Fay Talbot Canine Myotherapy & Performance

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Fay Talbot Canine Myotherapy & Performance I am a Galen Canine Myotherapist, Licensed Canine Conditioning Coach and Canine Rehabilitation Therapist working in the Dorking area. I am fully insured.

YOUR DOG’S MOBILITY MAY BE DECLINING… AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN NOTICE UNTIL THEY START LIMPING!The truth is, changes in yo...
22/10/2026

YOUR DOG’S MOBILITY MAY BE DECLINING… AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN NOTICE UNTIL THEY START LIMPING!
The truth is, changes in your dog’s mobility can happen so gradually that they become part of everyday life. You adapt without even realising it, and your dog learns to compensate.
Until one day… they start limping. 🚩
But mobility problems don’t usually begin with an obvious limp. There can be subtle changes long before you see one.
Have you noticed your dog:
🐕 Taking longer to get up after resting?
🐕 Hesitating before jumping into the car or onto the sofa?
🐕 Slowing down on walks or falling behind?
🐕 Struggling with stairs?
🐕 Sitting differently, shifting their weight or standing unevenly?
🐕 Becoming less playful or reluctant to do things they previously enjoyed?
🐕 Developing stiffness after exercise or first thing in the morning?
These small changes can be easy to dismiss, but they may indicate discomfort……..
Why does this happen?
Dogs are incredibly good at adapting. When one area of the body becomes uncomfortable or isn't functioning as well, they may redistribute their weight and alter how they move to compensate.
Over time, this can place additional demands on other muscles and soft tissues, potentially contributing to further tension, reduced mobility and discomfort.
By the time a visible limp appears, changes may have been developing for weeks or even months.
So, what can you do?
✅ Pay attention to subtle changes in how your dog moves, rests and plays.
✅ Don't automatically assume stiffness or slowing down is simply part of ageing.
✅ Seek veterinary advice if you notice a change in mobility, discomfort or gait. A limp should never be ignored.
✅ Consider how appropriate canine conditioning and myofascial release may support muscle function, movement and comfort, alongside veterinary care where indicated.
Don't wait for the limp. Learn to recognise the little changes before they become big ones.
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

🐾 Can too much rest make your stiff dog even stiffer?When your dog is stiff, sore or reluctant to move, your first insti...
19/10/2026

🐾 Can too much rest make your stiff dog even stiffer?
When your dog is stiff, sore or reluctant to move, your first instinct might be to let them rest as much as possible. And whilst rest is important, too much inactivity can sometimes make stiffness worse.
💡 Why does movement matter?
When dogs spend prolonged periods being inactive, several things can happen:
🔸 Increased stiffness – joints and soft tissues can become less comfortable after periods of inactivity, particularly after lying down or sleeping.
🔸 Muscle loss – without regular, appropriate movement, muscles can weaken and lose condition. This can make it harder for your dog to support their joints and maintain stability.
🔸 Don’t forget to consider that your dog may need pain relief too!
So, should you stop letting your dog rest?
Absolutely not! Rest and sleep are essential. The key is finding the right balance between rest and appropriate, controlled movement.
Depending on your dog's individual needs, this might include:
✔️ Short, regular walks rather than one long walk.
✔️ Making the home environment safer with non-slip flooring and limiting unnecessary jumping.
✔️ Seeking veterinary advice to investigate the cause of persistent stiffness or pain.
🐾 How can myofascial release and canine conditioning help?
As a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Licensed Coach, I can help support your dog's musculoskeletal comfort, mobility and functional strength through consent-based myofascial release and individually tailored conditioning exercises, working alongside your veterinary team.
If your dog is becoming stiffer, struggling to get up after resting or finding everyday activities more difficult, don't simply assume it's old age. Speak to your veterinary surgeon to investigate the cause.
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

🐾 AGILITY DOGS OF DORKING: IS YOUR DOG’S BODY READY FOR THE COURSE? 🐾📍 Canine Conditioning in DorkingAgility is an incre...
16/10/2026

