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Meet the Team
The passion and expertise of our team are the keys to our success and the effectiveness of our process
Find out more about us here...
The Battersea Beginning:
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 succeed.
Our
Story
Rick van Eggermond
Director / Head Behaviourist
(MSc Clinical Psychology)
Sam van Eggermond
Director / Nutritionist
Specialist in the gut-brain connection 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 Feeding Canine Behaviour where she supports trainers and behaviourists with their clients, focusing on the microbiome, nutrition and how this effects behaviour.
She has spoken at various conferences regarding Feeding Canine Behaviour the APNC, RFVS, Worcester Dog Expo, Jo Pay and Victoria Stilwels 2026 VSPDT.
Together with Rick she owns Moss the Border Collie and Newt a cross breed. Newt was reactive to other dogs when she came along but now often works as a stooge dog to help clients!
Alice Booth
Veterinary Physiotherapist
Completing gait analysis to identify pain and/or 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 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.