A Loyal Friend Canine Massage

"Massage is Anatomy in Braille" - **Quote by Jack Meagher ** Palpation can’t be learnt online or in a day. It’s a lifetime of study, practice and is perfected by seeing thousands of canine clients. When you stop trying to cut corners only then can you master the skill of canine massage which is where science meets art. �As massage, real massage I mean, I personally believe is actually an expression of the self held with a strong healing intention with prolonged attention to help the other while recognising the same in you both. And that’s the place I teach this from. ��So if you thought it was a bit of rubby and a few techniques that you ‘do’ to the dog, think again. World class canine massage requires a world class teacher. Not just someone who teaches a bit of what they think they know but someone who gives everything they have experienced in the role authentically for the good of the student and the dogs who’s lives they will change . If that resonates with you click my link in the bio for more on our life changing courses details. "

What Can a Dog’s Standing Posture Tell Us?

I’ll be completely honest: I’m not a big fan of asking dogs to stand on command.

Most of us have taught our dogs that “stand” means something specific, and often we have to entice them into position with a treat. That can make the posture somewhat artificial. We’re asking the dog to do something rather than simply observing how they naturally choose to stand.

But that doesn’t mean standing isn’t useful as an assessment tool. In fact, a dog’s standing posture can tell us quite a lot.

🟢 What I Look For When Assessing a Dog Standing

When I assess a dog standing, I like to look at them from both sides, from behind, from the front and, where possible, from above. I’m looking at the whole dog rather than focusing on one particular area.

I’m looking at the position of the limbs and whether there is any obvious asymmetry. I’m looking at the pelvis and whether it appears stable and reasonably balanced, and I’m considering how the dog is distributing themselves through all four limbs.

Is one limb appearing to take less weight than another? Is the dog standing squarely, or have they adopted a particular position that might be helping them feel more comfortable?

🟢Looking at the Spine and Pelvis

I spend a lot of time looking at spinal alignment too.

I’m looking at the overall shape and alignment of the spine from the neck, through the thoracic and lumbar regions, into the pelvis and sacrum.

Does the spine appear relatively straight and balanced, or are there obvious changes in the way the dog is holding themselves? Is there a shift or curve that wasn’t there previously? How is the pelvis sitting in relation to the spine, and what is the position of the sacrum?

I’m also interested in how the spine looks from above.

Is the dog symmetrical through the trunk and pelvis, or does one side appear different from the other? Sometimes these subtle changes in alignment can give us useful information about how a dog is choosing to hold and support their body.

🟢 Head and Tail Carriage

Then there’s head and tail carriage.

Is the head being carried neutrally, or is it consistently held low? Is the dog extending or flexing their neck in a way that seems unusual for them?

What is the tail doing? Is it relaxed and symmetrical, or is it being held to one side or in a different position from what we would normally expect?

None of these things, on their own, tells us what is wrong. But together, they can give us clues about how a dog is feeling and how they are choosing to position themselves.

🟢 Looking at Muscle Symmetry

I’m also looking closely at muscle symmetry and muscle mass, particularly through the hindquarters.

Is there a noticeable difference between the muscles on the left and right hindlimb? Is there general muscle wastage through the back end? Does one hindlimb appear smaller than the other?

Sometimes muscle loss can be quite subtle, particularly when you are looking at photographs, but when you see a dog regularly, changes in muscle mass can become much more obvious.

Muscle atrophy can have many different causes, so again, it isn’t diagnostic in itself. But it can be another important piece of information when we consider everything else we are seeing.

🟢 And, Most Importantly, How Comfortable Do They Look?

Does the dog happily stand there, or are they constantly shifting their weight? Do they seem reluctant to stand for any length of time? Do they look more comfortable sitting or lying down?

Are they adopting a wide stance or changing their position frequently?

Sometimes the overall picture is more telling than any individual part.

🟢 Photographs Below: What Can You See?

All of the dogs in these photographs have been seen in my clinic over the last few years and have subsequently been diagnosed by their vets with an orthopaedic/musculoskeletal condition. A few have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, and several with spinal conditions.

So, as you look through the photographs, have a look at the details.

Can you see how some of the dogs are carrying their heads low?

Can you see differences in their tail carriage?

Do some have a noticeably wider stance?

Does one appear to have shifted their weight more through certain limbs?

Are they perhaps using a broader base of support to help them feel more stable or to redistribute weight?

And, perhaps most importantly, do some of them simply look less comfortable than others?

