My dog Bea

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks supporting Bea my dog who has had a crisis of confidence. She has always been shy around other boisterous dogs but generally copes well with a little support from me. She used to bolt if they were to full on but I quickly showed her that coming to stand by me was a much better idea as I can protect her whist showing her that the other dog was quite friendly and just wanted to say hello. Recently there has been a couple of, what I thought, were minor incidents which she would normally shake off quickly but she took to not wanting to pass other dogs and when they came nearer bolting away from me and them. This was unusual but not a huge problem as I went back to basics with her, using a body wrap for confidence, doing ttouches on her in the park and taking care not to put her in overwhelming situations. In short I wanted to build her confidence up again slowly. At a round the same time I noticed when sitting she was throwing her right hind leg out to the side at a weird angle, some thing she never did. Claire Shepherd my canine osteopath was due to see her this week so I was keen to get to the bottom of this. Bea was also slower to climb the stairs and jump into the car. As posture and behaviour are linked the light bulb came on in my head as to why she was acting out of character. Sure enough her right hip was stuck. The very next day her behaviour towards approaching dogs began to improve. With the osteopathy and continued support with Tellington TTouch the situation can only get better. A play date with friends Monty, Leah and Mandy also helped. It amazes me how discomfort in the body can influence our perception of the world. Unfortunately so many dogs go through life in discomfort and get labelled as difficult. Many of my clients get blocked by vets when I suggest they visit an osteopath or chiropractor but instead suggest they see a behaviourist. Be brave people, if you think there is something amiss fight for your dog’s right to be pain free.