Mandy Meech: The Dog’s Perspective

27/01/2026

I recommend the Perfect Fit Harness to many of our clients. What a great idea!

14/10/2025

***THE IMPORTANCE OF RULING OUT PAIN WITH BEHAVIOURAL ISSUES***

This is the lovely Louie, a 10 year old JRT. Louie's owners became concerned when he started to show signs of separation anxiety again - they had previously worked on this and Louie had learnt to cope well home alone until recently. He appeared more anxious generally and they were unsure what was wrong. They did the right thing and initially took him for a check up at their Vets to rule out any illness or pain. The Vet gave him a physical examination, said they could find nothing wrong with him and sent them home with some prescription anti-anxiety medication.

His owners were uncomfortable about giving Louie this medication without a behaviour modification programme alongside to address the root cause of this sudden change in behaviour. They contacted a dog trainer who offered to take him into their home over a period of 5 days to crate train him. Once again, his owners did not feel comfortable with this.

Fortunately, they got in contact with me and from our initial telephone conversation I identified that Louie was displaying a number of recent behavioural changes that could be potential red flags for pain as well as some gradual changes in behaviour over recent years that were also indicative of potential pain issues.

Louie's owners agreed for me to carry out a Dynamic Dog Assessment which identified significant postural and gait abnormalities in addition to the behavioural signs of pain he was displaying. My assessment was emailed to a new Vet who suspected a mild case of pancreatitis for which a change of diet subsequently helped, but who also agreed, given my assessment, that musculoskeletal pain was likely, despite Louie showing no pain response on examination. Given his age it was felt surgery was not a viable option, but that managing his pain through medication, exercise modification and environmental management was the best way to support him going forward.

His separation anxiety has since disappeared, he is much more engaged and energetic on walks and is generally a much more comfortable and happier boy who is loving life again! His owners are totally dedicated to him and know the signs to look for and the steps to take to take now if they see Louie may be struggling and needs some extra support, either physically or medically.

Louie's case is the perfect example of why it is so important to first fully rule out pain and discomfort in behaviour cases and also to appreciate that pain cannot always be ruled out in dogs simply by a physical examination.

If you want to discuss whether your dog may benefit from a Dynamic Dog Assessment I offer a FREE 15-minute Discovery Call. Further details can be found on my website:
https://www.mandymeech.com/dynamic-dog

11/07/2025

Be aware that hot weather lowers tolerance levels in dogs, causes irritability and subsequently increases bite risk.

HOT WEATHER & AN INCREASE IN BITE RISK 🥵

We've had some very hot weather recently in the UK, and for many parts of the UK- the next three days are going to be scorchio!

It's important to be aware that being too hot can lower thresholds for tolerance and overt reactions- and not just in 'reactive' dogs.

And not just in dogs!

There's a correlation between human riots and an increase in crime during a significant rise in temperature (27 to 32 degrees).
It is well established that in people, heat stress causes irritability and an increased likelihood of aggressive behaviour.

Being hot and bothered is a physical stressor - the body works hard to return to homeostasis.

Cognitive processes can be negatively affected. So if your dog is not responding to as they would normally, consider the effects of heat.

Furthermore- being too hot can interfere with a dog's ability to rest and sleep. During rest and sleep, stress is lowered, and subsequently compromised rest and sleep affects behaviour.

This can affect (lower) the dog's threshold for emotional stress.


🐕 Two unfamiliar dogs meeting while both are hot and bothered is less likely going to result in a healthy interaction. Now is the time to largely keep yourselves to yourselves on walks, or monitor the body language of both dogs very carefully.

🏡 Extra caution should be taken in situations that your dog may struggle with, such as around visitors to the home.

🧒 But the greatest caution of all should be taken around up-close interactions in ALL dogs, especially those who live children.

Remember these basic safeguarding rules;

1. No faces near faces.

2. Let sleeping dogs lie.

3. Do not forcefully take resources (toys, food or anything the dog has found/picked up) off a dog.
Children should never take things off a dog.

