About Us
Combining over a decade of experience in human wellness with certifications in canine fitness and gait analysis, I help dogs and their owners lead healthier, stronger lives. From Dynamic Dog Assessments to tailored training plans, I provide expert support to improve mobility, prevent injuries, and build strength. My services include:
Dynamic Dog Assessments: Uncover movement issues and hidden pain.
Tailored Training Plans: Bespoke programs for fitness and recovery.
Online Dog Fitness Courses: Learn at your own pace for flexibility with expert guidance.
Yoga, Somatic Movement and Guided Relaxations: Find balance, strength, and pain relief.
I’m here to share what I’ve learned to help you and your dog thrive—because a strong, happy dog starts with understanding their needs.
Our Story
Over 10 years ago, I ‘slipped a disc’ in my lower back for the first time after running the London Marathon (in 4 hrs 11 mins, which I’m still proud of). I was the fittest I had ever been and suddenly became crippled by pain. Watching all my hard work melt away was devastating, but with a degree in Biochemistry, I was never one to just accept things. I needed to do my own research, which ignited my interest in pain, health, and wellness in humans. Then, 9 years ago, when I got Mabel, my first mini wire dachshund, this journey began to transfer over to dogs, as Mabel has thrown almost every issue she could think of at me.
Over the years, I have accumulated many yoga qualifications, diving deep into biomechanics, anatomy, and hypermobility, all to try and improve the chronic pain that I’ve had but also to find that sweet spot that helps to prevent a slipped disc again.
In 2020, Mabel ‘slipped a disc,’ which is sadly very common in dachshunds. I was devastated, not understanding how it could have happened—I thought I had been so careful. However, I followed all the rehab plans I was given, and within 6 months, she was signed off. A year later, I came across canine fitness. When getting our videos together, it turned out that she could not hold a stand for more than 1 second and could barely get up from a square down into a square stand (should I say here… something like, more about this later?). It became very clear that although she had been signed off, she was not strong in any way, and this would increase her chances of having another back problem later down the line.
Over the next 4 years, I deep-dived into building her strength and understanding more about fitness, a dog’s movement (gait), and how it relates to their behavior (as she had also become reactive since her back pain). I then discovered that she also had hip dysplasia. She had been hopping long before her disc slipped, but it had been dismissed many times. This then led me to becoming certified in canine fitness.
Once I was certified, I realized that I needed to be better at studying a dog’s gait, as I didn’t want to be providing fitness plans if there was a potential underlying problem as well. With Mabel’s hip dysplasia, I had learned how important it is to know exactly what is going on so that you can create the best multimodal plan for your dog.
In 2024, I became qualified as a Dynamic Dog Assessment Practitioner, and during this course, having already had a suspicion that Myrtle (my younger dachshund) was in pain, I created a report with video footage and marked-up photos to have this investigated. Unfortunately, the severity and causes of her pain weren’t understood in time, and she ended up having a back operation as well. However, this time, her recovery was very different from Mabel’s.
I had already been doing some fitness with Myrtle, so she knew how to do all the exercises prescribed. I also knew exactly what I needed to do and how they should look, so the speed at which Myrtle began to recover amazed everyone in her rehabilitation team. This was a pivotal point in understanding how important canine fitness is for dogs.
I would like to share our journey and all that I have (and will continue to) learn to help improve the lives of dogs and, therefore, their owners, as the journey of rehab is a really hard and long process for both.