Four Borders Canine Massage Therapy

09/07/2025

! Please do take the time to read this!

If you are interested in canine massage for your beloved dog, it’s so important to carefully research canine massage therapists, check that they have completed appropriate industry training and that their accreditation is valid and/or recognised. Your dog’s safety, comfort and welfare, is too important not too 🩷

As the Director of the Canine Massage Therapy Centre, Founder of the Canine Massage Guild and author of the 2 year Clinical Canine Massage Practitioner Programme as well as a specialist in this field for almost 20 years, I feel compelled to speak out about a growing concern in the industry.

The rise of quick massage courses, often delivered entirely online, is not just watering down standards, it’s putting dogs at risk as well as compromising the vulnerability of owners who are trying to do the right thing for their dog.

Many of the individuals teaching these courses have no real background in massage therapy themselves. Some offer certificates after just a few hours or days of theory, with no hands-on supervision, no case studies, and no assessments of clinical competency. Yet graduates are encouraged to call themselves "canine massage therapists" and can as its an unprotected title.

This means that:
• There are people working on dogs with no real understanding of anatomy, pathology, or safe techniques
• Students are being let loose on vulnerable dogs and owners without ever having been supervised in training or technique competency
• Owners are trusting their beloved dogs to therapists whose only experience may be watching a video
I’ve even come across individuals advertising massage services after just half a day of training or doing a day or 2 days training as part of another course.

This is not just disappointing, it’s dangerous and I am personally disgusted at the fraudsters who deliver these courses and at those who go on to call themselves therapists and dupe owners into thinking they are providing a real service.

At the Canine Massage Therapy Centre, our course takes over two years to complete, with extensive practical training, tutor supervision, and real casework. We also provide online theory lectures, student support sessions and tutorials online and these in no way are a substitute for the real work that happens in the classroom We work to ensure that our graduates that go on to become Canine Massage Guild members are skilled, safe, and accountable because we believe that dogs deserve nothing less.
As a professional, I am deeply distressed at what is happening in this unregulated space, and I believe that dog owners deserve transparency, not marketing fluff from so called ‘therapists’ who can’t recognise or assess for a muscular issue let alone treat one despite their fraudulent claims.

It should be about this point that most would expect I say sorry for this. I’m not sorry. If anything I think its about time I start speaking more about this. I can only be responsible for the therapists I and my team train but at the least its time to start making owners and other canine professionals and vets aware that not all massage courses and therapists have the same training.

I always say I’m a dog owner/guardian first and a professional second, so to all the dog owners out there I urge you to check your therapists credentials, ask how long they trained for, who with and in what disciplines, ask to see their certificate of pass and importantly ask to see their insurance. Don’t just jump in with the first person who says they are a therapist because it may be they are about to take your money and put your dog at risk.
People are now jumping on the canine massage bandwagon, students and so called trainers alike because they think it’s a fast and quick buck. Its not. Its hard work that comes with it a vast amount of responsibility to the dogs, owners, vets and other paraprofessionals we work with and from the side of a trainer, to the students we teach who’s lives we influence.

Time to start calling it out.

Find a real therapist who has trained with in person supervision, taken written and practical exams, has insurance and commits to CPD training by going to visit the Canine Massage Guild professional register.

09/07/2025

💕 I’ve just spent a very special couple of CPD days with The Canine Massage Therapy Centre, and my lovely girl border collie, being taught the next set of Protocols which can be added to my toolbox! 💕

This was ‘Ventral Aspect’ - targeted direct myofascial release techniques, which focus on the superficial Neck muscles, down through the Super Pectorals and Deep Pectorals, across the Rib Cage, over the Diaphragm, the Abdominals and the Adductor muscles.

Amongst so many other benefits, these Protocols also help improve comfort levels for those dogs who :

🦮 may have slipped and caused injury

🦮 have been spayed/have scar tissue

🦮 suffer with anxiety (think of the phrase ‘knot in your tummy’!)

