Norfolk dog trainer partners with McTimoney therapist

Norfolk dog trainer Isabella McBride, owner of Smart Dog Training in Attleborough, is partnering with a specialist chiropractic therapist to enable her to find out if dogs are suffering from any pain that could be affecting their behaviour.

McBride is partnering with Claire Lawrence, who is a McTimoney therapist, which uses chiropractic techniques to treat musculoskeletal problems.

McBride told Eastern Daily Press: “I specialise in reactive dogs with behavioural problems, and what we’ve been finding is around 80% of these dogs have physical problems and are in some degree of pain, which is contributing towards their behaviour.

“Once these pain issues are resolved, modifying their behaviour becomes either a lot easier or doesn’t need to happen.

“They will go through a pain assessment where Claire will look at their range of movement, joints and muscle build-up. If there are certain parts of their bodies that they are not using properly then there will be some muscles that are more pronounced and others that are wasting away.”

If dogs are found to be in physical pain they will then be referred to a vet for pain relief or further assessment using x-rays.

McBride told the newspaper: “We have been busy and it has really taken off. Claire is booked up until the end of September.

“Other trainers are also getting on board and doing pain assessments first before going any further.”