🟢My Dog Is the One in the Middle

At first glance, you might think she has a lovely, stable stand. But look a little more closely.

Can you see how wide her stance is at the back end and how much of her weight appears to be being taken through her forelimbs?

By positioning herself this way, she can alter how she loads her body and potentially offload some of the weight from her back. She has a known spinal issue, so what might initially look like a nice, solid stance is actually giving us a clue about how she is compensating.

This is why I find standing posture so interesting.

🟢 But Standing Posture Isn’t Diagnostic

I really want to emphasise that none of these observations are diagnostic.

A wide stance doesn’t automatically mean a dog has a spinal problem.

A low head carriage doesn’t automatically mean pain.

Muscle wastage doesn’t tell us exactly what is causing it, and a particular pelvic or spinal position cannot, by itself, diagnose hip dysplasia or any other condition.

As therapists, we have to look at the whole picture — the dog’s history, gait, movement, posture, muscle development, palpation findings and, where appropriate, veterinary investigations and imaging.

Standing posture is simply one small piece of that puzzle.

🟢 What I Find Most Useful: Change

And perhaps one of the most useful things you can observe is change.

If your dog has always stood in a particular way and you suddenly notice a wider stance, a lowered head, a change in tail carriage, altered weight distribution, muscle loss or simply that they no longer look as comfortable standing as they once did, it’s worth paying attention to.

It doesn’t necessarily tell you what is wrong.

But it may be telling you that something has changed and to go for a Veterinary check.

💚 A heartfelt thank you to my wonderful clients

I feel I need to write this post again because, honestly, it gets me how hard some of you are on yourselves.

I’ve met some truly wonderful clients who constantly question whether they’re doing enough, whether they’re getting things right, or whether they’ve somehow failed their dogs.

And it gets me because sometimes I feel like I just can’t get through to you and make you see how wonderful you are, how incredibly hard you work, and just how much you love your dogs. 💚

If you’re reading this, I want you to know that I see you.

I see the effort you put in. I see the sacrifices you make. I see how much thought goes into trying to give your dog the very best life possible.

And I constantly hear things like:

“I feel like a failure.”
“I can’t do this.”
“I’ve failed my dog.”
“I’ve made so many mistakes.”
“I’m not doing enough for my dog.”

But please, stop for a moment and really think about what you are doing.

Because from where I’m standing, I see something very different.

I see people going above and beyond for their dogs every single day.

I see you attending treatments at my clinic and exploring other modalities. I see you investing in nutrition, supplements and training. I see many of you adapting your whole lives around your dogs’ needs.

Some of you

🐾 Move to quieter homes for noise-sensitive dogs.
🐾 Relocate to bungalow to prevent your dog climbing stairs
🐾 Add ramps stair gates and rugs to support senior or mobility-challenged dogs.
🐾 Improve diets and investing in supplements such as omega-3 to support their health.
🐾 Change your routines and sometimes your entire lifestyle to give your dog the best quality of life possible.
🐾 Take time out of work or putting your own lives on hold to nurse and care for your dogs when they need you most.

And despite busy lives, so many of you still find time to enrich your dogs’ worlds through scent work, mantrailing, agility and other activities.

Others dedicate hours to working alongside behaviourists and trainers to help nervous, anxious or reactive dogs feel safer and thrive.

And for those of you with canine athletes, the commitment you show to training, conditioning and progressing in your chosen sports is incredible.

All of this matters.

Every small adjustment.
Every appointment.
Every training session.
Every early morning.
Every sleepless night.
Every time you advocate for your dog.
Every time you try again when things don’t go to plan.

It all makes a difference.

So please, take a moment to stop and reflect.

Rather than focusing on what you think you should be doing, look at how far you have already come.

I say this to you all the time:

Look at how far you’ve come. 💚

You and your dog are a team.

And sometimes, when you’re in the middle of the hard days, it’s impossible to see just how much progress you’ve actually made.

From my perspective, I see it.

I see your dedication.
I see your love.
I see your commitment.
I see how hard you try.

So please be a little kinder to yourselves.

You are not failing your dogs.

You are showing up for them, again and again, in all the ways that matter.

You are an amazing team.

And to every one of my clients — thank you.

Thank you for trusting me, for putting in the work, and most importantly, for caring so deeply about your dogs.

Your dedication truly is inspiring.

