4 Steps Forward Animal Physio & Rehab

01/03/2026

Evie is one special little doggo that I am lucky enough to get to work with. Biopaws is helping to get more people to be able to access life changing detection dogs for POTs like Evie! This gives people with this illness visibility, and safety when navigating the community.

As a human and animal Physio I love seeing human health, and animal worlds collide. Show Biopaws your support and follow their page to spread the word.

Meet Evie, our Chief Detection Dog for the POTS Division. Evie is Western Australia’s first exclusively scent‑trained POTS alert dog, known for her reliability, calm nature and exceptional scenting ability. She has alerted multiple people to incoming medical episodes, supported other assistance dogs in learning POTS alerting and even generalised her skills to detect changes like low oxygen, high heart rate and low blood pressure. Evie attends medical appointments, community events and training sessions, and was a finalist for Australian Dog of the Year in 2024. Whether she’s working, learning or enjoying a long sniffy walk, Evie loves using her nose to help people. See our website to learn more about each team member: https://www.biopawsdetection.com.au/

26/02/2026

Just a quick notice to let you know I will be on leave for most of April. My last animal working day will be the Thursday 2nd of April before Easter.

No better time to get your pets in to see me, and to set up management plans to keep them in tip top shape in my absence.

As I will be in America my emails will be mostly unattended during this time so it is a good idea to lock in appointments now for May to ensure you are seen timely on my return.

Feel free to get in touch to organise your appointments via email amy@4stepsforward.com.au

26/01/2026

You don’t earn speed or agility. You prepare for it.

This is an easy but effective warm-up addition before agility or running work.
Figure-8s and tunnel patterns help integrate all four limbs, improve coordination, spinal mobility, and prepare the body for changes in pace and direction.

You can layer in speed by moving through the pattern faster — but the goal stays the same: control first, speed second.

Whatever variation you choose, keep it balanced.
Aim for 3–5 reps each direction to make sure both sides are working evenly and you’re not feeding asymmetry.

Prep the system properly, and performance follows.

22/01/2026

Your dog’s harness can either support their movement… or quietly break it down.

If a harness blocks scapula (shoulder blade) glide or loads pressure unevenly, you’re setting your dog up for restricted range, muscle trigger points, and uneven stress through joints and soft tissues. That’s not a training issue — that’s biomechanics.

A well-designed harness should:
✔️ Allow free scapular movement
✔️ Distribute pressure evenly across the body
✔️ Support full, natural range of motion

Get this right and you reduce the risk of pain, compensation patterns, and chronic overload — while helping your dog move the way they’re built to move.

Harnesses that respect canine biomechanics and that I regularly recommend:



( has both WAGD, and Ruffwear so tried, tested, and Physio approved)

It’s an upfront investment that pays off in long-term soundness, comfort, and performance.

💥 Bonus: Get a discount with
Use code 4STEPSFORWARD10 at checkout

Your dog only gets one body. Choose gear that supports it to move the way it was designed to.

19/01/2026

“Why do we warm ourselves up… but not our dogs?” 🐕‍🔥

Dogs aren’t machines. Just like us, their muscles and joints need to be prepared before a run to prevent injury, improve performance, and support better recovery.

You only need less than 5 minutes (we were done in 2)
Before Ember and I ran, we did:
• 5 sit-to-stands
• 5 drop-to-stands
• 5 dynamic bows
• 4 spins/turns (one each direction)
• Dynamic hip flexor and thoracic stretch flowing into spinal mobility and shoulder extension

Simple. Efficient. Effective.
Warm dogs move better, stay sounder, and feel better long term.

Five minutes now saves months of rehab later. 🐾💪

13/01/2026

That feeling when you’re halfway through your dog’s conditioning exercises 💪🐕
AND the your dogs complete meal boxes arrive at the door…
cue happy dance 🕺📦

Because movement + nutrition = the real glow-up.
A complete, balanced diet fuels muscle development, supports joint cartilage, manages inflammation, and helps reduce the risk and progression of osteoarthritis. Strong muscles protect joints. Quality nutrients keep tissues resilient. Consistency keeps dogs thriving.

