Haven Holistic Therapy Human & Canine

24/07/2025

Just a reminder that we’re into the summer holidays now. My diary is also full to the brim. Unless I have cancellations I can’t move treatments unless it’s into sept now so please give me plenty of notice if you need to change and remember it’s 48 hours min please or a new deposit will need to be placed (unless you are a human or hound with immunity problems inc having treatnent for cancer & elderly hounds prone to illness).

Thanks so much for your support.
Sarah xx

24/07/2025

I’m so proud of all the boys and girls who I’ve seen this week. Kimi thr little frenchie had his last condensed treatment, and now moving into a maintenance programme - for a 2year old he has been amazing. Beau the Lurcher had a maintenance treatment and doing better now after we adapted his exercise programme and seen his vet for a medication review for arthritic pain relief. Monty made me a little suspicious this week and I stopped his treatnent as felt he wasn’t quite right, with warm ears and tummy he had a slight temp so his lovely owner had him checked and sure enough he had an ear infection, which I’m pleased to hear he’s already much better from havig started a course of medication.

11 year old Buddy in the top pic has really done well. He’s also had his 3rd condensed treatnent in line with clinical Trials. We have gone from being very lame in walk to being virtually sound! I was so shocked I made him do his gait analysis twise. He has also gone from hiding behind the chair shaking in week 1 to lying on the mat and enjoying every second of his massage. We are reviewing his progress in 2 weeks and then putting together a reviewed maintance and exercise programme. His owner is over the moon as am I. It is certainly an excellent case study to show just how beneficial and effective Clinical Massage is for senior dogs.

The boys and girls over the last couple of weeks have really humbled me. What an absolute pleasure it is to be part of their journey. Thank you for trusting me with your best friends.

22/07/2025

Meet a very special new boy Oscar, a Spanish rescue, Labrador cross who came over to England last year in the most awful condition. Oscar was given a forever home by a very special Lady with the biggest heart. Julia Howard. Jules rescued Oscar (along with her full house of rescue dogs and cats) in memory of her beloved Teddy who was one of my case study dogs, her little Sadie also has monthly treatments. Oscar was incredibly under weight as you can see and he was so sad when she first took him in, Jules worked hard to help him gain weight and condition and look how wonderful he looks now.

Oscar is such a lovely boy. The vet thinks he’s approx 6-7 years old and obviously dosent have a veterinary history although given me permission to work with him now throughly checked. He has started showing some intermittent lameness which we are exploring through clinical massage.

Oscar was unbelievable today, he allowed me to gently do a muscular palpation and very thorough treatnent, often looking up to check that his Jules was still there and giving her his paw to hold from time to time. So relaxed and genuine.

Jules I know you’ll be crying when you read this, I am whilst I type but I just wanted you to know how wonderful you really are along with this special boy of course xx

21/07/2025

Last week flew by in a blur of fury faces. Buddy and Kimi with their second condensed treatments. Darcy, Tally, Toni, Sadie and Maverick with their maintenance treatments and Jasper who we decided not to treat last minute as he wasn’t quite himself (who’s now as right as rain). Lovely boys and girls who were exceptionally well behaved x

Also relaxing Reflexology and Aromatherapy massage in abundance for humans!

This week is the first of 6 of my altered weeks, with the kids breaking up tomorrow lunch time. (Wish me luck 🙈😂)

Happy Monday x

15/07/2025

We are in the last full week of the summer term! Most children locally will be breaking up next week including mine which means that the jugglethon commences!. My working hours have changed slightly over the next 6 weeks but all my regular and new clients have their treatments in place throughout the summer and into sept so we are ready! I have very limited availability now so do give me a call asap if you need to change anything or wish to have anything else in. Remember 48 hours notice where possible please for moving or cancelling treatments.

Pic of our beautiful beach in Hillhead xx

11/07/2025

I would love to know what you do on your day off? I’ve just spent a couple of wonderful hours exercising, bathing and generally faffing about with the other man in my life. Oz is 10 years old, cheeky and I think remarkably handsome 😂 When I’m here I’m just me, free. Not mum, therapist or even wife, 12 year old me who would spend all day listening to the sound of her horse eat. This is my balance xx

10/07/2025

Another lovely new boy treated this week. Little kimi who is a lilac and tan frenchie. (Utterly gorgeous) he came in and laid straight down for his first clinical massage. Kimi is only 2 years old and very much a little baby who loves attention, he has a diagnosis of Lumbosacral Disease confirmed by a CT scan a few weeks ago. Kimi is doing very well at the moment, his gait is actually good in walk with some intermittent lameness emerging in trot, he has an excellent posture analysis and an excellent exercise programme in place. His Vet feels that massage would help to ease some discomfort and tension through his back and as I have treated a few patients for the practice now has kindly recommended me to treat him. The first session was very good, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how clinical Massage can help.

09/07/2025

I completely agree.
I was lucky enough to train with Natalie and her team and I am proud to me a member of the Guild. The standards are high for a reason and the industry need to take note, take responsibility by ensuring that their Therapists are appropriately trained.

As the Director of the Canine Massage Therapy Centre, Founder of the Canine Massage Guild and author of the 2 year Clinical Canine Massage Practitioner Programme as well as a specialist in this field for almost 20 years, I feel compelled to speak out about a growing concern in the industry.

The rise of quick massage courses, often delivered entirely online, is not just watering down standards, it’s putting dogs at risk as well as compromising the vulnerability of owners who are trying to do the right thing for their dog.

Many of the individuals teaching these courses have no real background in massage therapy themselves. Some offer certificates after just a few hours or days of theory, with no hands-on supervision, no case studies, and no assessments of clinical competency. Yet graduates are encouraged to call themselves "canine massage therapists" and can as its an unprotected title.

