Hoof and Paw

26/12/2025

🔥🐴 Welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse with a 20% discount* on bodywork! 🐴🔥

If you’ve been feeling a bit of extra spark in the air lately, you’re not imagining it. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse—a rare and powerful combination that only comes around every 60 years. Fire Horses are known for their big energy, bold spirit, and unstoppable forward momentum… sound like any horses you know?

To celebrate this fiery, vibrant start to the year, I’m launching a 20% discount offer* on equine bodywork sessions from now until January 19th.

The Fire Horse energy is all about drive and enthusiasm, but with that can come tension, overexertion, and the need for grounding. Bodywork is a beautiful way to help your horse stay balanced—loosening tight muscles, improving circulation, and supporting calm focus so they can channel that Fire Horse spark in the best possible way.

✨ Special offer available until January 19th (T&Cs apply*)
✨ Perfect for performance horses, paddock mates, and everyone in between
✨ Let’s help your horse start the Fire Horse year feeling supple, settled, and relaxed

DM to book or visit https://www.hoofandpaw.co.nz/equine-bodywork. I can’t wait to support your horses as we gallop into this fiery new year together! 🔥🐎

T&Cs
* offer available only until 19/01/26
* travel fees may apply to some locations & will be confirmed at time of booking
* 20% discount on rates as below:
- existing client $80 (normally $100)
- new client $96 (normally $120)
* Payment is due on the day for new clients; existing clients will be invoiced, payment due within 4 days

02/12/2025

🌞 Top 5 Tips for Keeping Your Dog Comfortable & Sound This Summer
From the perspective of a canine bodyworker.

Summer adventures are some of the best memories we make with our dogs — beach runs, bush walks, swims, and family holidays. But the hotter months can also place extra strain on their bodies. Here are my top five tips to help keep your dog mobile, comfortable, and thriving all summer long:

💧 1. Prioritise Hydration & Electrolyte Balance
Dogs can overheat quickly, especially during exercise or in humid weather. Always have fresh water available, plan walks during cooler parts of the day, and be mindful of signs of dehydration like tacky gums or excessive panting. Well-hydrated muscles perform better and recover faster.

🐾 2. Protect Joints from Hard & Hot Surfaces
Footpaths, decks, and dry ground heat up and toughen in summer. High-impact play on hard ground can overload joints, especially for senior dogs or breeds prone to hip and elbow issues. Vary their playgrounds — mix in grass, sand, and softer trails to reduce strain.l

💓 3. Don’t Skip the Warm-Up & Cool-Down
Just like us, dogs benefit from easing into activity. A few minutes of loose-lead walking before off-leash zoomies can prevent strains and keep soft tissues supple. Finishing with a calm walk allows heart rate and muscles to settle, reducing post-play stiffness.

🩹 4. Notice Small Changes in Behaviour or Movement
Limping isn’t the first sign of discomfort — it’s often the last. Look for subtle clues like hesitation to jump into the car, slipping on floors, shorter strides, stiffness after naps, or reluctance to be touched in certain areas. These small shifts can be early indicators of tension or imbalance.

5. Make Body Care a Routine Part of Their Wellness
Bodywork isn’t just for injured dogs — it’s incredibly valuable as a preventative tool. Regular sessions help maintain healthy muscle patterns, improve mobility, support ageing joints, and keep active dogs moving comfortably. Even simple at-home techniques like gentle stretches or massage can make a big difference.

Professional bodywork complements your everyday care by spotting tight areas, compensations, or developing asymmetries that might otherwise go unnoticed.

☀️ Summer is for exploring — let’s help our dogs feel their best for every run, swim, and cuddle.
If you ever want personalised guidance on supporting your dog’s mobility or comfort, I’m always happy to chat. DM or visit https://www.hoofandpaw.co.nz/services

08/11/2025

18/10/2025

🚨 Useful information to know 🚨

Today is , a reminder that knowing how to save a life—especially our furry friends—can make all the difference. While having to administer CPR to your pet can be terrifying, being prepared can help you act calmly and confidently in an emergency.

Stay Calm:
1️⃣ Breathe: Take a few deep breaths to steady yourself. Focus on the feeling of the air filling your lungs.
2️⃣ Delegate: If there are bystanders, assign them tasks like finding the nearest emergency vet.
3️⃣ Focus: Keep your mind clear. Concentrate on the steps ahead and stay in the moment.

When to Start CPR:
🐾 Your pet isn’t responding
🐾 Your pet isn’t breathing
🐾 You can’t feel a heartbeat or pulse

How to Perform CPR:
Compressions:
❤️ Position your pet on their side.
❤️ Deliver 120 compressions per minute (2 per second).
❤️ For every 30 compressions, give 2 breaths.

Breaths:
❤️ Close your pet’s mouth and seal it with your fingers.
❤️ Cover their nose and give 2 breaths—enough to make their chest rise.
❤️ Check for a heartbeat after 2 minutes. If there’s no pulse, continue.

