Fay Talbot Canine Myotherapy & Performance

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.

Why “Just Throwing the Ball” Can Hurt Your DogWe often see kids innocently playing fetch with the family dog, and while ...
29/05/2026

Why “Just Throwing the Ball” Can Hurt Your Dog
We often see kids innocently playing fetch with the family dog, and while it looks like harmless fun, repetitive ball chasing is one of the most common causes of musculoskeletal strain in dogs.
Here’s why 👇
Sudden acceleration + hard braking
Dogs launch forward at full speed, then slam on the brakes to grab the ball. That repeated force stresses:
• shoulders
• wrists
• neck
• lower back
• hips and knees
Twisting and airborne catches
Jumping, spinning, and awkward landings increase the risk of:
• muscle tears
• iliopsoas injuries
• cruciate strain
• spinal irritation
• chronic compensation patterns
Kids often throw unpredictably
Balls bouncing sideways or too high force dogs into sharp directional changes their bodies aren’t conditioned for.
High drive dogs ignore pain
Many dogs will keep chasing long after fatigue sets in, even when micro-injuries are already occurring.
What to do instead ✔️
✅ Keep fetch sessions short
✅ Roll or throw low and straight
✅ Encourage sniffing and slower games between retrieves
✅ Use structured conditioning to build strength and resilience
✅ Teach kids that “more excitement” doesn’t always mean “healthy exercise”
The goal isn’t to stop dogs and kids having fun together, it’s to protect their bodies so they can keep playing comfortably for years to come.
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Dry beach sand creates one of the most demanding surfaces your dog can move on. Every step sinks, shifts, and slides, fo...
26/05/2026

Dry beach sand creates one of the most demanding surfaces your dog can move on. Every step sinks, shifts, and slides, forcing muscles, tendons, ligaments, and stabilising joints to work significantly harder than they would on firm ground.
For healthy, conditioned dogs, short sessions on dry sand can be excellent strength work. But for puppies, senior dogs, overweight dogs, deconditioned dogs, or dogs with existing orthopaedic issues, runs on soft sand can overload the body fast.
Common areas that take the strain:
• Toes and wrists
• Shoulders
• Lower back
• Hips and stifles
• Core stabilisers
Signs your dog may be overdoing it:
• Slowing down suddenly
• Bunny hopping
• Excessive panting early into exercise
• Stiffness later that day or the next morning
• Reluctance to jump into the car afterwards
Wet, compact sand near the shoreline is far less demanding than deep dry sand higher up the beach.
Conditioning matters. Just because a dog is excited enough to keep running doesn’t mean their musculoskeletal system is coping well with the load. Adrenaline from excitement really masks any aches or pains, so you need have this in mind.
Beach days are fantastic fun, just remember that dry sand is essentially resistance training for your dog.
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Senior dogs don’t stop needing movement as they age, they need the right kind of movement. One of the most important thi...
23/05/2026

Senior dogs don’t stop needing movement as they age, they need the right kind of movement.
One of the most important things you can do for an older dog is help them maintain strength and mobility. Muscle loss happens quickly in senior dogs, and once strength declines, everyday activities like getting up, climbing stairs, or enjoying walks become much harder.
Frequent short walks are one of the best tools you have• Keep joints moving
• Maintain muscle mass
• Support balance and coordination
• Improve circulation
• Provide mental enrichment without overloading the body
For many senior dogs, several gentle 10–20 minute walks can be far more beneficial than one long exhausting outing.
Watch your dog, not the clock:
✔️ Steady pace
✔️ Happy engagement
✔️ Comfortable recovery afterward
Strength is independence for senior dogs. Every manageable walk helps support confidence, comfort, and quality of life. ❤️
Remember the walk is for your dog – not for your exercise needs!
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Some dogs melt into treatment straight away. Others need a little more time, and that’s completely okay. During a Myothe...
21/05/2026

Some dogs melt into treatment straight away. Others need a little more time, and that’s completely okay.
During a Myotherapy session, I work at the dog’s pace, not mine. Nervous, fidgety, sensitive, or unsure dogs are never forced into positions or rushed through treatment, your dog will always have “choice”. Building trust is just as important as the hands-on work itself.
Sometimes progress looks like:
• relaxing their breathing
• settling for a few extra seconds
• allowing gentle touch where they previously couldn’t
Those small moments matter.
Patience creates safety, and safety allows the body to release tension and begin to feel better. Every dog communicates differently, and listening to them is a huge part of effective treatment.
The goal is always a calm, positive experience where your dog feels supported, respected, and heard.
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Many dogs in chronic pain don’t cry out, limp dramatically, or show obvious signs of injury (watch out for the intermitt...
18/05/2026