🦮 experience digestive problems such as Pancreatitis

🦮 have Hip Dysplasia, or Cruciate Ligament issues

🦮 have Stifle or Hock dysfunction

🦮 have experienced collar, or neck bite trauma

🦮 are sporting dogs, such as (examples), Agility or Flyball

I’m really looking forward to introducing these into the Four Borders Clinic! I think Solar’s relaxed demeanor shows how much she not only enjoyed, but also clearly needed, some of these releases 😍

Images taken by colleague and used with their permission

19/06/2025

⚠️ So very, very important for our dogs of course….but also ALL of our beloved pets…

🥵 Remember! Heatstroke can be FATAL…🥵

🌞 IF IN DOUBT, DO NOT GO OUT! 🐾

With this week’s hot weather (and more on the way), we cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your pets COOL and safe.

Heatstroke can be FATAL. Sometimes, it’s best not to walk your dog at all.

KEEPING YOUR DOG SAFE IN THE HEAT:

🕶 Shade — Make sure they always have access to it
💧 Water — Bring plenty on walks (for both of you!)
⏰ Walk early morning or late evening only
🔥🖐 Check the pavement — Too hot for your hand = too hot for paws
🚗⛔ NEVER leave dogs in cars, even with windows open
🧊 Cooling mats can help at home
🍦 Freeze a stuffed Kong — a fun, cooling treat!

🐰 OTHER PETS MATTER TOO!

Rabbits and small animals suffer in direct sunlight.
➡️ Move them into shaded areas
➡️ Make sure they have fresh, cool water at all times!

🚨 SIGNS OF HEATSTROKE IN PETS:

⚠️ Heavy panting
⚠️ Lethargy
⚠️ Fast heart rate
⚠️ Vomiting or diarrhoea
⚠️ Weakness or collapse
⚠️ Seizures

❗ If you notice any of these, get veterinary help immediately.

Let’s keep our furry friends cool, safe, and happy this summer! 💛🐶🐾

16/06/2025

🤎 A home visit for this gorgeous boy, Kalvin.

😔 His super vigilant young owner had noticed a change in Kalvin’s mood, where he ‘just didn’t seem himself’. He was presenting some intermittant lameness, and was no longer interested in his daily walks. Having had him vet checked, it was possible this could be muscular related.

🤕 Imagine going for a daily walk if you had frequent muscular pain. Or you had a niggling intermittant muscular pain, that was affecting your posture, in turn, causing muscular overcompensation.

💪 For example if your Gluteal muscles, or Hamstring muscles are working extra hard to compensate for a painful soft tissue injury, activity would be tiring and uncomfortable, which could affect your mood, and your usual enjoyment of exercise.

💗 This is where massage can help our beloved dogs to enjoy their walks again!

👌 Having identified discomfort in Kalvin’s Lumbar Sacral region, in his shoulder and Hamstrings, he then enjoyed a targeted massage, using key protocols taught by The Lenton Method ™️ through the Canine Massage Guild. Kalvin’s lovely, much needed, long stretch afterwards was so good to see!

✍️ A follow up message from his owner said Kalvin had ‘regained his pace’ and was ‘walking more upright’ and just seemed much happier.

This is the start of a possible few maintenance sessions just to help him find the enthusiasm for those walks again and to start to repair scar tissue, break down adhesions, and build muscle tone.

Remember, our dogs can’t tell us they are hurting, and will often mask pain to a degree. But they can show us in subtle ways - in some of their behaviour changes, their demeanor, and of course their gait. Look very closely the next time you walk out that door together 🐕

See you soon, dear Kalvin 💙

Image taken by Owner and used with kind permission.

12/06/2025

🍀 Four Borders would like to wish this very special little boy and his owner Armorel so much luck 🍀

Super Teddy, leaves for Switzerland this week to compete in the IFCS World Agility 2025 Championships!!

