Understand Animals

30/05/2026

Just finished presenting at the online pain and behaviour symposium hosted in Portugal where I was privileged to talk about the impact of gastrointestinal issues and pain.

I also did a deep dive into GI health in behaviour cases as part of Dr Jahn’s Trinity Vet Behaviour Case Collective on Thursday night where I explored a complex canine coprophagia case.

Some great questions at the end of both too. It’s so wonderful to see how far we have come in considering gut health as part of behaviour issues and overall wellbeing ❤️

23/05/2026

As I sit today preparing a one day workshop on veterinary considerations in equine enrichment and scent work as part of an in person event in the Netherlands next month, this is a timely read regards reconsidering practical equine welfare and wellbeing

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1P2nva8E99/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/05/2026

“Beyond individual training, clinic policies, appointment structures, staffing, leadership priorities, and owner expectations all influence how dogs are handled.
Involving stakeholders such as veterinarians, technicians, clinic managers, professional bodies, and dog owners in co-developing realistic protocols may support more sustainable change.
The findings of this study also point to a bidirectional relationship between dog handling and clinician well-being: using stress-reducing approaches may promote better clinical care and compassion satisfaction, whereas compassion fatigue can diminish patience and consistency in handling.”

Almost everyone involved in animal care can help support changes towards more empathetic handling and treatment approaches, which may help reduce compassion fatigue in veterinary staff where senior leaders and the animal owning community are also invested.

I have been privileged to be involved in the writing of a new book supporting this approach which will hopefully be published next year.

This statement comes from the conclusion of a recently published paper and I hope, reflects a continued changing tide in our approach to animal health care.

Photo shows a French Bulldog climbing in to my toy box to select a toy during a recent vet consultation ❤️

Nakonechny L, Schroeder K and Stellato AC (2026) In their own words: qualitative interviews with veterinarians on handling decisions during dog examinations. Front. Vet. Sci. 13:1761014. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1761014

24/04/2026

Such a wonderful idea by Galen myotherapy to open up the discussion around the dogs who shaped us
We walk in their paw prints

Timely too with the chronic pain symposium beginning today

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18EEuSg4uk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

21/04/2026

So much has changed in the almost 26 years since I started behaviour consultations ... really looking forward to a spot of reflection and what we have learnt that really helps us to help dogs and their people in this 2 part series for Grisha Stewart Academy in July
(Title inspired by my son who loves the guitar and may have a favourite band .... )

You can use the code amber10 at check out to grab a discount :))

Why do dogs bite? What helps us to find out the reasons? What has been learnt of ways the behaviour professional can help the dog and those around them? What does the future look like?

19/04/2026

Spring has most definitely sprung here in England
Grass and other plants are in rapid growth so for us, it’s time to move the ponies off their winter grazing and onto a more restricted intake.
We use non grass areas and grass areas which are limited by track access, enrichment zones and patch working (placing non edible surfaces on parts of grazing that can be walked over eg carpet or bark chips to suppress growth)
We change the positions of our tracks and paddocks every 1-2 years to minimise soil compression so yesterday was new set up day.
Ponies seem relaxed and engaged on a sunny morning on “summer side” today with a couple of new visual features (rainbow spinner and reflective hanging twizzlers) and nice to see the Himalayan salt block which is always available, in good use too.
Lots of choices and opportunities.

15/04/2026

Involved in shelter / rescue in any way?
This may be of interest- looks brilliant

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HLCJWsVtx/?mibextid=wwXIfr

What if reactivity in shelter dogs isn’t something to “fix,” but something to better understand and respond to?

Join us for a special Lawless Off Leash webinar, “Reactive Dog Strategies for the Shelter Environment,” featuring Tom Candy, Jessica Wheatcraft, and hosted by me, Laurie Lawless of Shelter Behavior Integrations.

📅 Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST via Zoom

This unique panel-style conversation brings together three experienced voices in shelter behavior to share their favorite, most effective strategies for working with reactive dogs in real-world shelter settings. Drawing from their combined experience across organizations, roles, and case types, Tom, Jessica, and I will explore what actually helps dogs who are struggling and how shelters can respond in ways that improve both welfare and outcomes.

Register for free at laurielawless.com/lawless-off-leash

If you can’t make it or just want to listen to your favorite insight again - replays will be available for purchase just a few days later 🐶

14/04/2026

Getting to the guts of behaviour …..

I recently recorded this episode with Dr Katrin Jahn as part of her Veterinary Behaviour Chat podcast

We hope you enjoy it!!!

Podcast Episode · Veterinary Behaviour Chat · 13 April · 1hr

13/04/2026

There are now less than two weeks to go until the Chronic Pain Symposium…. Have you got your tickets?
Bite size Friday looks fantastic …. (Along with the other 2 days of course !)
Suitable for vet and non vet professionals as well as dog caregivers ….. how can we best support dogs who have chronic pain or osteoarthritis?

Looking forward to my presentations and then joining Dr Katrin Jahn and Bobbie Bhambree for a live, interactive discussion

https://www.chronicpainsymposium.co.uk/