Many dogs in chronic pain don’t cry out, limp dramatically, or show obvious signs of injury (watch out for the intermittent limp – it shouldn’t be ignored). Instead, they change in quieter, more subtle ways, often so gradually that they’re mistaken for “slowing down with age” or behavioural issues.
Some of the most common changes can include:
• Hesitation before jumping into the car or onto furniture
• Taking longer to lie down or get up
• Increased clinginess or suddenly wanting more space
• Irritability around handling, grooming, or other dogs
• Reduced interest in play or walks they once loved
• Changes in sleep patterns or restlessness at night
• Licking specific joints or body areas repeatedly
• Reduced tolerance for touch, harnesses, or collars
• Becoming withdrawn, quieter, or less interactive
• Seeming “stubborn” when asked to perform previously easy behaviours
Pain changes behaviour because behaviour is communication.
Dogs are incredibly adaptive. Many continue functioning despite significant discomfort, especially when pain develops slowly over time. By the time obvious lameness appears, compensatory patterns and chronic tension may already be well established.
Early recognition and appropriate support can significantly improve quality of life, mobility, emotional wellbeing, and long-term function.
“Behaviour problem” and “pain response” are often much closer together than people realise.
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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 really happens before and during your dog’s initial appointment with me?There’s so much more going on behind the sc...
16/05/2026

What really happens before and during your dog’s initial appointment with me?
There’s so much more going on behind the scenes than just a hands-on assessment.
Before I even meet your dog, I:
✔️ Review the referral form from your vet
✔️ Read through your dog’s full veterinary history
✔️ Analyse gait, movement, posture and body language
✔️ Use the Galen Comfort Scale to assess how well your dog is currently coping physically and emotionally
During the appointment, I’ll also ask lots of questions about:
🐶 Your dog’s lifestyle
🏡 Home environment
🚶 Daily activity levels
🧠 Behaviour and routines
All of this helps me build a complete picture of your dog as an individual, not just the injury, diagnosis or symptoms.
The goal is always to create the safest, most effective and most compassionate plan to help your dog feel and move better.
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Do you let your dog out of the boot of the car and let them run straight away?Why Your Dog Needs a Warm Up Before Off Le...
15/05/2026

Do you let your dog out of the boot of the car and let them run straight away?
Why Your Dog Needs a Warm Up Before Off Lead Exercise
Would you sprint full speed the second you stepped out the door?
Probably not, and your dog’s body works the same way.
A proper warm-up before running, chasing balls, or off-lead play helps prepare your dog’s muscles, joints, heart, and nervous system for exercise.
Benefits of warming up:
✔️ Increases blood flow to muscles
✔️ Improves joint mobility and coordination
✔️ Reduces risk of strains and soft tissue injuries
✔️ Helps prevent “zoomie injuries” after leaving the house or car
✔️ Supports long-term mobility and performance
A simple warm-up can take just 3–5 minutes:
🐕 Slow lead walking
🐕 Gentle turns and direction changes
🐕 Sniffing and movement variety
🐕 Gradual increase in pace before full-speed activity
Warm dogs move better.
Prepared bodies are more resilient bodies!
Oh, and don’t forget to do the same to “warm down” your dog before they get back in the car!
I am a Galen Myotherapist and Canine Conditioning Academy Coach, looking after your dog’s musculoskeletal health and fitness.
💡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

Meet Charlie 😍😍😍Charlie was so frightened and anxious of touch when I first met him, through allowing choice and a lot o...
25/04/2026

Meet Charlie 😍😍😍
Charlie was so frightened and anxious of touch when I first met him, through allowing choice and a lot of patience, we had a massive breakthrough yesterday and he allowed me to perform a full treatment for the first time. When a dog is very painful, it is even more important to take things slowly.
It is so important to allow a dog "choice" during treatment, this builds up so much trust between myself and the 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

Pain changes behaviour.If your dog suddenly starts hesitating at the stairs, it’s easy to assume they’re being stubborn…...
24/04/2026

Pain changes behaviour.
If your dog suddenly starts hesitating at the stairs, it’s easy to assume they’re being stubborn… but more often, they’re trying to tell you something important.
Climbing stairs requires strength, joint stability, and coordination, especially through the hips, knees, spine, and shoulders. When a dog is dealing with discomfort (think arthritis, soft tissue injury, or spinal sensitivity), stairs become physically demanding and unpredictable.
So what do they do?
They avoid.
You might notice:
• Pausing at the bottom or top of the stairs
• Taking them more slowly (or one step at a time)
• Refusing altogether
• Looking back at you for help
• Subtle signs like stiffness after using them
Avoidance isn’t bad behaviour—it’s a protective strategy.
Forcing or encouraging a dog through pain can make things worse, both physically and emotionally. Instead, it’s worth asking: what’s making this hard for them?
• Support might include:
• Pain assessment with a vet and myself
• Pain relief (pharmaceutical) and targeted myofascial release therapy
• Environmental changes (ramps, limiting stair use)
• Strength and conditioning work

When we listen to what behaviour is telling us, we can respond in a way that actually helps.
Your dog isn’t being difficult. They’re adapting the best way they can.
💡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

Congratulations Teaka & Sue for completing their 8 week Canine Conditioning Academy Foundation course! I have thoroughl...
21/04/2026

Congratulations Teaka & Sue for completing their 8 week Canine Conditioning Academy Foundation course! I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you two, we have had many laughs along the way!
If you are interested in helping your dog to become stronger and symmetrical (with a lot of laughs along the way!) I offer 121 Canine Conditioning Academy courses for pet dogs, working dogs and competition dogs in Dorking, Surrey.
💡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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