Time for Pooch Canine Massage

🧠 Canine Body Fact 3

Fascia is everywhere.

🕸️It’s a continuous web of connective tissue that surrounds and connects your dog’s muscles, bones, joints, nerves, blood vessels and organs.

Think of it like a soft, flexible body suit beneath the skin. It helps support the body while allowing tissues to move and glide freely.

But fascia is much more than simply “wrapping” around the body. It’s rich in sensory nerve endings and plays an important role in proprioception — your dog’s awareness of where their body is and how it is moving. 🐕

And because fascia forms one continuous network, what happens in one area can have an effect somewhere else.

Physical strain, repetitive movement, injury or compensation can cause fascia to become tight and restricted. So the place where you notice stiffness or tension isn’t necessarily where the original problem began.

💗 And it’s not just physical stress that affects the body.

Fear, anxiety, excitement and prolonged emotional stress can alter a dog’s muscle tone, breathing, posture and movement. Those physical responses can, in turn, influence tension within the fascial system. 😨

It’s one of the things I find so fascinating about fascia — physical and emotional wellbeing are closely connected, and the body responds to both.

This is why I pay close attention to fascial mobility during massage and movement assessments. Rather than looking at one tight or uncomfortable area in isolation, I’m interested in what is happening throughout the dog’s body and what might be contributing to the changes I’m feeling or seeing.

Sometimes the body tells us a story long before we see an obvious limp.

💗 Know what’s normal. Notice what’s changed.

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I know I’ve been a little quiet on here recently, so firstly, thank you for staying with me. ❤️

Losing Rhia broke me.

She was such a special girl and, as so many of you will understand, she was far more than “just a pet”. She was my best friend, my companion and, in recent years, we were rarely seen apart.

Rhia was such a calm, gentle soul. I don’t think I realised quite how much I needed her calmness to keep me grounded until she was gone.

Then, amidst all that grief, Toffee arrived!

Moving from a quiet older dog to a lively young puppy was always going to be a challenge, but when those dogs are Rhia and Toffee, the contrast couldn’t have been greater! 😂

Life was suddenly turned upside down and I had to find oodles of energy to help this little whirlwind settle in — and teach her a thing or two about being calm!

I’m pleased to say she has risen to the challenge. As Toffee has begun to feel safe and secure, she has embraced calm more and more. It has been incredibly hard work, but we now have a lovely bond.

She will never replace Rhia, but she has carved out her very own Toffee-shaped place in my heart, and it seems to be growing every day. ❤️

And now that Toffee needs a little less of my time, I finally feel ready to start picking up the pieces of my life and moving forward.

So you’ll start to see more from Time for Pooch again — events, workshops, clinics and a few new ideas that I’m really looking forward to sharing.

I also want to say a huge thank you to my clients. Your dogs have kept me sane and grounded over these past months. They’ve given me affection when I desperately missed it and made me smile on days when smiling wasn't particularly easy.

If you are facing the loss of your dog, or preparing yourself for that time as they grow older, I understand just how difficult that can be. If I can help in any way, please call me. ❤️

Rhia taught me just how much our dogs give us.

And Toffee is teaching me that it’s possible to miss what you had with your whole heart, while still making room to love what comes next. 🐾

So, bring on the Toffee dog! ❤️ Here’s to new beginnings, new adventures and whatever comes next

A House of Lords committee is calling for a ban on chemical flea treatments as it is harming our waterways.

If the chemicals aren’t good for our waterways just imagine what they are doing for our dogs 😳

Restrict sale of pet flea treatments, government urged The Lords environment committee says their widespread use poses potential risks to the environment.

🧠 Canine Body Fact 2

Dogs are masters at hiding pain. 🎓

According to veterinary surgeon Dr Edward Bassingthwaighte, more than half of dogs in the UK may be living with pain while carrying on with their normal lives.

Why?

In the wild, showing pain makes an animal vulnerable and increases the risk of being left behind. Although our dogs no longer face those same dangers, they still instinctively hide discomfort. 🫣

Instead of crying out, they adapt.

They'll often continue to play, enjoy walks and wag their tails while making tiny adjustments to the way they move.

These changes can be so subtle that they're easily missed.

Over time, as the discomfort increases, those adjustments become bigger. The body begins to compensate by placing extra strain on other muscles and joints. 🦿

By the time a dog develops an obvious limp, they've often been compensating for quite some time.

This is one of the reasons it's so important to notice the little changes, not just the obvious ones.

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Make sure you know the law before you put your dog in the car.

This may surprise some people!

❗️MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE LAW❗️

According to the RAC, one-third of UK drivers do not comply with this law and do not restrain their dogs while driving. But not doing so can result in a FINE UP TO £5,000! Which is a pretty big price to pay if you are not aware of the law.

Drivers breaching the rule are deemed to be driving carelessly which means they can be hit with three to nine penalty points and receive a fine of £1,000 that can go up to £5,000 if taken to court.

This is a rule you should have encountered when first learning to drive, as it is stated as Rule 57 in the Highway Code.

“When in a vehicle, make sure dogs, or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly. A seat belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or dog guard are ways of restraining animals in cars.”

As the rule states, it is also imperative that even when restrained, your dog cannot cause a distraction to the driver. This means where possible, your dog should be restrained in the back of the car and not sitting up front with you. But it is important to mention that while having a dog sitting in a front seat is not illegal, you may still encounter a fine, and it is not the best practice for safety standards.

The rule also clarifies that a seat belt is not the only option for restraining your dog; cages, carriers and guards are also an option. However, we find that a dog seat belt is the easiest, space-saving solution that ensures you can take your dog with you even at short notice! It’s also a suitable option for all sizes and breeds.

Did you know this?

An interesting discussion, there are certainly too many dogs being walked in extreme heat but not sure how legislation could accommodate the needs of the individual dog.

Old dog, young dog, flat faced breed, thicker coat, arthritic dog … so many different factors to consider.

What are your thoughts? Would you welcome new legislation?

Calls grow for ban on walking dogs in heat as petition warns of preventable deaths - Dogs Today Magazine Campaigners urge Government to act as veterinary nurse says many owners are unknowingly putting their pets' lives at risk as temperatures reach record levels this summer.

Always make sure anyone who massages your dog has appropriate qualifications to prevent further damage.

I trained with Galen Myotherapy earning myself a diploma in canine massage. I then further qualified with Dr Edward Bassingthwaite The Healing Vet + Whole Energy Body Balance.

This combination of qualifications means I am uniquely placed to understand both the anatomy and physiology as well as holistic somatic therapy. Equipping me to bring relief from physical pain, emotional trauma and anxiety in dogs.

CAM QUIZ!

Play along by writing your answer in the comments, and we will give you the correct answer next week!

Here's the answer to last week's quiz question:
True or False: Laser therapy (photobiomodulation) is painful and requires dogs to be sedated.

Correct Answer: False

Laser therapy is entirely non-invasive and painless. Most dogs find the targeted warmth incredibly relaxing as it works to reduce localized inflammation and soothe nerve pathways.