creaturecounseling.com

What is Creature Counseling?

Creature Counseling is a veterinary animal behavior consulting service for the guardians of dogs and cats. It was established in October 2000 and is led by veterinarian Dr. Susan Krebsbach, according to the site. The practice focuses on behavior problems and on preventive work to keep the pet–person bond from becoming strained.

Who it suits

• Dog or cat owners dealing with behavioral issues, including severe ones.
• Owners who want to prevent future problems rather than react to them.
• People in south central Wisconsin, where the main coverage is.
• Clients outside that area, since telephone and video conferencing arrangements are available.

How to use it

If you are deciding whether to reach out, note the specific behaviors, when they started, what triggers them, and how you have responded so far. That record helps a veterinary behavior consultant assess whether the issue is medical, environmental, or learned. The site's own next step is to make an appointment; for general background, see Creature Counseling.

A useful distinction: a veterinarian-led behavior service can consider medical causes alongside training and environment, which matters when a sudden change in behavior could have a health trigger. General training advice is not a substitute for that kind of assessment.

How does Creature Counseling address aggressive behavior in dogs or cats?

Creature Counseling approaches aggression as a veterinary behavior problem rather than simple disobedience. The service is led by veterinarian Dr. Susan Krebsbach and has consulted on pet behavior since 2000, so the starting point is typically a medical and behavioral assessment: pain, thyroid issues, neurological problems, and other health conditions can all look like aggression, and those need to be ruled out before a behavior plan makes sense.

For a guardian, that means the process is usually diagnostic and educational rather than a one-size-fits-all training class. You would expect to describe the incidents in detail—who was involved, what triggered them, what the pet did, and what happened afterward—and then receive guidance tailored to the individual animal. Because the consultant is a veterinarian, there is also the option of coordinating with your regular vet if medication or a medical workup is relevant.

Aggression cases vary widely, and the advice reflects that:

• Fear-based aggression is often addressed by reducing triggers and changing how the pet feels about them, rather than punishing growling or snapping.
• Resource guarding usually involves managing access to food, toys, or resting spots while teaching calmer alternatives.
• Territorial or stranger-directed aggression may call for environmental changes, safe confinement, and controlled introductions.
• Inter-pet aggression in a multi-animal home often needs separate routines and gradual reintroduction.

A practical point: punishment-based methods can suppress warning signals and make biting less predictable, so a veterinary behavior approach generally favors safety management plus reward-based modification. If there is any risk of a bite, the immediate next step is to separate the animal from the trigger and consult a professional rather than attempt a home fix.

The main limitation is geography. Creature Counseling is based in south central Wisconsin, so in-person consultations are concentrated there, while telephone and video conferencing are available for people outside the area. That makes it a reasonable option for someone who wants veterinary-level behavior guidance but cannot find a board-certified veterinary behaviorist nearby. For general background on how veterinary behaviorists are trained and what to ask, the American Veterinary Medical Association at AVMA and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists at ACVB are useful references.

If you are deciding whether to book, gather a written log of aggressive episodes, any video you can safely capture, and your pet's medical history first. That record is what turns a vague complaint into a workable behavior plan.

Can I get help from Creature Counseling if I live outside south central Wisconsin?

Yes. Creature Counseling serves pet guardians primarily in south central Wisconsin in person, but it also offers telephone and video conferencing arrangements for people outside that area, according to the site's own description. So if you live elsewhere and your dog or cat has a behavioral problem, you can still inquire about remote consulting.

The practical trade-off is that some behavior work depends on seeing the animal in its home environment. A remote session can still be useful for history-taking, explaining why a behavior is happening, and building a step-by-step modification plan. For cases where a hands-on assessment matters, you may need a local veterinary behaviorist or trainer, possibly alongside remote guidance from Dr. Susan Krebsbach.

A concrete next step: before you reach out, write a short timeline of the problem — when it started, what triggers it, what you've tried, and how your pet responds. Note your location and ask whether your case is suitable for phone or video consulting. That lets the service tell you quickly whether remote help fits or whether you need someone local.