4. Do not 'box dogs in' with your interaction.

- Always ensure they can easily move away by not blocking a dog's ability to move forward/away (for example, wrapping your arms around to hug a dog front on makes it near impossible for them to easily disengage).

- The safest way to interact is to invite a dog to come to you.
Alternatively, if you do approach then do so when they are awake and instead of swooping straight in with strokes- wait for them to signal to you they are keen for an interaction.

- Stop stroking after 2-3 seconds, and see if your dog communicates to you they would like more, or if they are done.
This is called the consent test, and it's something all children (and adults) should be aware of.


Most people who get bitten by a dog know the dog well, didn't think their dog would ever bite someone and didn't see the bite coming.

Most dog bites are on faces and hands of someone close to the dog, and this tells us a lot about what the person was LIKELY doing (Note, there are always exceptions).


As I always say to my clients ......

🗣️ Never take your dog's current level of tolerance for granted.

04/07/2025

Little Louie is a local boy who came to me yesterday for a Dynamic Dog Assessment. He has suddenly and unexpectedly become anxious about being left. He’s 10 years old and we first need to rule out any potential medical, pain or discomfort that may be contributing to or causing the behaviour. He’s had a vet check and they’re happy for me to carry out an assessment to pinpoint if there are any behavioural red flags for pain as well as any postural and gait abnormalities.

Louie rarely goes off lead as his recall can be unreliable, so he had a bit of freedom in our paddock here and admired the view whilst up there 🥰

04/07/2025

Little Louie is a local boy who came to me yesterday for a Dynamic Dog Assessment. He has suddenly and unexpectedly become anxious about being left. He’s 10 years old and we first need to rule out any potential medical, pain or discomfort that may be contributing to or causing the behaviour. He’s had a vet check and they’re happy for me to carry out an assessment to pinpoint if there are any behavioural red flags for pain as well as any postural and gait abnormalities.

Louie rarely goes off lead as his recall can be unreliable, so he had a bit of freedom in our paddock here and admired the view whilst up there 🥰

01/07/2025

For my followers down South, Arundawn Dog Rescue have their charity dog show this weekend

12/06/2025

‘’ Choice is not a privilege to be earned; it’s a right for every dog, in every home, in every moment’’

Absolutely ❤️

Imagine being in a world where every decision, when to eat, where to go, how to act, is made for you, not with you. No explanation, no dialogue, just expectations.

That’s the reality many dogs face every day.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Dogs are intelligent, emotional beings with preferences, fears, joys, and boundaries, just like us. Yet too often, they’re treated like programmable machines: expected to obey instantly, regardless of context or comfort.

When they hesitate, communicate, or resist, they’re labeled “stubborn,” “dominant,” or “bad.”

This mindset leads to coercion. It shows up in harsh tools, fear-based methods, and the belief that “quick obedience” is the highest measure of success. But obedience rooted in fear isn’t a sign of respect, it’s a symptom of stress.

However, when we give dogs agency, real choices in their environment, in how they learn and in how they engage, we unlock their potential. We reduce anxiety. We build trust.

A dog who can make choices is a dog who feels safe with you. And safety is the foundation of everything: behavior, bonding, and a truly fulfilling life.

Every time we give a dog a choice to opt in, to take a break, to communicate their needs we affirm their agency. We raise the standard of care.

We make a quiet promise: You are not here to be controlled. You are here to be understood.

Choice is not a privilege to be earned; it is a right for every dog, in every home, in every moment.

Because dogs deserve choice.

Not coercion.

31/05/2025

We were recently lucky enough to have the gorgeous Fergus stay here
Despite being a very young dog, Fergus has unfortunately experienced a great deal of pain, discomfort and major surgery in the first few years of his life due to hip issues, which has impacted significantly on his general confidence. We were therefore delighted to receive this massage from his owner’s following his stay with us ❤️

‘’I also wanted to thank you directly, as we’ve gone from despairing about our experience of dog ownership and how limited we’ve all been over the past two years, to being excited about our future as a trio. Fergus had the space to experience new things in safety, and his confidence in new places has improved tenfold in such a short space of time. He’s finally managing to go on walks to new places without being so stressed he can’t enjoy himself or take things in. During our stay, he walked down Aberystwyth promenade amazingly well after never walking through a town before, even managing to sit down while we had a drink. On Sunday at home, he conquered his fear of the metal kissing gates to the nearby nature reserve - something he’s struggled with since we stopped being able to carry him over them! We’re finally getting to see the dog he can be when he’s not stressed or fearful, and he’s even more amazing than he already was.

