Wellness Centre for Dogs and their Humans

06/03/2026

This post is about Hitting The Wall!

I still treat people who used to follow the World Marathon Circuit competing throughout Australia and International. They used to travel and compete for fun!

Three of them during competition got to the point of beyond tissue fatigue and mental exhaustion in high altitude, hot humid conditions and to the point where tissue damage started to take place. Liquifying of muscle is a short explanation of chemistry breakdown. They survived! Their bodies have never been the same since.

I am writing this as with our performance dogs we choose them due to drive. We nurture drive and performance from a young age along with choosing sporting preferences based on body type and natural drive.

I have beagles!! My tand & white bitch Melody was chosen specifically for performance as I find they work differently to tri coloured beagles. I nurture hunting drive in beagles from the get go with various games etc. Our sporting preferences are: tracking, barn hunt, sprint dog. Activities that use natural drive to hunt. For Melody her reward is to work again! I absolutely love this however I also manage this!

In January three dogs: hunting breeds had situations where kangaroos or rabbits broke onto their properties. They gave chase and as they are nurtured in drive/workability they gave chase until they reached point of fatigue. Glucose storage was depleted along with stored glycogen. Warm and humid conditions added to the fatigue so when they came back they were hot, tired.....and staggering as brain function had started to deteriorate.

Luckily for the dogs their people are well educated and understand correct protocol for cooling down and administering emergency care. Then reaching out for further help. This highlights drive not stupidity of people as these people are incredibly careful and thoughtful with regards to their dogs.

This post also can give thought to exercise protocol in relation to our dogs with sports and conditioning dogs appropriately.

06/03/2026

Salti and Melody getting ready to have Sprint Dog fun tomorrow night!!

Tapering down day for Melody. Salti is running for the lovely Ash who is lure driver training. So she will get to have a go before she hopefully runs early April in trial (depending on ballot).

I taper down for Melody however Salti has a completely different body type so I would taper very differently. In fact some of my short course (sprint, short course triathlete's etc ) did not taper down pre event. Their bodies thrived on a different approach. Some of the dogs I treat that run lure coursing through out the year for comp. also taper as per body type.

Last night I treated both girls bodywork the focus on structural alignment along with Chinese medicine points. Today tissue work along with laser. Tomorrow tissue and infra red

I am very specific with regards to how I prepare body for dogs and humans! Along with tissue protocol pre & post run, flushing of tissue then tissue recovery for post event. Flushing lactic acid is again completely different to recovery protocol in order to prevent 48 hours soreness and keep body in working condition.

Thanks West Coast Dog Sports for giving the opportunity for both girls but especially for Salti to run tomorrow night!

The aim of pre & post trial prep is to set the body up for success to be fit and sound for competition long-term.

26/02/2026

Best of luck everyone for The Western Classic this weekend!!

It has been a huge few months planning, treating & writing up body conditioning programs for dogs entered in confirmation, agility, OB, Rally, scentwork, sprint dog.

Looking forward to a great weekend!

All the best and don't forget to print your numbers (confirmation).

26/02/2026

Don't forget if you are bringing two dogs for treatment etc I have a large travel crate (PP90) available for one dog to hang out in. Just bring your own cushion/vet bedding etc.

21/02/2026

Yesterday I treated another young show dog who presented east west in front. I began his treatment from releasing his neck. The person who was helping handling him and was supporting his head could feel how much the neck release flowed through jaw then body. Infact she was amazed at how much jaw release impacted his whole front end.

Over the past few weeks I have had several litters or pups come for treatment. Two actually initially had retained canines and had Vet intervention. Following on they both then showed signs of front end ataxia and head tilt. Which affected whole body nervous system and immune system response.

Along with Vet care thankfully they were recommended treatment for their pups.

My focus was of jaw, neck, body then some specific conditioning exercises helped bring them back to happy, balanced healthy young dogs again. Now heading back to show training soon.

How jaw affects whole body is something to think about.

My background from initially surgically assisting in Dentistry, exercise physiology then working in medical predominantly with cranio reconstruction surgery patients (Neuro and plastics) has enabled me to understand how cranial release treatment process can have a huge impact with CNS and body. Especially for dogs during huge growth and development phases. We know that the lower jaw is the slowest growing bone of the body in dogs.

A quick post but a hugely relevant post to better understand how important cranial release work can be.

16/02/2026

In recent time I have had conversations with people about Melody running Sprint Dog. This post is a summary of my perspective on getting her into physical working condition for this event. Which has been part of my plan since she was in growth and development phase.

On 29th October of last year Melody turned 4 years of age. As of November 1st I kicked off her body conditioning program to bring her body into work condition with the aim of her coming into work condition for Feb. Prior to this I had intentionally kept her fit but out of work condition so that I could follow my plan of bringing her in once she had physically matured. Then my plan following her first trial is to bring her body further into work condition by March which would ideally be her second Sprint Dog Trial. She will come into this trial stronger and better conditioned. I had purposefully not aimed for peak condition with the first trial. The big over all picture is maintaining body throughout long healthy life.

Salti on the other hand is completely different. She runs her body naturally in fit work condition and has done from a young age. Same breeder but completely different body types with the two girls. I studied Canine Nutrition so as to be able to support Salti by having a more in-depth understanding of
chemistry or from the mico nutrient element throughout growth and development and life stages, tissue recovery, tissue and body support etc. Again the big overall picture is a long, healthy, fit and active life for each of my beagles.

Each body is completely individual as to how it responds to nutrition, exercise criteria and life stages. Stick to your focus with your goals and knowing what is right timing for bringing a body into work condition or even peak body condition.

Enjoy!

14/02/2026

10/02/2026

05/02/2026

Yesterday's aerobic conditioning day is followed by bodywork setting the beagles up for circuit style body conditioning and stability exercise day!

This is the basic circuit set up and I build on it as we go . To include all areas of stability along with functional movement.

Our split session later in the day will include functional movement games along with nurturing hunting drive. As we have worked body conditioning and stability the beagles won't swim later. They might spa for tissue recovery.

I am very specific as to how I plan out out exercise criteria throughout the week and each day.

29/01/2026

Friday morning fitness!

Super setting specific exercise layout with functional movement.