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Our Story
Our directors, Rick and Sam van Eggermond, first met in 2000 at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. At the time, Rick was completing his Master's degree in Clinical Psychology in The Netherlands and was conducting a dissertation study exploring the parallels between human and canine behaviour modification. Sam, an experienced rescue specialist, was assigned to assist him with a complex fear-aggression case. What began as a professional collaboration quickly evolved into a shared passion for helping dogs with behavioural challenges and the families who care for them.
Over the following two decades, Rick and Sam went on to manage some of Europe's largest rescue centres, developing behavioural assessment, rehabilitation, and rehoming protocols that continue to influence rescue organisations today.
Throughout their careers, they have worked extensively with dogs displaying fear, reactivity, and aggression. These years of experience gave them a unique insight into the challenges faced by both dogs and their owners, as well as the heartbreaking reality that many behavioural issues could have been addressed much earlier with the right support.
Driven by a desire to help families before they reached crisis point, they founded All Positive Dog Services in Herefordshire over 15 years ago. Since then, they have worked alongside their dedicated team to support owners through practical, compassionate, and evidence-based training.
Recognising the growing need for specialist behavioural support, Rick and Sam and their team have developed the Uk Centre for Reactivity and Aggression, dedicated exclusively to helping dogs struggling with reactivity and aggression.
Today, they continue to support families who feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or unsure where to turn, providing expert guidance and proven training programmes that help dogs and owners move forward together.
Their mission remains the same as it was when they first met at Battersea over 25 years ago: to give every dog the opportunity to thrive and every owner the support they need to achieve the life they would like with their dog.
Rick van Eggermond
Director & Head Behaviourist
(MSc Clinical Psychology)
Canine reactivity and aggression rehabilitation specialist.
For over 20 years, Rick has worked closely with dogs to rehabilitate them and change their behaviour. Rick has worked at the Rehabilitation Department at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, as a Higher Education Lecturer teaching canine behaviour and in one of the largest rescue centres in The Netherlands as the manager for the dog department. Realising that there was a gap in service for helping anxious and reactive dogs, Rick set up his own venture to do just that and, as part of that, provides rehabilitation support locally to Hereford RSPCA and HART rescue. He is the go to person for a lot of vets in the area to refer clients to for behaviour support.
Rick holds a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology (MSc) and is an Animal Training & Behaviour Council (ABTC) Registered Instructor, a UK Sniffer Dogs Instructor, as well as an accredited Trainer & Faculty Advisor for the Victoria Stilwell Academy where he trains and mentors new dog trainers. Rick is a full member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (MAPDT 01501), British Psychological Society (#247659), International Association Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), Pet Professionals Guild (#45960150) and the Dog Welfare Alliance.
Rick was a guest speaker on reactivity and aggression topics at the Worcester Dog Expo and Victoria Stilwell and Jo Pay's VSPDT Trainers 2026 conference. He continues regular CPD with some of the top behaviourists in the UK to ensure his knowledge reflects most up to date research and practices.
Sam van Eggermond
Nutritionist and Client Liaison Officer
Sam is a specialist in the connection between the gut and brain and its impact on reactive behaviour.
With her HND in Animal Science & Behaviour, Sam has worked at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home (where she met Rick!), and at one of the largest European rescue centres in The Netherlands, focusing on behavioural assessment, procedures and rehoming as well as lecturing on Animal Behaviour at College level.
Sam's passion is canine nutrition and the effects on behaviour in our dogs, which led her to complete the Canine Nutrition Ofqual Level 3 with IPET and the Level 4 mentorship under the Association of Pet Nutrition Consultants (APNC). Sam has also completed courses with Chirag Patel, Fenzi, ACE Anxiety courses with Sarah Fishers team, School of Canine Science and many IMDT courses.
Apart from working with behaviour clients for UKCCRA, Sam also works for Biome4pets as a nutrition consultant and is currently working to write an accredited nutrition course for My Pet Nutritionist. She also has her own consultancy business, Feeding Canine Behaviour, where she supports trainers and behaviourists with their clients, focusing on the microbiome, nutrition and how this affects behaviour.
She has spoken at various conferences about the links between the gut and behaviour at Association for Pet Nutrition Consultants, the Raw Feeding Veterinary Society, Worcester Dog Expo and Jo Pay and Victoria Stilwell's 2026 VSPDT Conference.
Alice Booth
Veterinary Physiotherapist
Alice is a specialist in gait analysis and identifying pain and discomfort that often contributes to reactivity and aggression.
Alice's passion for animals has always been there, but when her border collie, Jarvis, was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, an interest in rehabilitation & pain management was ignited. At age 12 she discovered the title ‘Veterinary Physiotherapist’ and knew this is exactly what she wanted to do!
Alice studied for 4 years at Harper Adams University to obtain a BSc Hons degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy and also completed a groundwork conditioning course during this time.
Alice is interested in the ‘Prehabilitation’ concept; the idea of maintenance physiotherapy to spot changes to the dog's movement or tissue state early and completing targeted exercises regularly to prevent the onset of injuries. She currently offers treatment using massage therapy, electrotherapy (including LASER, TENS & NMES) therapeutic Ultrasound and heat therapy and is RAMP registered. Alice has recently opened her own Hydrotherapy Centre in the area providing UKCCRA clients with access to even more facilities.
Alice provides vital support at UKCCRA assessing dogs for pain and discomfort as well as working alongside vets and clients providing a tailored physiotherapy plan to manage and reduce pain.
Natalie Holder
Assistant Behaviourist
Natalie spent 18 years as a qualified veterinary nurse, with advanced certifications in emergency and critical care, anaesthesia, and canine nursing.
Natalie has further developed her expertise through COAPE canine nursing and behaviour studies, and has been qualified with the IMDT for the past six years, holding Levels 4 and 5, and currently working towards a Level 6 Diploma in Canine Clinical Behaviour.
Passionate about animal welfare, Natalie has a strong interest in rescue work and shares her home with a variety of animals, including a rescue cat, chickens, guinea pigs, a Golden Retriever, and two working Cocker Spaniels. Her professional interests focus on puppy training, concept training, agility, cooperative care, and promoting positive experiences within the veterinary environment, ensuring both dogs and their owners feel confident and supported.
Moss & Newt
Canine Mentors
Moss and Newt are both rescue dogs who lean into their calm, laid-back natures and ability to confidently ignore other dogs, to play an important role as companions during training and behaviour work.
Both are experienced in being around a wide range of dogs and are happy to simply get on with their own thing, helping to create calm, controlled situations where other dogs can learn without feeling overwhelmed. Their relaxed approach and excellent ability to mind their own business make them particularly well suited to supporting dogs who are learning that being around other dogs doesn’t always have to mean interacting with them.
As rescue dogs themselves, Moss and Newt also bring their own experiences and personalities to the team. They’re very much part of the family as well as valued members of the behaviour team.