🐾 AGILITY DOGS OF DORKING: IS YOUR DOG’S BODY READY FOR THE COURSE? 🐾
📍 Canine Conditioning in Dorking
Agility is an incredible sport, but it places significant physical demands on your dog’s body. From tight turns and rapid acceleration to jumping, landing and weaving, your dog needs more than speed and enthusiasm to perform at their best!
🐕 What are the benefits of canine conditioning?
✔️ Improved core strength – supporting postural stability and control during movement.
✔️ Better balance and proprioception – helping your dog understand where their body and limbs are in space.
✔️ Increased muscular strength – building the strength required for acceleration, jumping and controlled landings.
✔️ Improved body awareness – supporting coordination through weave poles, tight turns and technical sequences.
✔️ Support for injury prevention – helping to address physical weaknesses and imbalances that may increase injury risk.
✔️ Support for long-term soundness – developing physical foundations to help your dog cope with the demands of agility throughout their sporting career.
🐾 Every dog is an individual.
Whether you have a young dog building their foundations, a developing competition dog or an experienced agility dog, conditioning exercises should be tailored to their age, ability, physical needs and stage of training.
As a Canine Conditioning Academy Licensed Coach and Galen Myotherapist, I can help you support your dog’s musculoskeletal health through an individualised approach to canine conditioning, alongside myofascial release where appropriate.
📍 Based in Dorking, Surrey
Give your agility dog the physical foundations to move with strength, control and confidence!
📩 Get in touch to discuss how 1:1 canine conditioning could benefit your dog.
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged
Photo credit to Murilo Viviani / Unsplash

🐾 How Can I Help Your Dog Recover Following TPLO Surgery? 🐾 Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) is a common surgic...
14/10/2026

🐾 How Can I Help Your Dog Recover Following TPLO Surgery? 🐾
Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy (TPLO) is a common surgical procedure used to manage cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease in dogs. Although surgery addresses the instability within the stifle (knee) joint, your dog still needs a carefully managed rehabilitation programme to support their recovery and return to functional movement.
So, how can Canine Myofascial release and functional exercises help?
✨ Reduce muscular tension
Following surgery, changes in weight-bearing and movement can lead to compensatory muscle tension throughout the body. Myotherapy can help address these areas as your dog progresses through rehabilitation.
✨ Address compensatory movement patterns
Your dog may alter how they stand, walk and distribute their weight to protect the operated limb. These adaptations can place additional demands on other muscle groups, including the thoracic limbs, back and opposite pelvic limb.
✨ Improve strength and stability
When your veterinary surgeon and rehabilitation team consider it appropriate, a tailored canine conditioning programme can help rebuild strength, improve postural control and develop the core and deep postural muscles needed for functional movement as they return to normal activity.
✨ Support the whole dog
Rehabilitation isn't just about the operated leg. We need to consider the whole musculoskeletal system, their home environment and how they move during everyday activities.
🐾 Important: Every dog's recovery is different. What I do is complementary to veterinary-led rehabilitation, not a replacement for it. Treatment and exercise must be appropriate to the stage of healing, with veterinary surgeon consent and clearance before treatment.
Has your dog undergone TPLO surgery, or are they preparing for their rehabilitation journey?
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

🐾 WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR DOG’S FIRST MYOFASCIAL RELEASE APPOINTMENT 🐾Wondering what happens during your dog’s first appo...
12/10/2026

🐾 WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR DOG’S FIRST MYOFASCIAL RELEASE APPOINTMENT 🐾
Wondering what happens during your dog’s first appointment?
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Your first appointment lasts approximately one hour. Before you arrive, I will have received a referral from your dog’s veterinary surgeon and reviewed their medical history.
I’ll also ask you to complete a Galen Comfort Scale and send me specific photos and videos of your dog at home. This helps me understand how your dog moves and behaves in their familiar environment.
In fact, the gait and postural assessment begins before your dog even walks through the door!
ARRIVING AT THE TREATMENT ROOM
Once we’re in the treatment room, I’ll usually invite you to let your dog off the lead (where safe and appropriate) so they can have a sniff around and familiarise themselves with their surroundings.
We’ll begin by talking about your dog’s behaviour, mobility, lifestyle and home environment. All these details help me build a bigger picture of your dog’s individual needs.
TIME FOR TREATMENT
Now for the hands-on part!
Every dog is different, so treatment will look different for each individual. I work at your dog’s pace, allowing them time to settle and build trust, particularly if they are nervous or worried about being touched.
There is no pressure to rush. Your dog’s comfort, confidence and choice are central to the process.
FINISHING WITH A PLAN
At the end of the appointment, we’ll discuss my findings and I’ll answer any questions you may have.
Together, we’ll make a plan tailored to your dog, which may include:
🐾 Rest and exercise recommendations
🐾 Home environment adaptations
🐾 Advice on supporting mobility and comfort
🐾 Functional exercises to support muscle recruitment
🐾 Further veterinary investigation if needed before proceeding with treatment
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

