Canine Behaviour and Physio Clinic

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Canine Behaviour and Physio Clinic Canine Behaviour and Physio Clinic (CBPC) is owned by Caitlin Boyd.

Caitlin has a BSc (Hons) in Bio-Veterinary Sciences, a Masters in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and is a veterinary physiotherapist

27/09/2026

I have just had the most amazing 4 days at Jimmy's farm and wildlife park. Educating Animals organised and ran the event and I cannot thank them enough.

My highlights were:
🐾 injection training racoons
🐾 crate training lemurs
🐾 target training turkeys
🐾 a webinar by the incredible Susan Friedman
🐾 very nerdy science discussions with all the other delegates and course tutors.

One of the people who attended made this montage with a very catchy song!

In May, I had the opportunity to complete a Level 3 Canine First Aid course with Canine First Aid Workshops - UK - Rache...
13/08/2026

In May, I had the opportunity to complete a Level 3 Canine First Aid course with Canine First Aid Workshops - UK - Rachel Bean RVN and my certificate has finally arrived! 🐾❤️

I learnt so much during the course and would highly recommend anyone who owns, works with or regularly looks after dogs to learn some basic first aid.

Hopefully we'll never need to use it, but knowing what to do in an emergency could make a huge difference while waiting for veterinary help.

Thank you Rachel for a really informative and practical course! 😊

Can you tell Luna's posture here is abnormal?! I will admit that this is an extreme postural deviation 🙈Over the last 2 ...
08/08/2026

Can you tell Luna's posture here is abnormal?! I will admit that this is an extreme postural deviation 🙈

Over the last 2 weeks I've shared some of the ways we can help our senior dogs stay comfortable, from hydrotherapy and home modifications to exercise, weight management and physiotherapy. ❤️🐾

But one of the most important things we can do is learn how to recognise when our dogs might be in pain.

Dogs are incredibly good at hiding discomfort, and the signs aren't always obvious. Sometimes pain shows itself through changes in behaviour, posture, movement or the things our dogs find difficult day-to-day.

Join me for my talk:

🐾 Recognising Pain in Our Dogs 🐾

📅 Monday 14th September
🕖 7:15pm
📍 Neuadd Ysceifiog Hall, Ysceifiog, Flintshire, CH8 8NJ
💷 £15
⏰ Approximately 1.5 hours, including time for questions

During this informative talk, we will learn how to become a "dog detective" and look for the clues our dogs give us.

We will cover:
🐾 What pain is and why it can be difficult to recognise.
🐾 Behavioural signs that may indicate pain.
🐾 Changes in posture and movement to look out for.
🐾 How we can reduce wear and tear on our dogs' bodies.
🐾 Practical steps we can take to support our dogs' comfort and mobility.

Whether you have a senior dog, a young dog, or simply want to better understand your canine companion, I would love to see you there.

Spaces are limited, so please book your place here:
https://buy.stripe.com/6oUcN5g5s9KygGXcm28so00

I look forward to seeing you there! 🐾

One of the best things we can do for our senior dogs is help them maintain a healthy body condition. ❤️🐾In people, resea...
06/08/2026

One of the best things we can do for our senior dogs is help them maintain a healthy body condition. ❤️🐾

In people, research has shown that for every pound of body weight lost, there's around a four-pound reduction in the load going through the knee with every step. Imagine how much difference that can make over the course of a day.

Carrying excess weight also increases inflammation within the body, and studies have shown that losing around 10% of body weight can help reduce pain and improve mobility.

Rather than focusing on the number on the scales, I prefer to look at Body Condition Score (BCS). It gives us a much better idea of whether a dog is carrying too much or too little body fat.
I've attached the Royal Canin Body Condition Score chart for medium dogs.

👀 Have a look at the pictures... what score would you give each dog? I promise I won't take offence if you call my dogs fat! 😂😂

If you're worried your dog is overweight or struggling to lose weight, have a chat with your vet. They can rule out any underlying medical conditions and help you put together a safe weight-loss plan if needed.

05/08/2026

Last week I shared a couple of posts about ways we can help keep our senior dogs more comfortable.
Today I want to talk about one of the most important things we can do for them; exercise.

If your dog has a medical condition, always speak to your vet team about what type and amount of exercise is appropriate for them.

We all know that exercise has lots of benefits:
🐾 Helps maintain healthy joints.
🐾 Prevents muscle loss.
🐾 Improves proprioception (your dog's awareness of where their body is).
🐾 Supports both physical and mental wellbeing.

One thing I hear quite often is, "They're getting older, so they've slowed down."
Whilst ageing itself isn't a disease, slowing down isn't something we should simply put down to old age. If your dog is becoming less active, doesn't want to walk as far, or seems reluctant to exercise, it's worth speaking to your vet. There is usually an underlying reason, and many of those reasons can be managed if they're identified early.

If your dog is diagnosed with a musculoskeletal condition, it's still important to keep them moving. That doesn't mean taking your arthritic dog on a three-hour hike! Instead, we need to think about exercise modification.

Interestingly, a study by Green et al. (2013) found that Labrador Retrievers with hip dysplasia that exercised for more than 60 minutes per day had lower lameness scores than dogs exercising for less than 20 minutes per day.

The key is that exercise should be appropriate for the individual dog. In many cases, little and often works much better than one long walk. For example, four 15-minute walks may be more beneficial than one hour-long walk, depending on your dog's condition.

