Contented Canines with Jules Ballard

04/09/2025

Animals don’t always limp when they’re in pain.

Often, the first signs of arthritis are subtle shifts in behaviour — like sleeping more, slowing down on walks, or seeming a little grumpy or out of sorts.

Pain often whispers before it shouts.

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/arthritis-pain-awareness

01/09/2025

Knowledge is the bridge between suffering in silence… and living with comfort and dignity.

This September, in honour of Pain Awareness Month, I will be offering my new course Arthritis & Pain Awareness for People and Paws for half-price with the coupon code PAIN50

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/arthritis-pain-awareness 🐾

Together, we’ll explore the types of arthritis, allopathic treatments and holistic methods, the pain pathway and factors affecting pain perception, identifying stress factors for our animals, dog and cat body language, zoopharmacognosy and caregiver wellbeing.

Learning to recognise subtle shifts in behaviour so we can step in with care, comfort and holistic support

Because pain doesn’t have to be a mystery.

31/08/2025

Caring for a loved animal (or human) in pain can be heartbreaking. 💔

We want to fix it, make it go away, take their discomfort onto our own shoulders.

That’s why my new course, Arthritis & Pain Awareness for People and Paws, includes not just animal care… but self-care and relaxation for you too.

Because, healing is always a partnership.💚

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/arthritis-pain-awareness currently 50% off listed price for pain awareness month, if you use the coupon PAIN50

30/08/2025

Have you noticed your dog slowing down on walks?
Are they hesitating before climbing stairs or getting out of the car?
Do they seem a little 'grumpy' when you touch or groom them?

It’s easy to chalk it up to 'just getting old'… but often, these are the early signs of arthritis or discomfort. 💔

In my new course, Arthritis & Pain Awareness for People and Paws, I’ll help you recognise these subtle body language cues and understand the science (and soul) of pain.

Because when we see it sooner, we can support them better. 💚

🐾 Imagine giving your dog the gift of comfort, mobility, and joy — even in their senior years. That’s what awareness creates.

29/08/2025

September is Animal & Human Pain Awareness Month.

Did you know arthritis is one of the most common yet overlooked conditions in both our beloved companion animals and us?

That’s why I've created a brand-new course: Arthritis & Pain Awareness for People and Paws.

Together, we’ll explore:
✨ The different types of arthritis
✨ The pain pathway (why pain feels the way it does)
✨ How stress and environment affect pain perception
✨ Allopathic + holistic treatment options
✨ Dog & cat body language that signals discomfort
✨ Zoopharmacognosy — giving animals choice in their healing
✨ And… self-care for you, the caregiver 🫶

Knowledge is power — and comfort. Let’s learn how to spot the whispers of pain before they become shouts 🐶🐱

Comment 🐾 if you would like to learn more

11/08/2025

🐾 'Reflections on the Lead' Series

Reactivity is loud, scary, embarrassing, and overwhelming. But, the truth is: Reactivity is a conversation, and our energy is a part of that dialogue.

Our dogs, just like us are saying they don't feel safe. And, as sensitive, emotional beings ourselves, we often have our own inner reactions before we even register our dog’s.

Our heart races.
Our chest tightens.
Our brain jumps to 'Oh no, here we go again…'

Without meaning to, we join the conversation in fear, not calm.

But here’s the beauty in that awareness: We can change our response. We can choose to listen instead of react. Start by softening your perspective: Instead of saying 'my dog’s being reactive again', try…

'My dog’s trying to tell me something'

This reframing brings curiosity. Compassion. Space to pause instead of panic.

🌿Essential oil support for emotional spaciousness:
Benzoin - Grounding and strengthening to ease overthinking and worry
Clary Sage – for clarity when emotions feel foggy
Cedarwood – stabilising, for holding you steady and safe when the world feels big
Ylang Ylang – to soothe the inner drama, ground the heart and help self-confidence

Inhale and let the oils shift your state. Feel into your body before responding to your dog’s.

Ask yourself:
'What might my dog need right now'?
'And what do I need, in this moment, to respond with presence'?

This isn’t about fixing. It’s about listening.
And often, the most healing thing we can offer is simply this:
'I hear you, I’ve got you'

You and your dog are learning each other’s language. That’s not failure — it’s partnership in progress. Keep going.

10/08/2025

My experiences with dogs as birth companions - A new blog post

Dogs as birth companions

02/08/2025

🐾 'Reflections on the Lead' Series

The condition of your nervous system is incredibly powerful and often invisible to other humans, however your dog is completely tuned into your emotions, because of the connection you share.

