0:00
Weekly peer mentoring – overview
Weekly peer-mentoring session for animal behaviour practitioners focused on workload management, admin systems, client communication, and clinical case discussion. Core themes included protecting capacity (buffers, blocked admin time, limiting unpaid work), ethical use of AI tools, and maintaining clinical quality. The group agreed AI can support reporting but recommended at least one clinician-written report per assessed case.
0:19
Introductions and attendance logistics
Greetings, audio checks, and roll call. Two attendees named Laura were clarified to avoid confusion.
0:40
Availability and session length
Participants confirmed availability; partial attendance (leaving after one hour) was accepted.
1:22
Workload pressures and preparation
Nikki outlined pressure from preparing a three-part BVNA webinar on stress (dogs, cats, people) alongside clinical and admin demands. Time scarcity and admin backlog were common challenges.
4:38
Note-taking and organisation systems
Danielle shared her iPad-based NoteShelf workflow for consolidating client notes, templates, and images to streamline preparation and follow-up.
9:59
Reports, buffers, and AI tools
Discussion covered realistic report turnaround times, adding booking buffers, and using voice notes or AI summaries for immediate post-session feedback. Clear client expectations and providing exercises within 24–48 hours were recommended.
16:53
Workflow consistency
Note organisation by year/session and highlighting follow-up tasks were discussed. New mentees Hayley and Laura were introduced.
20:08
Transcription and summarising tools
QCUE/Q, NoteShelf, Read AI, Copilot, Otter, and Fathom were compared. Accuracy issues were noted, particularly for in-person sessions and accents. Uploading transcripts into ChatGPT was reported to improve clarity.
31:13
AI ethics
Concerns were raised about AI-written assessments. The group agreed AI should support, not replace, clinician judgement.
35:54
Time boundaries and scheduling
Use of 30-minute buffers, blocking focus time, limiting consults per day, and protecting recovery time were discussed.
41:26
Client contact channels
Participants favoured routing communication through websites rather than WhatsApp to manage boundaries. WhatsApp was used selectively for reasonable adjustments only.
49:57
Video review and admin load
Video review should be time-limited and billed. Nikki secured a weekly admin/telemedicine day; Hannah stopped unpaid video review for under-compensated referrals.
56:15
Admin support and income stability
Virtual assistants were discussed (cost vs trust). Passive income and predictable schedules reduced financial strain.
1:03:47
Clinical case – “Chase” (German Shepherd)
Lucy presented a 2-year-old German Shepherd with barking, skin flares, weight loss, GI changes, and increased baseline arousal. Further medical investigation was recommended (TLI, B12/folate, Giardia, probiotics), alongside temporary behaviour medication pending vet clearance. Environmental management and reduced exercise were advised.
1:41:32
Reactivity case and training strategy
A second reactivity case was discussed. The group compared “look at that” and engage–disengage, recommending operant counter-conditioning when the dog is calm enough to learn, supported by physio-aligned body-awareness exercises.
2:21:59
Wrap-up
The group agreed on staged plans built around three core foundation exercises, with ongoing discussion to continue in the online forum.
Responses