025Impacts of puppy early life experiences, puppy-purchasing practices, and owner characteristics on owner-reported problem behaviours in a UK pandemic puppies cohort at 21 months of ageBrand, C. L., O’Neill, D. G., Belshaw, Z., Dale, F. C., Merritt, B. L., Clover, K. N., Tay, M.-X. M., Pegram, C. L., & Packer, R. M. A. news article 2024I wish he'd listen: client-centred interviewing approaches associated with higher behavioural modification advice compliance in pet dog ownersDaniels, J. T., Busby, D., Chase-Topping, M., & Brown, S. M. 2023Guiding principles: effect of a science-based staff training program on knowledge and application of assistance dog training techniquesHarvey, E., Chase-Topping, M., Bowell, V. A., Heffernan, D., & Moxon, R. Journal of Veterinary Behavior2023The relationship between signs of medical conditions and cognitive decline in senior dogsWrightson R, Albertini M, Pirrone F, McPeake K, Piotti P.Animals2023Pandemic puppies: demographic characteristics, health and early life experiences of puppies acquired during the 2020 phase of the covid-19 pandemic in the UKBrand, C. L., O’Neill, D. G., Belshaw, Z., Pegram, C. L., Stevens, K. B., & Packer, R. M. A. Animals2022Who’s getting a head start? mesocephalic dogs in still images are attributed more positively valenced emotions than dogs of other cephalic index groupsBrincat, B. L., McGreevy, P. D., Bowell, V. A., & Packer, R.Animals2022Canine behaviour medicine in UK small animal practiceChristos, C., & Buckley, L. A.The Veterinary Nurse2022A survey of dog behavior modification practice in the UK: who is offering it, what methods are they using and how effective do their clients perceive practitioners to be? Daniels, J. T., Busby, D., Chase-Topping, M., & Brown, S.Journal of Veterinary Behavior2022Lead pulling as a welfare concern in pet dogs: What can veterinary professionals learn from current research?Townsend L, Dixon L, Buckley L. Vet Record2022An investigation into the perceptions of veterinarians towards calf welfare in New ZealandVan Dyke, R., Miele, A., & Connor, M.Animals2021An investigation into the perceptions of veterinarians towards perioperative pain management in calvesVan Dyke, R., Connor, M., & Miele, A. Animals2021A prospective cross-sectional survey of UK-based dog owners to explore canine handling intolerances and owner willingness to disclose these to veterinary professionalsCampbell, E., Connor, M. and Buckley, L.A.The Veterinary Nurse2020 This article was published on 2026-03-10