He’s going to be very busy with six competition runs in just four days!

🐾 Individual Biathlon
🐾 Pentatholon
🐾 Agility
🐾 Jumping
🐾 ‘Snooker’
🐾 ‘Gamblers’

He enjoyed his pre-competition maintenance full massage session last week, and then had a follow up muscular health check just a couple of days ago. Along with other modalities to help him feeling in tip top condition, this boy is ready to GO!

Wishing you so much luck little man. 🚀 Go and have a blast Super-Ted 🚀

11/06/2025

I’m so fortunate to be able to work from my own carefully designed Clinic, and most of my clients visit for their massage sessions - and their dogs enjoy the quiet time, and importantly quiet, uninterrupted space.

There are times though, when it is best for me to do home visits, either because that is right for the dog, or for their owner.

🚗 Transport may be an issue.

🤕 You may have your own injury or condition that prevents you from easily getting to the Clinic.

🐾 Perhaps your dog doesn’t travel well, suffers with sickness, or had a traumatic experience when travelling in a vehicle.

🐕 Your dog may just feel safer and more comfortable in their own environment.

Please do ask, if you are unable to get to the Clinic. If there are special circumstances, I’m always happy to discuss logistics. It is SO so important that our wonderful dogs don’t miss out on the benefits of massage, just because of circumstance.

Today I travelled to see two truly wonderful girls, as their owner is currently unable to drive due to injury. And it was imperative to the owner that these girls were able to have their massage session as planned.

I absolutely love my chosen path of helping dogs feel more comfortable through massage. Every single dog that I see each day, makes me smile. How incredibly lucky am I?! 🩷

03/06/2025

🩷 😇 Meet sweet Angel 😇🩷

This wonderful girl who is not quite yet 2 years old, visited the Clinic today just to say ‘hi’ and familiarise herself with the environment.

Having had a very tough and sad start to her young life, with little human contact, it’s vitally important we take our time getting to know one another.

The most gentle and kind soul, she was happy for me to place one hand, and use a few careful effleurage movements, but without rushing her. This was always done with Angel’s permission and she was given the choice and space to move away if she wanted too.

Once Angel is happy to accept massage, she will benefit not only on a Physiological level, but also importantly on a Physcological level where massage can :

🩷 Enhance and aid sleep patterns
🩷 Reduce stress and anxiety levels
🩷 Calm and relax
🩷 Raise endorphine levels to help promote a happy mood

I’m so looking forward to seeing this special girl and her wonderful owner again very soon.

Images used with kind permission of owner.

27/05/2025

Water 💦 And there’s a lot of it in the forecast today!

But ‘water’ about (!) water and muscles? We all understand that water hydrates and is beneficial to (us and!) our dogs, and quenches thirst - but what are the other benefits?

💦 Water removes toxin build up

💦 Water is essential for cellular processes, including protein synthesis - the production of new proteins. This is !vital! for muscle repair and growth.

💦 Water can build muscle strength.

💦 Water improves functional capacity within the muscle.

💦 Hydration protects muscles by keeping cartilage in the joints flexible, soft, and pliable.

💦 Did you know, that muscle water content in animal organs and tissue ranges from 72% - 78%? That’s a high percentage!

💪Canine Massage and water, can go hand in paw to help your dog feel more comfortable, increase energy levels, and promote muscle flexibility, overall range of movement and wellbeing.

Massage also helps to clear the circulatory pathways, pushing toxins and metabolic waste into the system. So, water, following a clinical canine massage session helps to eliminate this waste.

🐕 If your dog doesn’t really enjoy water, there are many safe, tasty products on the market in liquid and powder form, that you can add to your dogs drinking water to encourage them to drink. (Please research carefully, and, importantly if you have concerns that your dog isn’t drinking enough, or too much, please do contact your Vet).

Please always make sure your dog has access to plenty of fresh and refreshed drinking water both indoors and outside. (Not just when it is warmer in the summer months). Imagine if you were thirsty and that cool refreshing drink was just out of reach behind that closed door!

