Veterinarian + Behavior Consultations

When the question isn't just behavioral — it's medical too.

Some dogs struggle with behaviors that training alone can't fully resolve. Severe anxiety, intense reactivity, compulsive behaviors, or fear responses that seem disconnected from environment — these can have underlying medical components that a trainer, working alone, simply isn't equipped to address.

If you've been wondering whether your dog's behavior has a medical cause, whether medication might help, or whether your vet and your trainer are even talking to each other — this service was built for you.

We've partnered with Dr. Matt Miller of Nearfield Vet to offer in-person, tandem consultations: a veterinarian with deep behavioral expertise and a certified behavior consultant, in the same room, at the same time, focused entirely on your dog.

These consultations are offered at our Upper West Side training facility in Manhattan, on West 85th Street.

Who this is for

This consultation is the right starting point if any of these sound familiar:

Your dog has significant anxiety, fear, or aggression and you're not sure whether it's a training issue, a medical issue, or both. Your vet has suggested that medication might help but you want behavioral expertise in the conversation. You've tried training and something still feels off — like there's an underlying cause you haven't identified. You want your dog's behavioral and medical care to be coordinated from the start rather than pieced together later.

Already in behavior modification with Melissa and wondering about medication?

This consultation is a natural next step — and Melissa will already know your dog's history going in.

Not sure if this is what you need?

Join a free Q&A or contact us and we'll help you figure it out.

How it works

Schedule an appointment and come to our training facility at 76 West 85th Street on the Upper West Side. You'll meet with both Dr. Miller and Melissa Arbitman together — no bouncing between appointments, no hoping two providers will communicate after the fact.

Together they'll assess your dog, your goals, and your history, then make coordinated recommendations for moving forward — whether that's a training plan, a medication trial, or both working in tandem.


If you are already working with one of our beloved local veterinarians, book a Behavior Modification consult instead and we will collaborate directly with them.

Book now

Meet Dr. Matt Miller and Melissa Arbitman

Dr. Matt Miller has been practicing as a small animal general practitioner in New York City for the past five years. His interest in veterinary medicine began as a teenager working in an animal shelter in Kentucky, and over the course of his education and practice he developed a deep focus on the intersection of physical health and behavior — the way fear, stress, and anxiety manifest in dogs, and the way undiagnosed medical issues like chronic pain or allergies can drive behavioral change. He practices at Nearfield Vet and is married to a founder of Muddy Paws Rescue.

Melissa Arbitman has spent her career working with the dogs most people have given up on.

A lifelong New Yorker, Melissa's path into dog behavior began at fourteen — volunteering with rescue organizations and developing the kind of instinct for troubled dogs that no classroom can fully teach. She went on to formalize that instinct with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hunter College, followed by specialized training at the San Francisco Academy for Dog Trainers, where she graduated with honors.

What truly sets Melissa apart is the depth of her real-world experience. For seven years, she served as Canine Behavior and Outreach Trainer at Animal Care Centers of New York City — one of the most demanding behavior environments in the country — working daily with fearful, reactive, and dangerous dogs, helping countless animals become adoptable when others had written them off.

She is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers. She is based on the Upper West Side and works with clients throughout Manhattan.

Melissa lives in New York City with her Pit Bull mix, Pippa.

FAQs

  • Veterinary behavior consultations that involve a licensed veterinarian — like our sessions with Dr. Miller — may be eligible for reimbursement under pet insurance plans that include behavioral health coverage. Policies vary significantly, so we recommend contacting your provider before booking to ask about their specific requirements. We're happy to provide documentation to support a claim.

  • Behavior modification is ongoing training work with Melissa — it's the right fit when the issue is primarily behavioral. This consultation adds a veterinarian to the picture, which is the right fit when you suspect a medical component, want to explore medication, or want both fields represented in your dog's care plan from the start. Many clients do both: they start here, then move into ongoing behavior modification with Melissa once a coordinated plan is in place.

  • A board-certified veterinary behaviorist (a DACVB diplomate) is a PhD-level specialist trained in both veterinary medicine and behavioral science — the gold standard for the most complex cases. There are only 88 of them in the entire country, and the only veterinary behavior practice in NYC recently closed. If you need one,you can find them here. What we offer is different: a collaborative session between a veterinarian with strong behavioral knowledge and a certified behavior consultant. For many dogs, this is exactly the right level of expertise — and it's available right here on the Upper West Side.

  • Sessions are $450 for the one in person consultation. Please call us if you don't see available dates online.

  • Most clients move into ongoing behavior modification sessions with Melissa following their consultation. Dr. Miller and Melissa remain in communication so that your dog's training and medical plans stay aligned.

*Note: We are not board-certified veterinary behaviorists! Recently, the only veterinary behavior practice in NYC closed it’s doors, and we all miss them. Believe it or not, there are only 88 diplomates (that’s what they’re called) of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in the entire country! To find one of those folks, click here. A board-certified veterinary behaviorist is a Phd-level specialist straddling two different fields (unlike that snake-oily shmo down your block who claims to be a behaviorist, but is actually not one at all). Veterinary Behaviorists are experts in both veterinary medicine and behavioral modification. They are awesome, but rare.