When you’re anxious, your breath shortens. When you’re bracing for that potential dog around the corner, or anxiously scanning the horizon, your muscles tighten, and that energy travels down the lead.

Your dog doesn’t need words, they feel all of it. That’s why sometimes, they react before anything even happens. This isn't your fault, it's a natural behaviour for humans, just like it's natural for our dogs to forage and dig.

But, because we have such a strong bond, we can use that to our advantage.

With small shifts, we can create a more grounded, safe space for us and our dogs too.

You could try the 'Hand over Heart Reset' before you walk: Make sure you are sitting comfortably....Place one hand over your heart and one on your tummy.
Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 2, exhale for 6. Repeat 3 times.
Let your shoulders drop. Soften your jaw. Let your limbs go floppy.

And you could also try inhaling some diluted essential oils whilst focusing on your breathing:
Roman chamomile and Bergamot which calms and uplifts, releases fears and tension and helps emotional regulation, or Sweet Basil and Cypress which both regulate the nervous system.

Then..... gently ask yourself 'What energy am I bringing to this walk'?

You don’t need to be perfectly calm, just aware. And that awareness, that commitment to self-regulate even a little, is an act of love, for you, for your dog and for the positive energy you're creating.

28/07/2025

🐾 'Reflections on the Lead' Series

Have you ever noticed how your dog seems to 'just know' when you’re having a tough day?

Or when you are alerted to the sight of another dog on a walk, they go onto full alert too..

It’s not your imagination. Our dogs are emotional mirrors. Sensitive, attuned, and often absorbing what we carry, even when we’re not fully aware of it ourselves.

When I first read about mirroring, I felt incredibly guilty, and I immediately blamed myself for my dog's reactivity, but this isn’t about blame, it’s about awareness.

I know how hard it can be. So many of us are juggling real life, multiple commitments, fatigue, stress, or worry. And on top of that, we’re trying to support a dog who struggles with reactivity.

But what if your dog isn’t just reacting…
What if they’re reflecting?

Reflecting the anxiety we carry in our chests.
Reflecting the protective energy we hold in our bodies
Reflecting the tension we didn't even realise was building in our jaw, shoulders, or breath.

Here’s something gentle to try:

🌿 Before your next walk, pause and take 3 slow, conscious breaths.

💧Rub a drop of diluted frankincense or neroli essential oil between your hands. Let the scent ground you. Let your nervous system exhale.

💛 Say quietly: “We’re safe. We’ve got this.”

These small rituals shift your energy — and your dog feels that shift.

You’re not alone on this journey. Your dog isn’t broken.
And neither are you. 💛

21/07/2025

All dogs love to dig and not just terriers and puppies! It is a natural behaviour for them

If your dog likes to dig up your garden and all your beautiful plants, create a safe space where you can encourage them to dig instead. It is much better to teach your dog to dig in a preferred location, rather than have a garden full of ankle-twisting potholes.

You could have an allocated part of the garden or a sand pit. You could increase the fun by burying hidden treasure like a toy for them to find. Dakota loves her sandpit.

In my Enrichment for Your Dog course, I show you how to create lots of enriching physical activities that are easy to do and create variety, novelty, and engagement.

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/discover-enrichment-for-your-dog

20/07/2025

Your dog’s brain is a beautiful thing and it loves a challenge.

Cognitive enrichment means giving them things to figure out:
🔍 Hide & seek games
🧩 Puzzle feeders
🎓 Simple problem-solving tasks
🐾Teaching tricks

Cognitive enrichment is just as fulfilling as physical exercise and can be more so for certain dogs, especially if your dog can be reactive on walks.

It’s not about being a 'clever' dog. It’s about lighting up that brain in joyful, instinctive ways. My course is packed with ideas to keep your dog thinking, learning, and loving it.
🐾 Let’s give their brain a treat!

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/discover-enrichment-for-your-dog

14/05/2025

Living with a reactive dog can feel incredibly isolating.
The altered walks. The apologies. The constant planning and explaining. The moments where you cry in the car because it was just so much again. You’re not imagining or exaggerating how hard this is.

You deserve support too.
Not just training tips or management strategies.
But emotional support....For you.

A space where your tears, your guilt, your love, and your efforts are all seen.
You are not weak for feeling overwhelmed.
You are not failing because your dog is still struggling.
You’re simply human — doing something really brave. 💚

Reach out for support. This group is full of people who understand what it is like.

All too often the focus is on what can be done to support your dog, but your wellbeing and energy shapes your dog’s healing, too.

This is at the heart of what I offer, holistic, compassionate support for both ends of the lead. Because you don’t have to carry this alone.