Train Dog Friendly

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

❌ MYTH: "We should hold off on prescription pain medication for as long as possible so my dog doesn't build up a tolerance and run out of options later."

✅ FACT: Dogs do not build up an "immunity" or tolerance to primary arthritis medications (such as NSAIDs). Waiting until end-stage pain before starting treatment actually makes pain significantly harder to manage.

When chronic joint discomfort is left unmanaged in the early to moderate stages, the central nervous system undergoes rewiring - a process known as central sensitisation (neural "wind-up"). This turns the volume dial on pain all the way up, lowering your dog's pain threshold and making subsequent discomfort far more intense and resistant to standard treatments.

Starting baseline pain relief early protects the nervous system, stops the cycle of compensatory muscle strain, and preserves vital joint mobility.

RESEARCH:
Innes, J. F., et al. (2010). "Review of the safety and efficacy of long-term NSAIDs in dogs with osteoarthritis." Veterinary Record, 166(8), 226–230.

Budsberg, S. C., et al. (2018). "Evaluation of long-term administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in dogs with osteoarthritis." American Journal of Veterinary Research, 79(4), 370–377.

Central Sensitisation in Canine Osteoarthritis:
Knazovicky, D., et al. (2016). "Widespread somatosensory sensitivity in natural canine osteoarthritis." Pain, 157(6), 1325–1332.

Lascelles, B. D. X. (2010). "Joint pain in dogs and cats: targeting the pain pathway." Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 40(5), 1023–1053.

08/27/2026

08/20/2026

Treat your dog like their mother would.

It’s a phrase constantly used to justify harsh handling, intimidation and punishment.

“Mother dogs scruff their puppies.”

“Mother dogs correct their puppies.”

“Dogs need firm physical corrections because that’s what their mother would do.”

So, I have been lucky enough to breed a litter, keep the whole litter and have mum, dad and aunty here also. So ive had the pleasure and privilege of watching this firsthand ( although I acknowledge, its only one time....so far 😉)

I find humans are incredibly good at selecting the parts of a story that suit the outcome they want.

We take a small observation, remove all context, ignore everything else happening within the relationship, and use it to justify doing something to a dog that we wanted to do in the first place.

A mother dog may carry a very young puppy by the scruff. But carrying a tiny puppy is not the same as grabbing or lifting a four-month-old puppy by the scruff to punish or “correct” them.

A four-month-old puppy is not a newborn being carefully transported by their mother. Context matters. Age matters. Purpose matters. The relationship matters.

And jabbing a dog in the neck, grabbing them, pinning them down, shaking them, or using a prong collar does NOT mimic a mother dog correcting her puppy.

It is a human choosing to use pain, discomfort, fear or physical intimidation and then creating a story to make that choice sound natural.

Dogs are not stupid.

They know we are not dogs.

They know we do not smell like dogs, move like dogs, communicate like dogs or behave like dogs. They understand that humans are a completely different species, and they learn how our communication differs from their own.

So why do we keep pretending that a human using a tool to apply pressure or pain is somehow recreating a natural interaction between a mother and her puppy?

It isn’t.

A mother dog’s relationship with her puppies is far more than the moments humans choose to use as evidence for punishment. It includes care, warmth, feeding, protection, play, social learning, guidance, reassurance and communication that develops within an ongoing biological relationship.

You cannot take one behaviour out of that relationship, distort its meaning, ignore the context and then use it to justify hurting or frightening a dog.

And while we are giving mothers credit, let’s also give dogs credit.

Dogs are capable of learning through clear communication, repetition, reinforcement, guidance, choice and safe boundaries. They do not need us to pretend to be their mother. They need us to understand that we are human and to communicate with them in ways that are fair, ethical and appropriate.

The “mother dog would do it” argument has become a convenient excuse for behaviour that humans want to justify.

It needs to stop.

Because jabbing a dog in the neck is not mothering.

Using a prong collar is not mothering.

Dragging a dog by the scruff is not mothering.

Hurting or intimidating a dog and calling it “natural communication” does not make it natural.

It simply gives a human justification for causing discomfort and then blaming biology for the choice.

We need to stop selecting the stories that suit us and start looking at the whole picture.

Dogs deserve better than myths dressed up as science.

(Picture of a di****ad, grabbing a dog, speaking nonsense and getting a tv series to share this BS)

08/16/2026

When your companion is diagnosed with arthritis, navigating pain relief can feel daunting. Online chatter often leaves you feeling anxious about side effects or hesitant to start treatments.

We are kicking off the month with The Core 4 - four vital facts every caregiver needs to know to feel informed, empowered, and prepared for their next vet appointment.

1️⃣ The Side Effect of Untreated Pain is Pain
Leaving joint pain unmanaged doesn't just mean a temporary limp. Continuous pain signals travel up the spinal cord, causing "wind-up pain" or central sensitisation - where the nervous system becomes hyper-reactive and far more sensitive to pain over time. Fast, effective pharmaceutical intervention protects your dog's central nervous system.

2️⃣ Don't Fear Modern Options
Veterinary pharmacology has advanced dramatically. From classic anti-inflammatories to targeted monoclonal antibodies, today's options are designed to deliver safer, highly focused relief. Don't let fear hold back their comfort - discuss any worries openly with your veterinary team!

3️⃣ Medications Aren't Necessarily for Life
Starting pain relief isn't a "forever sentence." Pain management is dynamic! When you combine pharmaceuticals with a strong multimodal foundation, such as non-slip home flooring, gentle weight management, and physical therapy, your dog's reliance on high medication doses can often be reduced and optimised over time.

4️⃣ Target the Inflammatory Engine
Osteoarthritis is fundamentally a localised, inflammatory disease. The primary engine driving your dog's discomfort is joint inflammation. This is why targeted anti-inflammatory approaches are essential - relying solely on non-anti-inflammatory alternatives or unproven supplements often misses the clinical target completely.

08/15/2026

07/27/2026