For general background on veterinary behavior work, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior at AVSAB publishes owner-oriented position statements, and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists at DACVB explains what a board-certified veterinary behaviorist does if you decide you need in-person expertise nearby.

What credentials does Dr. Susan Krebsbach have to treat animal behavior issues?

Dr. Susan Krebsbach is identified on Creature Counseling as a veterinarian who leads its veterinary animal behavior consulting service, which has operated since October 2000. That combination matters: the practice frames behavior work as veterinary animal behavior consulting rather than general training, so assessments can consider medical and behavioral factors together. The site itself does not list specific board certifications, degrees, or other credentials beyond her veterinary status, so those details are not established here.

What this means in practice

If you are deciding whether to work with her, the relevant question is usually whether a veterinarian is involved, because behavior changes in dogs and cats can stem from pain, illness, or medication effects as well as learning and environment. A veterinary-led consultant can rule those out or coordinate with your regular vet.

Next step

Ask directly which veterinary behavior credential she holds (for example, whether she is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist), what species and problems she handles most, and whether she works with your primary veterinarian. The site notes services are based in south central Wisconsin, with telephone and video conferencing available outside that area, so distance need not rule out a consultation.

How much does a consultation with Creature Counseling cost?

Creature Counseling does not publish consultation fees on its site, so there is no listed price to quote. The page describes the service itself — a veterinary animal behavior consulting practice led by veterinarian Dr. Susan Krebsbach, working with dog and cat guardians on behavioral problems or preventive measures — but it gives no rates, packages, or payment details.

What to expect instead

• Fees in this type of practice are typically set per case rather than as a flat public rate, because the work can range from a single phone conversation to a multi-step behavior plan.
• Cost often depends on format. Creature Counseling serves south central Wisconsin in person, with telephone and video conferencing available for people outside that area, and remote sessions are commonly priced differently from in-home visits.
• Veterinary behavior consulting may involve follow-up and coordination with your regular veterinarian, which can affect total cost.

Practical next step

Use the site's "Make Appointment" option to ask directly. When you do, request specifics in writing:

1. The hourly or per-session rate, and whether an initial consultation is longer or priced separately.
2. What is included — written behavior plan, follow-up messages, or check-ins.
3. Cancellation and rescheduling terms.
4. Whether any part may be covered by pet insurance or a veterinary care plan.

Decision criterion

Compare the quoted fee against the alternative: a general trainer, a veterinary behaviorist, or your own vet. A veterinary-led consult tends to cost more than a standard training class, but if the problem is severe, medically influenced, or has already resisted basic training, paying once for an expert assessment can be cheaper than cycling through several cheaper attempts. If cost is the barrier, ask whether remote sessions are available at a lower rate than in-person visits.

For general background on animal behavior and welfare, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) publish owner-facing guidance that can help you prepare questions before you call.

What preventative measures does Creature Counseling recommend to avoid future behavioral problems?

The site does not list a specific preventative protocol. What it does say is that Creature Counseling serves guardians of dogs and cats who already have behavioral problems or who want to take preventative measures to avoid future ones — so prevention is framed as a reason to consult, not as a published checklist of steps.

In practice, that means prevention here is likely handled the same way as problem behavior: through individualized veterinary behavior guidance from Dr. Susan Krebsbach, rather than a one-size-fits-all handout. Since the practice is led by a veterinarian, prevention advice can also account for medical factors that often masquerade as behavior issues — pain, sensory decline, thyroid or other health changes — which a trainer or general website tip sheet typically cannot assess.

If you are looking for prevention specifically, the useful next step is to describe your animal's daily routine, age, species and breed background, and the situations you are worried about (new baby, move, aging pet, multi-pet household, first vet visits), then ask what to put in place before problems start. Expect the answer to be tailored rather than a generic list.

For guardians outside south central Wisconsin, the site notes that telephone and video conferencing arrangements are available, so prevention consultations are not limited by geography.