This means that:
• There are people working on dogs with no real understanding of anatomy, pathology, or safe techniques
• Students are being let loose on vulnerable dogs and owners without ever having been supervised in training or technique competency
• Owners are trusting their beloved dogs to therapists whose only experience may be watching a video
I’ve even come across individuals advertising massage services after just half a day of training or doing a day or 2 days training as part of another course.

This is not just disappointing, it’s dangerous and I am personally disgusted at the fraudsters who deliver these courses and at those who go on to call themselves therapists and dupe owners into thinking they are providing a real service.

At the Canine Massage Therapy Centre, our course takes over two years to complete, with extensive practical training, tutor supervision, and real casework. We also provide online theory lectures, student support sessions and tutorials online and these in no way are a substitute for the real work that happens in the classroom We work to ensure that our graduates that go on to become Canine Massage Guild members are skilled, safe, and accountable because we believe that dogs deserve nothing less.
As a professional, I am deeply distressed at what is happening in this unregulated space, and I believe that dog owners deserve transparency, not marketing fluff from so called ‘therapists’ who can’t recognise or assess for a muscular issue let alone treat one despite their fraudulent claims.

It should be about this point that most would expect I say sorry for this. I’m not sorry. If anything I think its about time I start speaking more about this. I can only be responsible for the therapists I and my team train but at the least its time to start making owners and other canine professionals and vets aware that not all massage courses and therapists have the same training.

I always say I’m a dog owner/guardian first and a professional second, so to all the dog owners out there I urge you to check your therapists credentials, ask how long they trained for, who with and in what disciplines, ask to see their certificate of pass and importantly ask to see their insurance. Don’t just jump in with the first person who says they are a therapist because it may be they are about to take your money and put your dog at risk.
People are now jumping on the canine massage bandwagon, students and so called trainers alike because they think it’s a fast and quick buck. Its not. Its hard work that comes with it a vast amount of responsibility to the dogs, owners, vets and other paraprofessionals we work with and from the side of a trainer, to the students we teach who’s lives we influence.

Time to start calling it out.

Find a real therapist who has trained with in person supervision, taken written and practical exams, has insurance and commits to CPD training by going to visit the Canine Massage Guild professional register.

09/07/2025

It was lovely to see a new boy, Buddy today. Buddy is a staffie cross and will be 11 this autumn. His vet diagnosed him with lumber discomfort and shoulder pain and recommended clinical massage as a way to relieve his discomfort and soreness, whilst also supporting his range of movement and lameness. Buddy is very very nervous and it was important to take it very slowly to build his confidence. Buddy’s gait showed that he was lame on his right forelimb and he has issues with both hind limbs due to his lower back. He was worried to begin with and a little Shakey but I am very proud of buddy as he settled very well after I won him over with some particularly nice treats and fuss and he felt a little more able to trust me. We were able to do a little massage with him sitting and finally laying down which was a great way to end the treatnent. We found that he was incredibly tight through his neck and shoulder muscles for a start with soreness particularly through his glutes and quads. We have lots to work on with a new exercise programme in place. What a lovely boy x

04/07/2025

Other than human deep tissue, reflexology and aromatherapy I’ve been out and about and these guys also had their treatments. Lovely Flynn on the left had his 2nd after an unplanned break due to picking up a stomach bug. We decided to treat him at his own home this week as he becomes very stressed with travel. This seamed to be rather successful and we achieved a good thorough treatment.

Little Duke who couldnt have been cuter this week, on the top right also had his first maintenance session too. His 3 condensed treatments have gone very well and his owner has found that massage has helped his comfort levels and mobility. These are combined with Bex at Canine Plus Hydrotherapy in Lee.

Finally gorgeous Tally had his 3rd condensed treatnent which was very positive. Lovely Tally was very unsure about massage during the first 2 treatments and quite sore but with lots of reassurance from me and his owner and a particularly gentle approach he was very calm for his third and will now move into a maintenance programme along side Hydrotherapy with Richmond Canine Hydrotherapy Centre. His owner has found that he is wanting to go further on walks with a renewed enthusiasm which is lovely to hear.

Have a lovely weekend !!x

01/07/2025

I Must not be British and complain! Must make the most of this beautiful weather! This is my mantra for today whilst trying not to melt. Thankfully it’s beautifully cool in my treatment room xx

Jeremy in Bedfordshire felt the heat whilst enjoying his coconut spritzer this afternoon.

30/06/2025

Congratulations to Maverick and his lovely owner for coming first place in the Southern Counties Veteran Stakes. Do you know this handsome boy is actually 11!!

Mavericks vet recommended Clinical Massage a few months ago to help alleviate lower back discomfort and to help his gait. This is a lovely example of how clinical massage can help both from a muscular rehabilitative perspective but also to improve performance. Mavericks Gait when we first arrived was shortened, he had a restricted range of movement in trot but without any visible lameness and a reduced passive range of movement, we found soreness through the Splenius, Cleidocervicalis bilaterally, through his trapezius, rhomboids and Theres major in addition to the discomfort through the epaxials; thoracic and lumber regions bilaterally and finally a grade 1 strain in his left hind limb extensor. It sounds like quite a bit but much of it was compensatory discomfort and as he settled for massage like the pro he is within just a few sessions be had improved with many of these areas actually resolved. Maverick also had lazer therapy with his vet practice and his nurse also commented how much better he was tolerating it and presenting after massage. Maverick is now having maintenance sessions to support his senior years.

I am thrilled that he is out there doing what he and his owner enjoy. Well done lovely boy xx