Ever since Embers gut issues, and seeing the amazing .holisticpetvet we have been using . It’s not only made in WA from human grade food, but also comes delivered in cooler boxes keeping them frozen for hours. Best yet ever since her gut issues have been minimal, and reduced allergies.

Condition the body. Feed it properly.
Future joints will thank you. 🦴

14/12/2025

Christmas and the holiday period is fast approaching.

I have 1 appointment available Thursday 18th, and 2 available Friday 19th otherwise will be taking a few days off over Christmas, and back on the 2nd of Jan.

Email and phone communication will be limited from the 23rd Dec-1st Jan so best to get in touch now so I can support your pets into the new year.

09/11/2025

Puppy ownership can feel like drinking from a fire hose — there’s so much information and no clear starting point.
When I got my first puppy, Rollo, at the start of my animal physiotherapy post-grad, I was overwhelmed by what to do and what not to do. Years of study, hands-on work, and collaborating with great trainers changed everything — especially with my next pup, Ember.

This series, “Things I Wish I Knew the First Time Around,” is for anyone wanting to raise a healthy, confident dog without the chaos.

🎥 Episode 1: When play turns into chaos — it’s not cute, it’s stress.
Puppy play should build confidence, not push them past their limits. Monitor play intensity, style, and recovery. Learn your dog’s social limits and notice when they’re getting tired — physically and mentally.

Forget the old “5 minutes per month of age” rule — your dog’s activity should be guided by fatigue, not a formula. Puppies’ joints are still mostly cartilage, which means everything is wobbly and unstable. Overdoing it now can cause injury and increase the risk of osteoarthritis later in life.

And just as important — pushing a puppy past their social limits can have lasting effects too. When a dog feels overwhelmed and their subtle cues are missed, they’re more likely to escalate in behaviour to communicate their need for space.

Our job is to set them up for success — strong, stable, and confident, both physically and emotionally. 💪🐶

03/11/2025

🐾 When your patients can’t wait to see you, you know you’re doing something right ❤️

Physiotherapy isn’t just about exercises and treatments — it’s about trust, connection, and making every session a positive experience. The more our dogs enjoy their rehab, the better their outcomes, confidence, and long-term recovery.

Every wag, wiggle, and happy jump means they feel safe, supported, and understood 🐶💪

25/09/2025

🌿🐾 Availability Update 🐾🌿

I’ll be away from 29th Sept – 10th Oct ✈️✨ Emails won’t be checked during this time.

💙 The exciting news → I’m now available to treat your animals every Thursday & Friday moving forward! 🎉🐶🐴🐱

Can’t wait to see all your gorgeous pets soon! 🐾💫

14/09/2025

✨🐾 Did you know animal physiotherapy can help pets of all shapes and sizes? From tiny kittens to giant St. Bernards, physio can support recovery, manage long-term conditions, and improve comfort, strength, and mobility. Here’s a little peek at some of the beautiful faces we’ve been working with recently 💕👇

📸 Frank – Managing conservative intervertebral disc disease. We’re using muscle stim, retraining movement patterns, and working on sensation, proprioception, and strength to help him feel his best.

📸 Pip – This brave kitty is recovering from TPLO surgery. Her sessions focus on restoring full range of motion, building strength and proprioception, and using creative exercises to optimise her recovery 🐱💪.

📸 Biggie – Our gentle giant, a St. Bernard with hip dysplasia. Regular maintenance physio helps keep him comfortable, mobile, and happy doing the things he loves.

📸 Atlas – Also living with hip dysplasia, Atlas benefits from a similar program to improve mobility, comfort, and overall quality of life 🐾.

📸 Gino – We’ve been focusing on building strength, flexibility, and range to keep Gino moving well and feeling great.

💡 Physio isn’t just for humans—it’s for our furry friends too! Whether it’s post-surgery recovery, managing a condition, or just maintaining comfort and mobility, physiotherapy can make a world of difference.

🐾✨ If you think your pet could benefit, get in touch—we’d love to help them feel their best!