Happy Hounds & Horses, LLC

06/24/2026

This is brilliant!
Thank you to Ruff Day Veterinary Acupuncture and Rehab!

We wrote this last October, in the thick of our own dog Chloe's recovery from surgery. We're publishing it now, months later and with the benefit of hindsight, because those first 24 hours taught us things no discharge sheet ever covered. Chloe has fully recovered — more on that at the end. If y

06/23/2026

This!
Behavior changes that don’t have an obvious reason can be caused by discomfort.

PAIN: THE USUAL SUSPECT

I think many people believe behaviourists go on and on about pain.

I do understand why. But I’ve been doing this a very long time and I cannot tell you how many times I’ve strongly suspected pain and then, sometimes years later, discovered that dog had been in pain all along.

I completely understand why people don’t always want to do a pain trial. Often they don’t think their dog “looks like they’re in pain”.

The problem is that dogs in pain often don’t look how we expect them to. They still run, they still play and they still want to go for walks. What we often see instead is behavioural change.

There are certain behavioural changes that make me immediately wonder about pain. This isn’t an exhaustive list but examples include:

• Sudden onset noise sensitivities or phobias�• Reluctance to continue on walks or wanting to turn back�• Increased sensitivity to being touched, especially when resting�• Anxiety spreading to more and more situations�• “Guarding” of space, beds or their own body�• Anxiety about car travel�• Sudden difficulties with dog interactions when there is a history of previously good social behaviour

This is especially important when nothing else has changed. There hasn’t been a frightening incident, there aren’t obvious new stressors and yet the dog’s behaviour has changed significantly.

Of course these issues are not always caused by pain. But pain is a very common contributor and one that is easy to underestimate.

Many people understandably feel reassured if their dog has had a veterinary examination. I work with some amazing vets and this isn’t a criticism of veterinary care at all. The reality is that it can be extremely difficult, often impossible, to completely rule out pain from a physical examination alone.

Pain trials can be incredibly useful but they aren’t always straightforward either.
I regularly see dogs who have already had a short pain trial before I meet them.

Sometimes that trial has only lasted a week or so. In many cases behavioural change takes much longer. We may need several weeks before we see meaningful improvement.

We also need to quantity what is happening. It’s not enough to simply ask whether the dog seems better. We need to score behaviours before, during and after the trial. We need detailed notes so we can look objectively at whether things have changed.
Sometimes we also need to explore different pain medications as part of the process.

Alongside this, imaging, physiotherapy and other investigations can all be hugely helpful.

Most of my work comes through personal recommendation, which means I often meet friends and relatives of clients I worked with years ago. It also means I hear updates about many dogs long after our work together has finished.

I cannot tell you how many times I hear that a dog I saw years earlier, where I strongly suspected pain but it was discounted at the time, was later found to have a significant pain issue.

None of us have a crystal ball and unfortunately we can’t ask dogs what hurts.

What we can do is listen carefully to what their behaviour is telling us.

Very often, pain is the usual suspect.

Laura McAuliffe, 2026, Dog Communication

06/09/2026

💗💗

06/07/2026

Working on it! 😂

06/01/2026

Clover’s before and after photos show a change I find really fascinating.

When she started her Custom Canine Fitness Program, her coat showed visible tufting, uneven coat texture, zigzag patterns, and altered hair direction across multiple areas of her body.

After 12 weeks of targeted exercise, her coat lay appears smoother, with a more consistent overall appearance.

Fur pattern changes alone do not necessarily indicate myofascial tension, and they should not be used on their own to draw conclusions about what is happening underneath the surface. They are simply one observation among many that I may note when looking at a dog.

When I look at coat changes, I’m also looking at the whole dog: posture, movement mechanics, comfort, behaviour, function, muscle symmetry, and what the guardian is noticing at home.

In Clover’s case, her guardian reported significantly reduced touch sensitivity, particularly around her shoulders and neck, after completing the 12-week program.

The goal of the program was not to change her fur. The goal was to support posture, movement quality, body awareness, and overall comfort and function through appropriate, progressive exercise.

The coat change is simply one visible detail worth noticing, and in Clover’s case, the change is especially noticeable.