Image : fresh water bowls for Four Borders Canine Massage clients.

20/05/2025

❤️ Today is National Rescue Dog Day! And I’m remembering our very, very special border collie, Harry, who brought so much joy to our lives every single day. I can only hope we made him as happy as he made us.

NRDD was established in 2018 to celebrate and honour our rescue dogs and their journeys of success and happiness. Harry progessed to ‘Gold’ in Obedience at the age of two, and his favourite part of the day was to meet the postman at the end of the road, to collect our letters and bring them back to us 🥰 He was my soulmate.

This important day was founded by Lisa Wiejebrink, and helps to raise awareness for those dogs still waiting for their forever homes.

Lets celebrate those amazing rescue dogs still with us, and remember the special ones who are carried in our hearts every day. Please feel free to share photos in the comments ☺️

19/05/2025

💪 Gorgeous George 💪

This wonderful boy has regular maintenance massage, and today I also worked with his forelimb Flexor muscles.

Flexors are responsible for bending and flexing the dogs joints. Flexors = Flexing! 💪🏻 Think about clenching that fist and how that feels!

You’ll see these important muscles clearly on the diagram below - they sit behind the Extensor muscles in the dog’s upper forelimb.

Canine Massage Guild therapists are taught a unique Flexor release protocol which allows the therapist to assess the tissue, and has a number of targeted stages to help :

✅ Improve comfort in the Forelimb

✅ Increase overall range of movement

✅ Improve the Fascia function

And…this particular release technique is also :

✅ Especially good for sporting dogs and active dogs, but, all dogs may and can, benefit

🦁 George has a younger, same breed, dog in the household, and their playtime consists of a lot of jumping up, and ‘bouncing’…and they weigh over 70 kilos each! That’s a lot of weight being transfered through those Flexors!!!

I think you really enjoyed your session today, George - you slept the whole time! I can’t wait to see you for your next maintenance session again soon 🧡

Image 1 : George - used with kind permission of owner

Image 2 : Canine Superficial Muscles (Canine Anatomy 3D App)

16/05/2025

🍀🍀 🍀 💕 GOOD LUCK 💕 🍀🍀🍀

Little Fidget, laying perfectly still for her pre-WAO (World Agility Championships) canine massage.

As you can see, training and competing puts a huge demand on our dogs body and it’s really important that Fidget enjoys regular maintenance sessions to ensure she is comfortable, and has full range of movement, to be able to compete at these top agility levels.

Please wish her and her owner Isabella, all the luck too! Go little Fidget!

Images supplied by, and used with permission of Fidget’s owner.

02/05/2025

🩷 What a Lottie fun she’s having!🩷

So, so thrilled to receive these photos from Lottie’s owner of her gorgeous girl enjoying her holiday. Simple images perhaps, but a photo tells a thousand words?!

Lottie has been having maintenance massage sessions for a while now. She had suffered trauma, and as a result, had multiple areas of scar tissue, myofascial pain, muscular overcompensation, Gluteal and back strains, trigger points and bound fascia in her Flexors.

She would present her discomfort and pain through intermittant lameness, a change to her tail carriage and her owner reported there were also changes in Lottie’s behaviour - she would seem so sad in the early days of her treatment. She lacked interest in going for walks, and avoided touch. Her Owner was desperate for Lottie to regain her quality of life and have fun like she did before.

Over time, using gentle, but targeted, and unique Canine Massage Guild techniques, protocols and helping to remodel scar tissue, to address not only the key areas, but also other areas of compensation, Lottie is now her old self, with an improved range of movement and gait. No longer lame, fully weight bearing, and importantly, very happy, this girl is absolutely loving her walks again!

Good girl Lottie! I just love to see you back out and about and enjoying yourself so much. Everyone deserves a holiday! 💕

Images provided by, and used with permission of, Owner.