Why choose me?
In New Zealand, anyone can call themselves a qualified dog or cat “behaviourist” or “trainer”.
Why choose me?
I have a Bachelor of Science degree (Psychology and Zoology double major) and Master of Veterinary Studies degree with first-class honours in companion animal behaviour.
I have 25 years of experience and over 6800 hours of consultation time with clients and their dogs and cats.
I have extensive hands-on training experience with dogs, cats, and other species (3400 hours).
I'm accredited by Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ) as a Dog and Cat Behaviour Consultant, Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist, International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC) Certified Dog and Cat Behaviour Consultant, and Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) - the highest standard achievable for behaviourists in the UK.
My advice works - for you and your dog or cat. A study undertaken to investigate the success of my advice showed high levels of success and client satisfaction (click here).
I use methods that improve the lives of both pet owners AND their pets, rather than using pain, fear, or intimidation to superficially suppress undesirable behaviour.
I am recommended by vets. Over 130 veterinary clinics have referred behaviour cases to me over the years.
I am a full member of both the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors and the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians. Full membership of these organisations is achieved after undergoing a rigorous selection process, ensuring that dog and cat owners and their veterinarians in the UK can identify the most qualified and experienced behaviourists.
I have been independently vetted by the UK Register of Expert Witnesses (dog behaviour specialist).
The only letters I place after my name are those of my university qualifications and accreditation as a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB). Be wary of unqualified behaviourists that attempt to use their membership to an organisation as if it is a qualification. Other self-proclaimed behaviour experts may cite the completion of an unaccredited, short, poor-quality, or low-level behaviour course.
Mat’s background
Since I was young I have been interested in two things: animals and science. After spending time as a teenager with a well-known pet behaviourist, I decided to make a career of working with problem pets. I wanted to base my understanding of animal behaviour and treatment techniques on both practical experience with animals, and scientific understanding.
In 1998 I completed a Bachelor of Science with a double major in psychology and zoology.
Upon completion of this degree I started working with a well-known New Zealand behaviourist at his pet behaviour clinic in Auckland. Within six months I was responsible for all aspects of the "in-clinic" dog therapy service we offered (where problem dogs stayed with us for around three weeks).
After a year of this post-graduate practical experience I started a Master of Veterinary Studies degree (in animal behaviour not medicine). I completed this degree while working full time with problem dogs. I received first class honours for my Masters degree.
On completing of my Masters degree in 2003 I took over all consultancy aspects of our practice, as well as continuing to run the canine in-clinic program.
At the end of 2006 I left New Zealand with my wife Tracey to travel. The UK is a world leader in the field of applied animal behaviour and welfare, so I wanted to explore the greater opportunities for specialist clinical animal behaviour conferences and other professional development opportunities.
In 2008 I submitted an application to the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors for full membership and was deemed by the APBC selection panel to have satisfied their rigorous selection criteria. In March 2009 I was elected by other full members of the APBC to the Committee as Treasurer, a position I held for seven years.
My application for accreditation as a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) was approved in 2011 by the Accreditation Committee of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. This independent certification for companion animal behaviourists demands the highest standards of experience and academic study.
In 2015 I trained a dog to fly a plane for Sky1's "Dogs Might Fly".
I returned to New Zealand in 2020, and my book “What Dogs Want” was published in 2021.
“We have gone from total loss of knowing how to help Shadow, and feeling like we had completely failed him, to confident, calm and having fun again. We can’t thank you enough.”
My book - “What Dogs Want”
There’s so much information out there on dog behaviour and training. Everyone has an opinion on how best to raise and train a dog – whether it’s the lady you bump into on a dog walk, or your Uncle Bob. The internet’s rife with conflicting and confusing advice, and often my clients’ heads are spinning with all this information, and not sure how to sort the wheat from the chaff.
So, I wanted to write a book which was fun, accessible, but ultimately provided people with all the important information they need to know to be a good dog guardian. With Rupert Fawcett’s wonderful illustrations, it’s a book that can be picked up and enjoyed for a page or two, or read cover to cover. Whether you are 9 or 90, experienced or inexperienced with dogs, I’m confident you will put it down with a better understanding of your dog and how to train them.
Training animals for film and TV
Early in my career in Auckland I also worked as a senior trainer and on-set coordinator for our animals-for-film business. This involved training a wide variety of species to perform various behaviours for feature films, TV commercials, and stills photography. I was the first person in the training team to implement bridging techniques such as clicker training to positively reinforce complex behaviours.
An example of the requirements of training for film is demonstrated in the apparently straightforward cat TV commercial on the right. The filming of this shoot took a day, and required me to pre-train "Zep" to run, jump, sit, stay, watch, and immerse his arm shoulder-deep in water on command (the fish is computer animated). This may sound challenging enough, but is even harder when there is a film crew of 40 people on the set, and the action has to be completed exactly as requested by the director!
If you would like to see me training Zep for this commercial, as well as videos of me training a big black boar, cockatoo, border collie, the dogs for "Dogs Might Fly", and other animals click here.
On set with Reggie
Mat and Shadow filming for the bedtime movie
On set with Zep
Dogs Might Fly
Training Alfie to fly
On set
Filming in London for Dogs Might Fly
Mat and Lucy Lawless on Xena
Gloria the film star chicken! Coordinating small animals on the Tom Cruise movie The Last Samurai.
The Dogs Might Fly trainers