Your Senior Dog

31/12/2024

I’m always on the lookout for beautiful, unique pet memorial ideas. is a Canadian based artist, who’s memorial work includes custom urns, figures, ceramic mugs, bowl and jewelry.

I bought the little blue fox as a gift to myself….from my kids. It’s even cuter in real life!!

Go follow - her work is beautiful, and one day she will create Jasper’s memorial piece.

25/12/2024

These are the “back up snacks”…..Rosie has already eaten three of the cookies the kids put out, plus the carrot for the reindeer!!!

04/09/2024

Cow Hocks can be hereditary and is common especially in herding breeds (think German Shepard), and in senior dogs...especially larger breeds.

Optimal weight loading occurs when all four limbs are straight (when viewed from the front or behind) and parallel - any deviation from this will have effects on the rest of the musculoskeletal system.

When a dog is standing “Cow Hocked” it can effect the knee and hip joints, causing additional pain and discomfort.

02/09/2024

Sleeping or resting with a hind limb fully extended can be due to a luxating patella aka dislocated knee cap.

Though there are Four Grades when diagnosing a luxating patella (each increasing in severity from level 1 to 4), even the mildest form at Level 1 can cause significant discomfort if lifestyle changes are not implemented.

Other indications of a luxating patella is when a dog often “skips” when walking/trotting.

If your dog is presenting with any of these signs, go see your vet for a diagnosis.

28/08/2024

Ideally a dog’s front legs should be straight for appropriate weight bearing and activity - though there are a few breeds who’s conformation deviates from this - such as Corgis, Dachshunds, Bully Dogs etc.

When the front legs are NOT straight, this can put excessive strain on joints, muscles and connective tissues.

26/08/2024

“Pacing” is where a dog moves both the fore and hind limb on the same side, at the same time.....bit like a kid walking like a Robot.

This results in a slight swaying motion as the dog shift their weight from side to side.

This help to stabilize the core part of the body, resulting in less pain than the normal walking four-beat gait.

23/08/2024

An arched back (aka Roach Back or Kyphosis) when standing, can be an indication that your dog is experiencing pain or discomfort in their back, hips, or hind limbs.

Arching of the back can help alleviate some discomfort by shifting their weight forward....but this can easily overload their front end.

An arched back is really common in dogs with IVDD (like Jasper here), osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, GI issues etc and indicates that pain is present and should be brought to your vets attention.

Got any questions? Feel free to DM me.

21/08/2024

Uneven wear, scuffs and/or scratches to your dog's nails can indicate that there's an area of pain or discomfort in the body.

Normally a dog's paw is able to clear the ground when walking without scuffing their nails, or causing uneven wear - if this isn't the case, this would be grounds for further investigation, and something to bring up with your vet.

19/08/2024

Rosie is a much loved member of the family but finding the right pet sitter, who can embrace her unique quirks and personality, has been challenging to say the least.

Thankfully this summer I was introduced to a local woman who specializes in Reiki and Animal Communication….and also offers a pet/house sitting service.

I was thrilled to find someone who had the patience and skills to work with Rosie’s anxiety….and if she could do a little energy work and communication to help with the transition, all the better - my husband wasn’t so into the woo, but I fully embraced it.

So, earlier this month I finally took my kids on a five day camping trip - leaving Rosie in the hands of our pet sitter (for the first time….ever).

To say I was nervous was an understatement.

So much was riding on this trip.

If all went well, and Rosie was able to settle with someone “new” in the home, it meant that we would be able to travel internationally as a family. We could visit family in Europe, and friends up island…..I would have freedom again that I haven’t experienced since before I had kids.

Why do I share this with you?

Because this is a challenge that nearly 90% of my clients also struggle with - and something that frequently causes a feeling of shame, heartache, anxiety and isolation, especially for families with no local support.

Be it separation anxiety, reactivity, sensitivity to kids, special dietary needs, or senior dogs with complex medical needs - everyone needs a support system around them…..and it can be hard to find.

I am happy to announce that Rosie’s experience with the house sitter went better than planned….with some interesting revelations that I’ll share with you in a later blog post…..but for now let’s just say that I’m finally looking at dates for a trip to Europe in the New Year. 🥳

11/06/2024

Rosie wants to say thank you to everyone who sent us messages over the weekend.