🐾 The Sternal Lie / Sphinx Position

The sternal lie, or sphinx position, is one of the postural positions we look at when assessing how a dog controls and supports its body.

In this position, the dog lies on its chest, with the forelimbs positioned forwards and the hind limbs tucked underneath the body.

It can be a challenging postural position for some dogs, and many dogs may struggle to achieve or maintain it comfortably.

🟢 What is the exercise?

The dog is encouraged to lie in a straight and symmetrical sternal position, with:

• The chest and abdomen supported on the floor
• The forelimbs positioned forwards, with appropriate elbow flexion
• Both hind limbs tucked underneath the body
• Flexion maintained through the stifles and tarsi
• The pelvis remaining straight and level
• The spine maintained in a comfortable, controlled position
• The head and neck remaining in line with the thoracic spine

The dog should be able to get into the position, maintain it and move comfortably within it.

🟢 Why do we use it?

The sternal lie allows us to look at several aspects of the dog’s mobility, strength, stability and postural control, including:

• Pelvic control and stability
• Hip, stifle and tarsal range of motion (ROM)
• Elbow flexion
• Core and back strength
• Spinal posture and control
• Ease and quality of movement
• The dog’s ability to maintain a stable and symmetrical posture

It can also help highlight compensations or asymmetries that may not be obvious when the dog is standing or moving normally.

Looking from multiple angles — side, front, back and above — gives us a much better picture of the dog’s posture, symmetry, stability and ability to control the position.

🟢 Key Questions to Ask Yourself

When looking at the sternal lie, ask:

❓ Can the dog get into the position?

❓ Can they maintain it?

❓ Are they symmetrical?

❓ Are they comfortable?

❓ Is the pelvis stable?

❓ Can they maintain appropriate flexion through the hind limbs?

❓ Is the spine controlled and comfortable?

❓ Are they compensating anywhere?

❓ Does anything change when viewed from a different angle?

❓ Does the dog look relaxed, or are they working hard to hold the position?

🟢 What Can We See in the Photos?

When looking at these photographs, can you see that two of the dogs appear to find it difficult to initiate this position?

Interestingly, one of the dogs has hypermobility — more on this later.

One of the dogs had previously been diagnosed by their vets with hip dysplasia, and one had been diagnosed with spinal dysfunction. Can you spot which dog had a lovely posture in this exercise ?

However, it’s important to remember that postural exercises are only one small piece of the puzzle.

We can use photographs of postural exercises to identify potential areas of dysfunction that may warrant further assessment, but a photograph cannot diagnose a musculoskeletal problem.

A proper assessment needs to consider the whole dog, including their history, movement, posture, range of motion, palpation, strength, function and clinical findings.

🟢 When Should You Be Concerned?

If you see your dog struggling with the sternal lie, this doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem.

It can be a difficult position, and some dogs may simply find it challenging.

However, there are some things we can look out for that may warrant further investigation:

• Marked asymmetry
• Significant difficulty getting into the position
• Inability to maintain the position
• Repeated repositioning
• Obvious discomfort
• Reluctance to load a limb
• Significant spinal or pelvic deviation
• A clear difference between sides

These signs don’t tell us what the underlying problem is — they simply indicate that further assessment may be appropriate.

Where there are concerns, the owner should seek assessment from their vet.

Where appropriate, a referral to a suitably qualified veterinary physiotherapist or MSK therapist can then help assess movement, function and rehabilitation needs.

🐾 Remember: a photograph can give us clues, but it cannot give us a diagnosis.

🐕 Would you advocate for a dog that wasn’t yours?

Something happened on my run this morning that really got me thinking…

I came across a lady running with a Golden Retriever. What caught my attention was that the dog was clearly struggling to keep up and was being pulled along by its collar and lead.

There was no harness, and the dog looked really uncomfortable. It seemed to me that a lot of pressure was being placed around its neck, and I wasn’t sure the owner realised just how much strain the dog was experiencing.

So it got me thinking…

What would YOU have done? 🤔

A. Ignore it. It’s none of my business. Carry on running and avoid the confrontation.

B. Politely explain that running a dog on a collar, particularly when they are pulling or being pulled, can place significant pressure on the structures around the neck, including the trachea, oesophagus, blood vessels and nerves. Then suggest that a correctly fitted harness may be a more comfortable and appropriate option.

C. Tell her, in no uncertain terms, that what she was doing was cruel and that she shouldn’t be doing it.

D. Something else?

Well… I know some people who know me will probably say A 😂

And honestly, the old me probably would have thought:

“It’s none of my business. I don’t want the confrontation.”

