Contented Canines with Jules Ballard

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Contented Canines with Jules Ballard

At Contented Canines, my mission is simple: to nurture calm, confident dogs and relaxed, supported humans through holistic methods.

Trauma Resolution, EFT, Essential Oils, Herbs Acupoints, Chinese Herbs, Reflexology

31/01/2026

Did you know that sniffing lowers your dog's pulse even when they are walking, and the more they sniff, the more their pulse will lower.

If left to their own devices, and allowed to direct their own walk, studies have shown that over a 2 minute period, dogs will spend on average 37 seconds sniffing if on a short lead (1.5M), 103 seconds if on a long lead (5M) and 119 seconds if off lead.

This applied to dogs of all breeds, ages, gender and temperament and was unaffected by how often they were walked (dogfieldstudy.com).

We have been aware for sometime that sniffing helps a dog to calm and decompress, but this study showed the effects on the pulse.

20/01/2026

You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘All behaviour is communication’.

Reactivity, anxiety, sudden changes in mood, scratching, chewing and destruction. Your animal isn’t being difficult, they’re trying to communicate something. But sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to know what they are trying to say. Zoopharmacognosy can help translate this for you.

Zoopharmacognosy allows animals to self-select botanicals like herbs and essential oils, giving us beautiful clues about what their body and emotions need.

I prefer to say: Behaviour is a clue, not a problem

When we stop trying to fix behaviour… and start listening to it… everything changes.

Botanical extracts can help restore balance. And when balance returns? Behaviour often shifts naturally.

Read the full blog to learn how to begin speaking your animal’s language.
https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/blog/all-behaviour-is-communication

19/01/2026

This is one of my favourite memories of Zeb doing the classic flirt/fool around of behavioural communication to try and avoid his bath, it still makes me laugh.

I would love to see some photos of your favourite dog memories.

11/01/2026

I recently presented a webinar on grief into our membership Holistic Haven which discussed human and animal grief, grief models, factors affecting grief and its impact, different types and holistic methods such as EFT, essential oils, herbs and crystals that can help. I wanted to make this webinar available free to everyone, in the hope it may help. Click link to enrol
https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/courses/grief

Grief is a difficult subject to talk about and it is possible that this presentation may trigger thoughts, memories and emotions. Please reach out for help if this is the case.

07/01/2026

Some pain doesn't show up on X-rays, scans or tidy charts. It doesn't walk with a limp, bruise easily or wave a big flag.

It lives quietly in bodies that still get up, get dressed, still smile, make appointments, care for others and still show up. In nervous systems that are doing their absolute best to cope, whilst stuck in survival mode and in hearts that are tired of explaining.

Today is for those carrying pain no one can see; chronic pain, emotional pain, grief, trauma, exhaustion, illness, and the ache of simply holding it all together.

It’s also for the animals who share our homes and hearts, whose pain may show up as various types of 'behaviour', withdrawal, reactivity, clinginess, shut down or silence, because pain doesn’t always speak the language we expect.

A holistic lens reminds us:
Safety comes before healing
Regulation comes before resilience and
Gentle support can be profoundly powerful, simply, being met with compassion and without judgement.

Today is a reminder to slow down, don't feel the urge to explain, fix, or minimise.
May today wrap you (and your animals) in gentleness, understanding, and the quiet relief of being seen.

05/01/2026

Loyalty Through History: Ancient Stories With Modern Lessons

Egyptian royalty were guarded by dogs, the Romans honoured beloved companions with lavish tombstones, and Henry VIII had a corps of 400 soldiers who were dedicated to caring for his war dogs. Dogs weren’t just useful, they were cherished. Anubis himself was depicted as a dog or dog-headed figure, guiding souls with calm certainty and in Chinese history, Emperor Ling even appointed his dogs as senior court officials.

Numerous memorials to dogs and statues of famous dogs exist from Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh who held a 14-year vigil at his guardian’s grave, to Guy Gibson’s dog during the World War II, dogs have stood by humans in our darkest and bravest moments and this depth of loyalty goes both ways. In natural disasters, people have risked their lives, rather than leave their dogs behind.

Loyalty is not trained, it’s felt. Dogs bond most deeply with those whose presence feels safe, consistent and emotionally honest. When we regulate ourselves, communicate clearly, and honour our relationship, behaviour shifts without force, because their nervous system is wired to co-regulate with us.

There are lots of ways to offer your dog more emotional safety? Through routines, grounding practices, botanicals or simply slowing down together? In behaviour work, supporting the emotional system is just as essential as training cues.

To read this complete series on the human-canine bond, check out the blog below

https://contented-canines.newzenler.com/blog/the-human-canine-bond-a-love-story-woven-through-time

21/12/2025

Here at Holistic Haven on the day of the Winter Solstice, we thought we would round off this series of videos with a short meditation. The Winter Solstice is a promise that light always returns, and so too does your own inner light grow brighter with every moment of mindfulness and intention. If you want to, and it is safe to do so, you could light a candle, set your own intentions and release the old.

So, if you would like to experience a deep calm, ensure you are sitting somewhere comfortably where you won’t be disturbed, switch off your phone, close your eyes and relax for the next few minutes. You may want to do this alone or together with your animals. Because they feel the Christmas rush too, it can help them unwind with you.

If you would like to learn more about botanical self-healing with essential oils and herbs, TCM, EFT and other energy methods, you may like to consider joining our membership
Whether you're looking to improve well-being, or simply enjoy a more fulfilling life together, our membership is your gateway to a happier, healthier relationship with your companion animal.
Join today and give your whole household the gift of calm this Christmas.
https://holistichaven.newzenler.com/courses/holistic-haven-circle-membership

20/12/2025

Connecting for Christmas: Animal communication

Pause, settle, and simply ‘be’ with your companion. This video guides you through slowing down, listening deeply, and reconnecting with what your animal is communicating. A quiet moment of presence can bring profound calm for both of you.

Take time to create the peaceful Christmas energy your animals rely on and come and join us today.
https://holistichaven.newzenler.com/courses/holistic-haven-circle-membership

18/12/2025

Colours for Christmas

We are instinctively drawn to colours that will support how we are feeling that day. Colours are believed to affect mood, energy levels, and physiological responses, making them a powerful tool in holistic medicine. In this video you will discover what the colours of Christmas mean and how you can use them to support you and your companion animals.

Make Christmas calm a reality, join now and feel the difference for you and your animal companions.
https://holistichaven.newzenler.com/courses/holistic-haven-circle-membership

16/12/2025

Cup of Calm

It’s time for a soothing brew. Join us as we create gentle, pet-friendly herbal infusions that can be added, diluted, to your animal companion’s separate bowl of drinking water. Learn how to choose calming herbs and prepare a comforting cup for you both to enjoy.

Give your companion animals the gift of calm this Christmas and discover it inside our membership.

https://holistichaven.newzenler.com/courses/holistic-haven-circle-membership

Address

Salisbury

Telephone

+447818942141

Website

http://www.contented-canines.newzenler.com/, https://holistichaven.newzenler.com/

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