On Saturday we had to make an emergency vet visit to get Rosie’s leg stitched up, after she sliced it open on her food bowl of all things!!!

Rosie likes to jump up at the back door when she wants in - on Saturday the deck was wet after the kids were playing with water-bombs. Rosie must have slipped mid jump and fell, landed on her Pyrex food bowl…..resulting in a broken shard slicking her leg open…..there was a lot of blood….everywhere.

I will be forever grateful to for their wonderful care and outstanding service.

I’m also grateful that I still have pet insurance for Rosie….this visit could have been a LOT more expensive than it actually was.

30/04/2024

Jasper has arthritis and IVDD. We no longer do long hikes in the forest trails, but instead opt for multiple short adventures each day….weather permitting.

Our yard is on a slope, so we practice walking up and down hill - strengthening his hind end, and stepping through long grass so Jasper has to pick his feet up - working on core and balance.

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16/04/2024

The two sides of Rosie.

The Guard Dog: Constantly on the move. Barks at butterflies, shadows, squirrels, delivery people…..oh, and Grandma….she’s not the biggest fan of Grandma.

The Goof-Ball: This is the side of her we see the most. The side of her that absolutely LOVES the kids, snuggles on the couch…..and drops toys onto my keyboard during Zoom meetings.

She’s not the dog I thought I was adopting, but she is the dog our family needed.

Here’s to loving the dog in front of us.

16/04/2024

Jasper can’t walk far these days (and he definitely shouldn’t be running 😱) so I’m grateful that we have a yard that has lots of exciting spots to explored….and sit to soak up the sun.

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15/04/2024

EGGS. A great source of omega 3, vitamins B & D, and between 50-100 cals depending on size. Rosie’s gets eggs 1-2 a week, along with other tasty toppers.

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13/04/2024

This is a pretty awesome study. A number of Veterinary Behaviourists were asked, in hindsight, how many of their past "behavioural cases" had PAIN as a contributing factor.

The results are staggering!!

Even if you just focus on the lowest number - nearly 1/3 of behavioural cases had pain as a contributing factor.

That's huge....
...but thats not what the study found.

Different clinics reported different percentages....and some of percentages were closer to 80%

READ THAT AGAIN......over 80%!!!!

So, if you are struggling with separation anxiety, reactivity, sound-sensitivity, resource guarding etc.....there is a high chance that UNDIAGNOSED PAIN could be a contributing factor.

If this sound like something you'd like to explore further, reach out - I'd love to help you.

10/04/2024

Dog trainers talk a lot about how pain affects behaviour, and how you should "go see your vet for a health check before starting to work on your dog's behavioural challenges".

BUT what they don't tell you is that most veterinarians have a REALLY HARD TIME identifying the subtile signs of chronic pain during a consultation:

1. Your dog may be tense or fearful, masking the behaviour while at the clinic.

2. Most vets have limited training in animal behaviour - especially behavioural observation.

This is where advocating for your dog is important....
....if you suspect there's a problem, ask your vet to do further investigating, or refer you to a specialist who knows what to look for.

You don't need to wait until your dog is limping, yelping or snapping at people before taking action.

Your vet is amazing - they can help you find the answers you need, you just need to ask the right questions.

If you need help in this area feel free to reach out - it's what I specialize in.

08/04/2024

Anticipatory grief will strike well before you're ready!

For me, Jasper was five years old when I first noticed that his muzzle was no longer a bright ginger, and was in fact transitioning into the distinguished shade of grey it is now - it had me in a bit of a funk for a few days.

Since that day we've had a lot of fun adventures together....some as simple as hunting for rats in the greenhouse, others involving boats and remote islands.

Some of my favourite recent memories just involve the two of us sitting in the yard surrounded by dandelions...soaking in the sunshine.

It's never too late to start creating a Bucket List for your senior pup.

So, what are you going to plan first?

Comment below and let's create a list together!!

05/04/2024

Keeping a tidy kitchen is near impossible in my house, BUT what I AM good at is helping my Separation Anxiety clients reach amazing milestones!!

Wanna know more? Comment “HELP” below and I’ll send you a link for a 30 min free chat.

Send a message to learn more