When to Stop CPR:
🐾 Your pet starts breathing and responding
🐾 You reach the vet clinic and they take over
🐾 You can’t continue physically
🐾 Your pet starts breathing but is still unconscious

Recovery Position:
Place your pet’s head to the side, slightly tilting down (unless there’s head trauma).

Compression Techniques:
🐶 Medium to Large Dogs: Compress one third of the chest depth.
🐱 Small Dogs/Cats: Use your thumb and fingers for compression, or compress directly over the heart.

Stay prepared and know that you can make a difference in your pet's life! ❤️

05/10/2025

🐾 The magic of massage for the older dog 🐾

Let’s talk about our golden oldies for a minute 💛 You know the ones — a little greyer around the muzzle, a little slower to get up after a nap, but still with hearts full of love (and probably a strong opinion about dinner time!).

Just like us, as dogs age their muscles, joints, and circulation change. They might start to feel a bit stiff after exercise, take longer to recover, or seem less keen on jumping into the car. This is where canine massage therapy can make a world of difference!

Here’s what regular massage can do for senior dogs:
🐾 Ease muscle tension and stiffness – helping your dog move more comfortably
🐾 Support joint mobility – especially useful for dogs with arthritis or old injuries
🐾 Improve circulation and lymph flow – great for healing and overall vitality
🐾 Reduce pain and promote relaxation – because every dog deserves to feel good
🐾 Boost mood and connection – most dogs absolutely love their massage sessions and will often lean in for more!

I visit you in your home to help your dog feel happy and relaxed. It’s amazing to watch a senior dog who looked stiff and sore at the beginning of the session then start to stretch, move, and even play more freely again. Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that make the biggest difference in their day-to-day comfort.

If your old mate could use a bit of TLC, I’d love to chat about how bodywork could help them feel their best again 💕 Find out more at https://www.hoofandpaw.co.nz/services

06/09/2025

🌧️ I was definitely dodging raindrops today for bodywork on this lovely little mare. I’ve been a bit remiss with posting recently & the weather has unfortunately meant some rescheduling. I’m still helping horses (and dogs!) however in Upper Hutt & the Wairarapa.
Find out how I can work with you & help your horse https://www.hoofandpaw.co.nz/equine-bodywork

31/07/2025

The wonderful Doggie Delights will be at the Equine Lifestyle Expo at Solway tomorrow - hope to see you there!

Doggie Delights will be down at the Equine Market tomorrow 10am - 4pm! Solway Showgrounds!
‼️🚨 AND WE WANT TO REWARD YOU! 🚨‼️
Simply show us your ticket confirmation & receive a sample pack of our treats for FREE 🥳
FIRST 10 PEOPLE TO SHOW US GET A UPGRADED GOODIE BAG! 🥳

If you haven’t secured your free tickets…what are you waiting for⁉️
Thank you to our ever growing community for showing your support - we can’t wait to share what’s ahead! 🥳🥰

10/07/2025

Barry (brown eye patch) is based at the Masterton SPCA & is still looking for his people ❤️

04/07/2025

🐾 5 Winter Wellness Tips for Your Dog ❄️ from Hoof and Paw

Rain, mud, cold paws… winter can make it tough to keep your dog active and comfortable! But with a few small tweaks, you can help your pup stay fit, strong, and mobile — even when the weather isn’t playing nice 💪🐶

Here are 5 easy ways to support your dog through the colder months:
⠀
1️⃣ Move It Indoors
Short walks are great, but don’t forget about indoor exercise too! Try:
🔸 Sit-to-stands (doggy squats)
🔸 Walk over couch cushions
🔸 Balance disc work or tug games
⠀
2️⃣ Warm-Up and Cool Down
Even a short session needs prep in winter. Begin with slow, focused movement like leash walking or gentle stretches before high-energy play. Finish calmly to help muscles recover 💨
⠀
3️⃣ Rug Up & Dry Off
Short-coated, lean, senior or arthritic dogs benefit from a good coat outside. And always dry off wet fur, especially around the lower back and hips, to avoid post-walk stiffness 🧥🛁
⠀
4️⃣ Winter Bodywork = Less Stiffness
Cold weather often reveals tightness or old injuries. Canine bodywork helps improve mobility, reduce tension, and keep your dog feeling loose and limber 🐾
👉 I offer tailored sessions in the comfort of your own home across the Wairarapa

5️⃣ Mental Stimulation Matters Too!
Keep their brain busy on rainy days:
🧠 Snuffle mats with healthy treats
🧠 Food puzzles
🧠 Nosework games
🧠 Teach a new cue or trick
Mental work can be just as tiring (and fulfilling) as a walk!
⠀
💡 Consistency is the key to keeping your dog mobile, strong, and happy all winter long.

📩 DM or visit www.hoofandpaw.co.nz to book a canine bodywork session.

⠀

27/06/2025

Freya is still looking for a new home. Genuine reason for owner looking to find her a new home.