HW Canine Massage

HW Canine Massage Hi, I’m Heather. I absolutely love dogs and am a total dog agility addict. o We work with the body-language of the animal to guide us. Last but by no means least!

Level 4 Diploma Canine Merishia Massage
CPCFT - Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer
Myofascial release
CAMadvocate L1
Special interest:
Agility dogs
Animal Acupressure
Helping Senior Dogs I have been involved in agility for over 9 years and been competing regularly for just over 7 years with my 3 poodle/cocker crosses. My youngest dog, 4yrs has just finished her 2nd competitive season

; she has won into Grade 6 and has made the Classic Final G5 at Dogs in Need, the Iconix 'by night' G4-7 Final - finishing 5th and has qualified for the Crufts Novice Cup Semi-Final to be held in August 2023. My 6 year old is also Grade 6 and has also qualified for a number of finals including the Classic Finals at Dogs in Need and the British Agility Novice Stakes placing 3rd in both. My 12 year old boy was my 1st agility dog and is quite a character, he retired at Grade 5 but his greatest achievement was qualifying for the Starters Cup Final at Discover Dogs at Excel and placing 3rd in the jumping round. During the last 9 years, my interest in expanding my knowledge of dogs, how they move and how ‘we’ can do the best for them has become a passion. This led me to wanting to work with these amazing animals that give us so much and ask for little in return. I completed a Level 4 Accredited Diploma - Practitioner - Canine Merishia Massage; which includes Swedish and deep tissue massage techniques, gentle yet effective mobilisations and applied soft tissue manual therapy. I have also completed additional CPD training in Myofascial Release, Animal Acupressure, Positional Release Techniques, Photo Therapy, Canine Biomechanics, more Gait Analysis and even some Muscle Testing and Reflexology for dogs. About Merishia Massage:-

The Merishia approach promotes

o The use of a variety of gentle techniques to facilitate both superficial and deep release of tension. o We enhance the effects of our massage techniques by applying specific gentle mobilisation techniques to further improve performance and flexibility. These techniques can help aid:-

o Performance
o Recovery or Rehabilitation
o Ease stiffness and tight joints
o Ease compensations and tension in older dogs
o Releases tension and aids relaxation
o Stimulates circulation
o Can help to desensitise
o Bring awareness to areas of the body
o Aid flexibility and range of movement
o And ultimately can enhance and maintain general well-being

My approach is gentle and sensitive with the welfare of the dog at the heart of every session. I will allow your dog time to settle and become comfortable with being handled with massage in mind, allowing them time to adjust, we will work together and move at your dogs own pace. I will also take the time to explain my methods to you so you’re able follow me through the process, giving you some helpful tips and advice to take away so that you can make your wonderful pets life a little easier between sessions. The initial appointment* will include gait analysis, posture analysis and I’ll take a full history of your dog from a lifestyle and veterinary background. This session will be £35.00 and is likely to last 90 mins. (contact me for geographical areas covered) *Vet consent required please ask me for a form
Follow up sessions will cost £30.00 (within geographical areas covered) for one dog. Multi-dog household sessions are available at a discounted price so please as me for more information. On-going Training and Continued Professional Development! This is something that I’m incredibly passionate about…the more I learn, the more it inspires me to want to learn more!! I regularly attend training courses and keep up to date with the latest thinking, science and studies. I’ve more courses booked already and am excited to continue learning more!

🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖Thank you Kirsty for posting these very kind words recently 🤗🤗🥰🥰I absolutely love working with you and...
10/02/2025

🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖🙏🏻💖

Thank you Kirsty for posting these very kind words recently 🤗🤗🥰🥰

I absolutely love working with you and your amazing dogs. 🥰🥰🥰

🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻

As the post says....Classes described as 'Fun Agility' is not an excuse for unsafe practices!!!Please advocate for your ...
03/02/2025

As the post says....
Classes described as 'Fun Agility' is not an excuse for unsafe practices!!!

Please advocate for your dog and their safety!!

Agility on up to date, safe equipment is still lots of 'Fun' 🤗🙂🤗🥰🥰

My clients will know how much I talk about feet and keeping them clear of the fluff 🐾🐾🥰🤗😉⬇️👌🏻✅ ⬇️👌🏻✅ ⬇️
22/01/2025

My clients will know how much I talk about feet and keeping them clear of the fluff 🐾🐾🥰🤗😉

⬇️👌🏻✅ ⬇️👌🏻✅ ⬇️

🐾 Does your dog have hairy feet? 🐾

We often talk about the importance of nail care for our dogs, but what about hairy feet?

By trimming the hair on their feet it:
🔹 Provides better grip on slippery surfaces
🔹 Prevents the skin from getting sore from wet/muddy hair
🔹 Improves proprioception and sensation through their pads

Hairy toes might be cute, but not always functional for your dog.

🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗It's that time of year when everyone is thinking of Conditioning and Fitness for their dogs 🤗🥰Which is amazin...
18/01/2025

🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗🤔🤗

It's that time of year when everyone is thinking of Conditioning and Fitness for their dogs 🤗🥰

Which is amazing!! 👏🏻🙌🏻👏🏻

However, it's not just about teaching the action/trick! It's about making sure your dog is safe. Dogs are not able to tell us they are a little sore or uncomfortable in positions and often offer behaviour as they want to make us happy!! 🤗🥰

So please, don't rush your conditioning..focus on good form rather than rushing to those wobbly bits of equipment!! If your dog is showing the signs of fatigue, they are most likely trying to tell you they are not ready/comfortable.

Anyone who even thinks about bringing conditioning into their dogs life gets a huge ✅ from me but please video your sessions and be honest with yourself about what you see 👀😉

Handler position and reward placement is absolutely key to ensuring your dog is balanced.
So please also include yourselves in the videos 😉🤗




In order to continue my learning and development I will be renewing all my memberships this year. To remain a member of ...
16/01/2025

In order to continue my learning and development I will be renewing all my memberships this year.

To remain a member of International Association of Animal Therapists I need to complete at least 25hrs of CPD per year.

My Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer - CPCFT course certainly covered this plus a few extra hours! 😉

Theory 300hrs minimum
Practical 300hrs minimum

Admittedly this was over 18 months 😃😉

📚📖📒📓📔🐕🐩🐶🐾🥰🥰



❄️❄️🥶 😀🤗😃Well it's certainly a little chilly out there today!!🥰🤗..But it was nice and toasty in the treatment room for o...
10/01/2025

❄️❄️🥶 😀🤗😃

Well it's certainly a little chilly out there today!!

🥰🤗..But it was nice and toasty in the treatment room for our gorgeous clients today 🤗🥰😃🐾🐾💖🐾🐾💖🐾🐾💖


Wishing all my clients and friends a very happy and successful 2025!!Exciting times ahead!! I'm not back at work until ...
02/01/2025

Wishing all my clients and friends a very happy and successful 2025!!
Exciting times ahead!!

I'm not back at work until next Tuesday 7th January but just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year xx

23/12/2024

⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨⭐✨

Warm up and cool downs!!

Not just for dogs about to take part in sports but for daily exercise as well!! 🤗

🤗🤗 Prevention is better than cure!!! 🤗🤗

Another fantastic tip from CAM for more great tips head to Canine Arthritis Management



🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳What a great way to start my Christmas break!I found out last night....I passed the final exam!! 🎉🎉The last ...
19/12/2024

🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳🎉🥳

What a great way to start my Christmas break!

I found out last night....I passed the final exam!! 🎉🎉

The last 18 months have been a lot of hard work so I'm over the moon!!

A huge 'Thank you' to my amazing case studies!! I've learnt so much from working with you 💖🤗🙏🏻💖

'Heather Walker - CPCFT - Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer'. I like the sound of that! 😀🐕😀

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀Wishing Amy Bennett and the most amazing Neva all the luck in the world as they compete in The KC Agility Sta...
17/12/2024

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Wishing Amy Bennett and the most amazing Neva all the luck in the world as they compete in The KC Agility Stakes at The London International Horse Show tomorrow!!

What an incredible team they are!!

Competing at LHIS is such a huge achievement and one that most handlers can only dream of.

🍀🍀 Good Luck Amy and Neva! 🍀🍀

Photo credit Ginger & Black Photography

09/12/2024

Seasons Greetings to all my amazing clients, human and canine 🥰

Thank you for all your amazing support again this year 🥰🥰

Wishing you all a wonderful Festive Season ###

Thank you Dinobark Digital for the Christmas logo x

04/12/2024
04/12/2024

🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰

Gorgeous 6 month old Daisy came for another short familiarisation session 🤗🥰🥰

I'm incredibly passionate about building trust and working with force free methods. We are making things fun while also introducing some calm and thoughtful games 🥰🤗

I'm very conscious about using very different cues than will be used for their agility foundations 🤗🥰

What a very beautiful and special girl she is!! 💗💗💗







Thank you so much for these beautiful words following Pronto's session 🙏🏻🥰🤗🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰"Once Pronto stops sulking.. he Liv...
08/11/2024

Thank you so much for these beautiful words following Pronto's session 🙏🏻🥰🤗

🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰

"Once Pronto stops sulking.. he Lives for the snuggle 🥰

Honestly though, it makes me so at ease with how relaxed he is with heather. The gentle, patient approach really works with him.
He's not always very trusting with being handled, often removing or tensing himself. So to see him choose to lean in, and lay his head let's me know how much he enjoys his massage & trusts Heather 🥰"

🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻🥰




31/10/2024

The sad truth is, that an immense su***de rate exists in veterinary medicine. We have to care more for ourselves and our colleagues and we have to find a way to stay healthy.

If you are struggling with feeling depressed or overwhelmed, tell your friends and family, and go get help.

Depression has many faces, so to your vet, respect their time, and remember that they also have your dog's best interest at heart.