Autumn vibes ❤️
10/10/2026

Autumn vibes ❤️

Behaviour changes at the start of chronic pain, it is up to you to notice it, but it is easily missed! Things to look ou...
20/09/2026

Behaviour changes at the start of chronic pain, it is up to you to notice it, but it is easily missed!
Things to look out for:
• Becoming quieter or less interactive
• Sleeping more or appearing unusually tired
• Becoming reluctant to get up from their bed
• No longer greeting you with the same enthusiasm
• Becoming less interested in walks or play
• Taking longer to settle or appearing restless
• Becoming irritable or less tolerant of other dogs or people
• Avoiding being touched or groomed
• Becoming clingier or seeking more reassurance
• Hiding away or choosing to spend more time alone
• Changes in appetite or eating habits
• Reluctance to use stairs, jump into the car or get onto furniture
• Changes in posture, movement or the way they sit and lie down
💡 The important thing is the change.
You know your dog better than anyone. If their behaviour is gradually becoming different from what is normal for them, don't simply put it down to age, stubbornness or them being "lazy".
Chronic pain can develop gradually, and dogs are exceptionally good at adapting and compensating.
By the time an obvious physical sign appears, they may have been uncomfortable for some time.
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

🐾Sergeant King🐾❤😍❤😍I am so proud of him! His searching is incredible, indication without eating it is 99% 🤣, but his en...
19/09/2026

🐾Sergeant King🐾❤😍❤😍
I am so proud of him! His searching is incredible, indication without eating it is 99% 🤣, but his enthusiasm for work is 200%. This dog is my world ❤❤ ###
Massive thank you to Julia Bouwmeester

🐾 1-2-1 CANINE CONDITIONING FOR AGILITY DOGS NEAR DORKING🐾Agility is fast, explosive and physically demanding. Every jum...
18/09/2026

🐾 1-2-1 CANINE CONDITIONING FOR AGILITY DOGS NEAR DORKING🐾
Agility is fast, explosive and physically demanding. Every jump, turn, contact and change of direction places significant demands on your dog’s musculoskeletal system.
So, is simply practising agility enough to keep your dog physically prepared?
Not necessarily.......
💪 Benefits of conditioning for agility dogs:
🔹 Improves core strength
A strong core helps your dog stabilise their spine and pelvis, particularly during jumping, landing and rapid changes of direction.
🔹 Develops strength and muscular endurance
Conditioning can help build the strength required to repeatedly perform demanding movements without excessive fatigue.
🔹 Improves proprioception and body awareness
Your dog learns where their limbs and body are in space, helping with foot placement, balance and coordination.
🔹 Supports joint stability
Targeted strengthening can help the muscles surrounding the joints provide better support during dynamic movement.
🔹 Improves balance and coordination
Essential for navigating equipment, tight turns, contacts and complex sequences accurately.
🔹 Helps with acceleration and deceleration
Agility isn't just about going fast. your dog must also be able to safely control their speed and stop or change direction efficiently.
🔹 Can help reduce injury risk
A well-conditioned dog is better physically prepared for the demands placed upon them. Conditioning should complement appropriate veterinary care and a suitable training programme.
🔹 Supports performance and longevity
Every dog is an individual, and their conditioning programme should take into account their age, breed, conformation, current fitness, training level and any previous injuries or veterinary diagnoses.
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

I tune in to your dog and respond to their cues as I am treating them. This is really important to build their trust in...
17/09/2026

I tune in to your dog and respond to their cues as I am treating them. This is really important to build their trust in me and promote relaxation. The slightest ear twitch, paw lift, or eye contact all mean something that needs to be acknowledged to keep the conversation going.
Reactive and anxious dogs are welcome at my clinic, we take the time it takes!
💡DM me to book in or have a chat about your dog
🐾Clinic based near Dorking, Surrey
🏠Home visits in local area can also be arranged

Address

Surrey Hills Business Park, Sheephouse Lane, Wotton
Dorking
RH56QT

Telephone

+447920428411

Website

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