But I’m trying to become someone who is willing to advocate for animals, even when it feels uncomfortable, and even when there’s a chance I might be disliked for speaking up.

So I politely ran up alongside her and explained my concerns about the pressure being placed around her dog’s neck, including the potential pressure on the trachea, oesophagus, blood vessels and nerves.

I also explained that, as someone who works with dogs and has experience of taking Canicross groups out , I’d be more than happy to show her how to correctly fit a harness that distributes pressure more appropriately across the body.

I even offered to do this completely free of charge at my clinic. ❤️🐾

I wasn’t trying to tell her how to look after her dog.

I simply wanted to share some information that she might not have been aware of.

And now comes the interesting part… 😬

What do you think her response was?

A. She completely ignored me.

B. She listened, was grateful that I’d spoken to her, and took my advice.

C. She was quite rude and told me it was none of my business.

👇 What do you think happened?

And, more importantly…

What would YOU have done — A, B, C, D or something else?

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts. 🐶❤️

Sometimes advocating for an animal means having a slightly uncomfortable conversation.

The question is…

Would you?

Answers later in comments

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, proclaimed by the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM), and I’m delighted to be joining in by raising awareness in my own little corner of the canine world.

💢 September is Animal Pain Awareness Month 💢

No Living Creature Should Suffer

I have always found animal suffering deeply upsetting. It genuinely troubles me to see any animal treated with cruelty, neglect or indifference. That feeling extends to every animal, whether wild, domestic, or those we are fortunate enough to share our lives with.

Canines, in particular, have a unique place in our lives. They give us loyalty, companionship and unconditional trust, often asking for nothing more than kindness, care and security in return. It is heartbreaking to think that an animal capable of such trust can also experience fear, pain and suffering at the hands of humans.

Whether it is helping an injured bird, moving a distressed animal away from danger, caring for a vulnerable dog, or carefully relocating a spider from the house—even when I’m not particularly fond of them—I believe these actions matter. Not because they make us “kind” or deserving of recognition, but because preventing suffering is simply the right thing to do.

I was taught that you can judge a person by how they treat animals, and that is a principle I stand by strongly. How we treat those who are vulnerable and unable to speak for themselves says a great deal about our character.

Animals rely on us to protect them, not to cause them harm. We have a responsibility to ensure that we do not contribute to suffering through cruelty, neglect, exploitation or indifference.

💢 September is Animal Pain Awareness Month 💢

No animal should suffer unnecessarily. No living creature should have to experience pain.

Kindness should never be limited to the animals we find beautiful, useful or lovable. Every living creature deserves compassion.

If you agree, please share. ❤️

💢September is Animal Pain Awareness Month💢

Can We Really Recognise Pain in Dogs?

This new study by Gardeweg et al. (2026) confirms something many of us working in canine therapy see regularly—pain is often recognised when a dog limps, but much less when it shows through behaviour.

In the study, 647 people were asked to identify signs of pain in dogs.

Most people easily recognised movement-related pain such as limping, stiffness, or reluctance to move.

But behavioural signs were far less likely to be recognised, including:

• changes in sleep
• reduced play
• clinginess or shadowing
• reduced sociability
• lower tolerance
• difficulty settling
• restlessness at night
• grooming changes
• personality changes
• mood changes

Even experienced dog owners were no better at spotting these subtle signs than non-dog owners.

This is important because chronic pain rarely starts with obvious lameness.

Often, the first signs are small changes in behaviour.

Things like:

❗ “He seems grumpier lately”
❗ “She doesn’t want to play as much”
❗ “He follows me everywhere now”
❗ “She struggles to settle at night”
❗ “He seems less tolerant than usual”

These are often dismissed as behaviour problems, ageing, or just “slowing down.”

But sometimes, they are early signs of pain.

By the time obvious lameness appears, compensation patterns, muscle tension, and long-term discomfort may already be well established.

Pain doesn’t always look like limping.

Sometimes it shows up in the quiet changes first.

Recognising those signs earlier means earlier support, better welfare, and better long-term outcomes.

📚 Reference:Gardeweg, S.M.A., Picard, D.E. and van Herwijnen, I.R. (2026) The abilities in dog pain sign recognition as assessed by presenting seventeen listed dog behavioural signs and three case descriptions to dog owners and non-dog owners. PLOS ONE, 21(4), e0344512.