For anyone interested - this blog post dives deeper into possible contributors to fur pattern changes in dogs:
https://www.sitstaysquat.ca/blog/fur-pattern-changes-in-dogs-an-observational-perspective/

Clover is very lucky to have such a thoughtful guardian ♥️ She was already doing canine fitness before we worked together, and that foundation, combined with her guardian’s consistency and care, really showed. It has genuinely been such a joy getting to be part of their team.

05/17/2026

This!!!

We tried everything.

Maropitant. Ondansetron. Mirtazapine. Capromorelin. We warmed the food. We switched proteins. We hand-offered. We used baby-voice while asking “who’s a good boy”… We stared at this dog like maybe sheer willpower could make him eat.

He wasn’t having any of it.

Then dad walked in.

Sat on the floor. Pulled out a spoon. And this dog, who had refused food from every single one of us for days, started eating.

Not a lot. But enough.

And honestly? That moment did more for his recovery than the last anti-emetic I reached for.

Here’s the thing we don’t talk about enough in ECC: the human-animal bond is not a soft, sentimental add-on. It’s physiology. It’s parasympathetic tone, stress reduction, cortisol reduction. It’s the difference between a patient who shuts down in a kennel and one who decides today’s the day to try.

We have a whole pharmacy of appetite stimulants and prokinetics. They matter. But sometimes the missing ingredient isn’t a drug, it’s the person whose voice that animal has heard every day of its life.

This is one of the biggest reasons I love working in an on open concept. Owners can sit with their pets. Talk to them. Cuddle them and comfort them and give them a reason to fight. We don’t lose anything by letting them in. We gain a co-therapist who knows things about that patient we’ll never learn from a chart.

To the techs and nurses reading this: you already know. You’re the ones who notice when a patient perks up the second their person walks through the door. Advocate for that. Make space for it. It’s medicine.

Sometimes the best intervention is a dad with a spoon.

05/09/2026

I may have a couple of them 😂

05/08/2026

Information and education are key!!

05/06/2026

🐾 Nail Length & Its Impact on Canine Biomechanics

Have you checked your dog’s nails recently?

Long nails do more than just click on the floor—they can significantly influence your dog’s posture, movement, and overall musculoskeletal health.

When nails are left untrimmed, they don’t just affect the paw—they can impact the entire kinetic chain.

Why Nail Length Matters

🟢 Alters Joint Angulation & Posture

Overgrown nails force the toe pads upward and backward (caudally), shifting weight proximally within the limb.

This disrupts normal limb loading and can lead to:

* Postural adaptations
* Altered joint alignment
* Compensatory movement patterns

📖 Reference: Zink & Van D**e (2013), Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

🟢 Impacts Gait & Reduces Stability

If nails contact the ground during stance, they can:

* Cause toe splaying
* Reduce effective ground contact
* Compromise traction

This may increase the risk of:

* Slipping
* Soft tissue strain (tendons/ligaments)
* Secondary compensatory issues

📖 References: Touch Animal Rehabilitation (2020); Canine Body Balance (2021)

🟢 Increases Musculoskeletal Load

Chronic postural change can contribute to:

* Myofascial tension
* Uneven joint loading
* Increased risk of conditions like Osteoarthritis in dogs

Particularly relevant in:

* Senior dogs
* Sporting/working dogs
* Orthopaedic cases

📖 Reference: Veterinary Clinics of North America (2020)

✅ Quick Nail Check

Ask yourself:

✔️ Do the nails touch the ground when your dog is standing?
✔️ Can you hear them tapping on hard flooring?

If yes—it’s time for a trim.

🟢 Clinical Insight

Nail length is often overlooked, yet it’s one of the simplest modifiable factors affecting biomechanics.

In practice, I frequently see improvements in:

* Postural alignment
* Limb loading symmetry
* Movement quality

…simply by addressing nail length alongside soft tissue work.

🟢 When to Seek Help

If your dog:

* Is reluctant to walk on certain surfaces
* Slips frequently
* Shows subtle gait changes
* Dislikes nail trimming

Support from a qualified professional (groomer, vet, or therapist) can make a significant difference.

🔍 Learn More

• Canine Body Balance Blog
https://caninebodybalance.com.au/journal/canine-nail-length-and-the-effects-on-biomechanics

📩 Get in Touch

If you’re noticing changes in posture or movement and suspect nail length may be contributing, I offer clinical musculoskeletal assessment and tailored treatment plans.

📧 [email protected]
📞 07418 082 240
🌐 www.emccm.co.uk