Our stay was absolutely a turning point for him - thank you so much for having such a wonderful set up and allowing dogs like Fergus the chance to flourish 😊’’

24/02/2025

If you’ve tried a pain relief trial with your dog but haven’t seen any obvious improvement either behaviourally or physically, please do not presume that this indicates that your dog can’t be in pain….

What you need to know about pain relief trials!

As a bare minimum for my clients I often request a pain relief trial (analgesic trial), especially if the dog is “sensitive” at the vets and cannot be examined properly.

50% of the time we see results - hooray!

The other 50% of the time, we don’t and the Vet rules out pain and puts the issues down to just being behavioural.

As we all know from my little rant a few weeks back:

“Pain cannot and should not be ruled out” its impossible for one species to say with 100% certainty that another species isn’t in pain … truth is we just don’t know because pain is subjective.

That 50% of the time where the vet says its not pain but just behavioural needs rethinking and more questions asked.

If pain relief is given, and no changes occur, does it really mean the dog is not in pain?

It’s not that simple.

There are many different types of pain that a living being can experience;

Visceral - Visceral pain is pain that originates from the internal organs and blood vessels, such as the heart, lungs, or pancreas. It can feel deep, squeezing, or colicky, and is often difficult to pinpoint.

Somatic - Somatic pain is pain that affects other bodily tissues like muscles, skin, and bones.

Neuropathic - Neuropathic pain is nerve pain - spinal cord, peripheral nerves etc.

When a being experiences pain, they can experience one or a combination of the above types.

Consider this…

- Quite often Metacam, for example, is a vets first port of call which targets Somatic pain and inflammation - what happens if the dog is experiencing a different type or combination of pain? Is the dog on the right dosage, does it need to be and can it be increased?

- Quite often the course of the pain meds is only given for 10 days largely due to licensing of the drug - but is this enough time to get on top of CHRONIC long term pain (Sarah Heath recommends 6 - 8 weeks)?

You smashers know I like to put a human spin on things, and I quite often use my own experiences to get my point across so it will be of no surprise when I tell you I threw my back out yesterday morning. I'm in agony. No position is comfortable, standing, sitting or lying. I'm waspy as hell.

I am taking Paracetamol and Ibuprofen regularly and NOTHING is touching the discomfort I am experiencing!

The difference between me and a dog is that I can tell you that the pain meds aren’t working and I am still in pain.

So where does that leave our dogs?

31/01/2025

The luvverly Dora 🥰 is a foreign rescue who fell in love with her owner when they met on holiday. She spent the week following her around accompanying her to cafes and restaurants and sleeping on the sofa in the Air BnB. Her owner couldn’t bear to leave her to go back to living on the streets so arranged for her to be fostered while she sorted the paperwork to be able to adopt her and bring her back to the UK.

Dora has settled into UK home life extremely well and is just working with me on some basic training and lead work. And what a sweet bright little girl she is 😍

28/01/2025

So important to understand with our dogs.

I so often hear ‘my dog wouldn’t do xyz…. if they were in pain’.

Yes they would.

We’re giving our beloved Blunt Mondays a fresh new twist— say hello to Myth Mondays! 🎉

Every Monday, we’ll tackle common myths about canine arthritis and pain, replacing misconceptions with facts that can help your furry friends live their best lives 🐾

This Week’s Myth:
“My dog can’t be in pain because they’re still running around.”

Fact: Dogs are incredible at hiding pain, and adrenaline from activities like running or playing can temporarily mask their discomfort. Just because your dog is active doesn’t mean they’re pain-free. Look out for subtle signs like stiffness, limping, or hesitation—they could be telling you more than you think.

Let’s bust these myths together and make life better for our pups! 🐕✨