Find help and support - a great supporter for mental health.

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Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

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Videos

Seasons Greetings to all my amazing clients, human and canine 🥰 Thank you for all your amazing support again this year 🥰🥰 Wishing you all a wonderful Festive Season ### Thank you Dinobark Digital for the Christmas logo x

🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰🤗🥰 Gorgeous 6 month old Daisy came for another short familiarisation session 🤗🥰🥰 I'm incredibly passionate about building trust and working with force free methods. We are making things fun while also introducing some calm and thoughtful games 🥰🤗 I'm very conscious about using very different cues than will be used for their agility foundations 🤗🥰 What a very beautiful and special girl she is!! 💗💗💗 #forcefree #puppyconfidence #buildingtrust #keepingthedogatthecentre #dogschoice #caninemassagetherapist #hwcaninemassage

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I'm passionate about setting dogs up for success when they come to visit 🥰🥰 So here's a little snippet video of gorgeous, Working Cocker puppy, Daisy's first socialisation visit 🥰🥰 .....Some lovely feedback from her mum 🤗:- "They all slept solidly on the way home. I wanted to say a big thank you for everything you planned for Daisy, setting up the pen, the puppy track and all the treats. She had a great experience with you." Building trust from that very 1st visit is so important 🤗🥰🤗🥰 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💚 Novice Cup Final at Crufts 💚 So my own dog, Piper and I did a 'thing' last Thursday 🥰 We competed at Crufts in the main ring!! 💚 This was a huge personal achievement but also driven by wanting to understand and appreciate the environment and pressure faced by both handler and our gorgeous dogs at these type of events. 🤗 My own dog is quite sensitive so it was difficult to anticipate how she would cope with the environment at Crufts as there is nowhere like it! It's difficult to expose our dogs to anything similar. I worked with amazing trainers and a specialist in canine behaviour to try and prepare Piper (and myself) for this dream event. We attended several shows and training sessions on astro turf so we knew she was more than happy with the surface (she loves it!) We placed camera tripods all over the house to try to normalise these for her 🤗🤞🏼 We did lots of environmental work, conditioning, sprint work, massage and of course agility training in the lead up. On the day Piper was amazing and took everything in her stride. Understandably she was a little 'aware' on the startline but was so happy and driven on course!! She was beautiful 🤩💖. Our mistakes were completely my fault, a lack of communication on my part but I'm so incredibly proud of her!! She loved it out there!! 💚🧡💚 We finished 3rd in the jumping and 3rd overall, which is incredible!! 🎉🎉🌟🌟 She's now had several days off, just doing 'dog things' to recover physically and mentally 🤗🥰. What a truly magical experience with my beautiful and amazing girl 🤗🥰🤗 Thank you Piper and absolutely everyone who helped us get there!! 🙏🏼💚🙏🏼🥰😘 links below to actual Crufts links 😉🥰 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwjEL8mCl28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx5MnhAeUJU

😴🥰😴🥰😴 When you have to build in 5-10 mins to allow a post session snooze before very gently waking him up 🥰🤗🥰🤗 Gorgeous Marley today 🤗🥰🤗🥰 It's fantastic that also this evening another therapist friend Emma, who I greatly admire, posted a very similar post about allowing additional time to allow her clients to also have a post session snooze 🤗🤗. It's absolutely wonderful and makes my heart sing that our amazing canine friends are receiving such fabulous treatment! I'm a strong believer in collaboration and building a wonderful supportive network to benefit our amazing dogs! #caninemassage #collaborationovercompetition #hwcaninemassage

Wow what a year 2023 was!! High points:- 🌟 I was delighted to open the treatment room in Berkhamsted whilst also continuing to offer home visits 🌟 Our Agility clients achieved some absolutely incredible results at all levels including the world stage! 🤗 🎉🎉 🌟 A super high percentage of repeat bookings 🤗🥰 🌟 More fabulous CPD with Rose Holistic Therapies and Training 🌟 Additional Membership of both IRVAP & IAAT to open up even more CPD options 🌟 Completion of the CPCFT Units 1 - 4. Each unit consists of 6 weeks of learning and homework assignments. It's been intense and a huge undertaking but I've thoroughly enjoyed every moment and am now looking forward to completing the Case Studies and then the final exam!! 🌟 I'm a reseller for Photizo UK - LED Light Therapy Devices 🌟 But most of all, gaining the trust and working with these beautiful dogs!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Thank you so much for continued support, kind words and for trusting me with your amazing best friends!! Looking forward to a very exciting 2024!! HW Canine Massage

Happy New Year to all my fabulous clients!! Thank you so much for a truly wonderful year, I've absolutely loved working with you and your incredible dogs!! 🥰🤗🥰 Thank you also to the amazing therapists I've met these last few years! You guys are an inspiration and thanks for all your help and support!! 🙏🏻 Wishing you all a fabulous and successful 2024! 🎆🎊🎊

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