There are a few other things to think about too:
🐾 Surface – Walking on unstable surfaces is much harder work. Think about how much more effort it takes to walk on soft sand compared to grass.
🐾 Hills – Walking up or down steep slopes places much more demand on the body than walking on flat ground. (There's a reason I don't choose to walk up mountains! 😂)
🐾 Weather – Frozen or very hard ground, slippery surfaces and cold weather can all make movement more uncomfortable for dogs with joint or spinal problems.

Every dog is an individual, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all exercise plan. Finding the right balance can make a huge difference to their comfort, mobility and quality of life.

Here's Luna and Loken enjoying some of their walks. They might not be as young as they once were, but keeping them active is one of the best things I can do to help them stay happy and comfortable. ❤️

Yesterday I shared how hydrotherapy has become an important part of Luna's treatment plan to help manage her IVDD and os...
29/07/2026

Yesterday I shared how hydrotherapy has become an important part of Luna's treatment plan to help manage her IVDD and osteoarthritis. Today, I want to talk about something that can make just as much difference to our dogs' comfort - their home environment.

One of the easiest ways we can reduce strain on our dogs' bodies is through environmental modification.

There are lots of things around the home that can put extra stress on joints, muscles and the spine. The biggest culprit? Slippery flooring.

I might upset a few people by saying this, but slippery floors really are the devil for our dogs' bodies! Even dogs with no diagnosed musculoskeletal problems have to work much harder to stay balanced, which places extra strain on their muscles and joints. For dogs with conditions like arthritis, IVDD or other orthopaedic issues, that extra strain can make a real difference to their comfort.

Another thing to think about is jumping on and off furniture. Repeated jumping increases the impact on joints and the spine, particularly as our dogs get older.

Here are some of the changes I've made in my own home to help Luna and Loken:
🐾 Dog stairs to help them get on and off the sofa.
🐾 A homemade ramp for getting on and off the bed.
🐾 Non-slip runners over slippery flooring.
🐾 Food and water bowls placed on non-slip surfaces.
🐾 Raised food bowls to reduce the need to bend down. (Just be aware that bowls raised too high may increase the risk of bloat in some dogs, so if you're unsure what's appropriate for your dog, have a chat with your vet.)

Small changes to our homes can have a big impact on our dogs' comfort and mobility, especially as they get older. Prevention is always easier than trying to fix a problem later.

What changes have you made around your home to help your dog?

28/07/2026

Luna turned 10 earlier this month, and it really hit me that she's now a senior dog. ❤️

Over the next week I'll be sharing some posts about the different things we can do to help our senior dogs stay comfortable and reduce the wear and tear on their bodies.

So, what did Luna get for her birthday?
Hydrotherapy sessions! Exactly what every dog dreams of... 😂

Luna has a diagnosis of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), which affects her spine, as well as osteoarthritis (OA) in both of her hind legs.

We already do physiotherapy together, and we've now added hydrotherapy into her treatment plan too.

The benefits of hydrotherapy include:
💦 Improving muscle strength without putting extra strain on the joints.
💦 Increasing range of motion and flexibility.
💦 Supporting weight management, which can reduce pressure on painful joints.
💦 Helping to reduce pain and improve comfort.

I couldn't leave Loken out! He has a diagnosis of idiopathic sciatic neuropathy, so he's started hydrotherapy too. He wasn't quite sure what the whole thing was about at first, but after three sessions he's doing really well! (Loken is second in the video.)

If your dog needs hydrotherapy for a medical condition, please make sure you see a qualified professional. At the moment, anyone can open a canine hydrotherapy pool, so it's important to choose someone who is properly trained and accredited.

Hydrotherapy accreditation bodies:

http://www.canine-hydrotherapy.org/
http://www.narch.org.uk/Home/index https://www.irvap.org.uk/institute-of-canine-hydrotherapists/

Yesterday, I posted a reel showing my dogs' emergency stop. If you would like a free handout on how to teach this exerci...
06/06/2026

Yesterday, I posted a reel showing my dogs' emergency stop.

If you would like a free handout on how to teach this exercise, comment STOP.

05/06/2026

The emergency stop 🚫

I’ve been practising the emergency stop with my two as a pair recently, and it’s such an important skill to have.

So, what is it?
You give a clear “stop” cue and your dog stays exactly where they are until you go back to them. They can hold a stand, sit, or down, it’s completely personal preference. For my two, as they both have musculoskeletal issues, I’m happy for them to remain standing to avoid asking for too many sits.

This skill is especially useful in real-life situations, for example, if your dog has run across a road and you don’t want to recall them back into danger, or if a bike or horse rider is approaching and calling them back would put them directly in the way.

In this video, you’ll see Luna creeping slightly towards me. Ideally, I’d like no more than two steps, but she likely took a few extra as she didn’t want to miss out as Loken was closer to me!

When working with multiple dogs, it’s really important to teach the behaviour individually first, and then gradually practise it together.

Our next step is building this skill around distractions, for example, moving towards a bowl of treats. I’ll start with them on lead to prevent them reaching the bowl, then gradually fade the lead out as they improve.

If you’re based in the Flintshire area and would like help with your dog, feel free to send me a message or email [email protected]

I am an Associate Clinical Animal Behaviourist Member, an APDT Accredited Dog Trainer (Membership No. 01481), and a qualified Veterinary Physiotherapist.

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Halkyn

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+447745380342

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