30/03/2026
Roman 💚
Swipe to see the difference.
When I first met Roman, he was living in a constant state of high arousal. Whining, lunging, unable to settle… and on paper? His mums were trying everything and have put so much love in to him — plenty of walks, play, fetch, activity.
But behaviour doesn’t exist in isolation.
After digging deeper, we found the missing piece: pain.
Roman was dealing with:
• Moderate hip dysplasia
• Bilateral elbow dysplasia
• Lumbar spondylosis
• Sacroiliac disease
• Arthritis in his front toes
That’s a lot for any dog to carry — physically and emotionally.
Instead of adding more stimulation, we changed direction:
• Proper pain management
• Physiotherapy & hydrotherapy
• Home adaptations
• Reduced physical intensity
• Calm, appropriate enrichment
• Diet adjustments
And most importantly — consistency and commitment from both his mums.
The result?
A dog who can walk on a loose lead, engage with his handler, and actually stop to sniff and process the world.
This isn’t just “better training.”
This is what happens when we address the full picture.
Health. Exposure. Activity. Learning.
Behaviour is communication — and sometimes it’s saying “I’m hurting.”
Couldn't be more grateful to for helping with his journey, for everything I've learned and of course for introducing me to such an amazing dog, and for both her and his other mum to be onboard and committed entirely.
If your dog feels “too much”, “over the top”, or “impossible to settle”… it’s always worth asking why 💭