Your Whole Dog

Nails. Not glamorous, I know ... but they matter more than we realise.

When nails get too long, it’s uncomfortable. Your dog shifts their weight, and over time it changes how they stand and move.

The catch is that clipping or grinding is often tricky. Plenty of dogs find it unpleasant (I don't blame them), and then there's the fear of taking off too much and causing bleeding. Ouch. So nails get put off.

This is where I LOVE a scratchboard. Most dogs take to it well, and it is the approach I use first for cooperative handling.

Here are the objections I hear most:

Yeah, but what about the back nails?
We train it! The set-up needs adjusting, sure. It's just as possible as the front. And training the front nails alone drastically cuts the number needing attention.

Okay, but what about the outer nails?
We can change the angle of the board or the angle of approach. A curved board helps too (I cut a PVC pipe in half, no fancy equipment needed).

Ah, but what about dew claws?
Fair point, they'll still need separate attention. If the board has handled the rest, that's most of the nails sorted and the dog is already more comfortable on their feet.

Well, they're not even.
Probably true. Does it matter much? Not really. Dogs will wear their nails down on hard surfaces, and board angle can minimise unevenness anyway.

Oh, my dog won't like it.
Have you tried it?

Hmm, but my dog is too sore/too old.
We adapt the set-up to suit the dog. Wolly is 15 ¾ and still does his own nails. It's a nice bit of range-of-motion work too.

Want help getting started? Get in touch and we'll work out a plan that suits your dog.

Photo: Wolly, scratching for snacks.

Your Whole Dog provides in-home dog training and behaviour consultations across the Wellington and Hutt Valley region.

Five treats. One kettle.

Summer's coming, the days are getting longer, and suddenly there's a bajillion things to do.

Adding ’train the dog’ to that list isn't helping anyone!

Here’s a better plan: attach it to something you're already doing.

Keep a pot of treats on the bench. It's a visual cue, so you don't have to remember.

Put the kettle on, then grab a few treats and try one of these:

A few recalls from the kitchen to the lounge and back
Hand targets
Chin rest
Settling on a mat
Rewarding when your dog checks in with you

5 reps does more than you think

I'm doing the same thing... squats and a few yoga moves while the kettle boils. Perimenopause has opinions about my hips (and shoulders 🙄). Same trick, different treats.

Save this for the next time you think you haven't got time to train.

3 things I'd never do as a canine fitness and conditioning coach...

- Hand you a plan I found on Instagram
- Skip the warm up
- Pick the flashy exercise over the effective one

And what I’d do instead...

- Plans written based on how your dog is moving and what they need
- We always start with a proper warm up. Less chance of injuries that way
- Use effective exercises that you and your dog can do. Flashy looks good on camera. Effective is what builds the dog (and holds everything together).

Written by me, Annie, a real-ass human who also uses AI to help me organise my jumbled brain.

I've been having socialisation feelings ...

I keep hearing the same outdated advice doing the rounds - keep puppies home until they're fully vaccinated - and it's bugged me enough to finally do something about it.

There are two risks to manage in those early weeks, not just one.

Infectious disease gets all the airtime, but under-socialisation is just as serious, and it's the one not enough people talk about.

I've written a blog on it here, with some practical ways to get started safely (no waiting required): https://yourwholedog.co.nz/blogs/news/do-you-really-have-to-wait-for-vaccinations-before-socialising-your-puppy

And if you want to skip straight to the good stuff, I've also put together a free guide with PLENTY of actionable advice, and journal pages to help you stay on track: https://yourwholedogonline.newzenler.com/f/getting-out-there-puppy-socialisation

Wary of downloads because so many are an underwhelming 3 pages of advertising and not much practical use?

Yeah, me too. So, that's not how I roll!

Stay curious 🐾

- written by me, a human, who uses AI to help me organise my jumbled thoughts.

😱 oh man, the weather ⛈️🌩️💨🌬️⛈️ 😱

Your Whole Dog HQ is currently weathering the storm, and without power.

I’m unable to pack up and send shop orders, and have limited admin capabilities.

Current estimates have things returning to normal for us some time on Wednesday.

I’ll be endeavouring to do some responses to emails and queries before that if I can safely access power and internet away from home.

The shop will remain open, and I'll be packing up and sending orders as soon as I can. Delivery times are likely to be longer than normal due to inevitable transport delays.

Please, stay safe.

thank you for your patience, and your support of my teeny tiny business 🐾

So… my darling 15-year-old Wolly has accidentally become my latest case study. And, as I exploit his misfortune, I promise he’s being well paid for being blog fodder.

Wolly is currently rehabbing three injuries (yes, three out of four legs … gah … I admire his dedication to keeping me professionally humble - apparently I needed a refresher).

Our household currently runs on a strict schedule of rehab exercises, snacks, and my ongoing negotiation with him about both.

And he’s reminding me, in real time, of something I say to clients regularly: age isn’t a diagnosis.

When I saw increasing lameness, it would have been very easy to throw up my hands and say “well, he’s old.”

Digging into what’s actually going on - and supporting him with rehab and sensible management - means improvement is still absolutely possible.

Writing our senior dogs off as “just getting old” can cost them real quality of life.

I’ve written a blog about what this looks like in real life, and why senior dogs deserve more than a shrug and a stereotype.

I’ll pop the link to it in the comments.

Nope, you're not imagining things!

If something feels ‘off’ about your dog - if their behaviour has changed in ways you can't quite explain - trust your instinct.

Maybe they're more reactive than they used to be. Or suddenly reluctant to do things they've always done easily. Or they just seem a bit uncomfortable and not-quite-themselves but you can't pinpoint why.

Dogs can't tell us when something hurts. But they DO communicate through their behaviour - and the subtle signs of pain usually show up long before the limping does.

I've written a comprehensive guide to help you recognise the signs your dog might be trying to show you.

I'll pop the link to the blog in the comments.

CPD with a difference ...

I had a bit of a stomach-churning moment recently.

I saw a post claiming that the cure for imposter syndrome was… more education. More courses. More certificates. Handily, they also had a new certificate course I could enrol in to learn more skills in order to fix my imposter angst.

Immediate turn-off!

I'd guess that for most of us, the issue isn't a lack of information. It's not that we don't know enough.

Usually, what we're missing is confidence. Support. And the belief that we can actually apply what we already know. We need to believe we can do it well.

Sound familiar?

Which is why - oh, the irony! - I decided to enrol in a course 😂

But this one was different.

The Confident Practitioner Program with Lisa Ruthig of Power of Touch wasn't about learning more techniques or adding another certificate to the wall (although yes, I did get a certificate 😆). It was about developing practical nervous system skills to manage stress and self-doubt in the moment.

And here's the twist I genuinely didn't see coming:

The skills I learned for managing my own stress? They're exactly the same ones my clients need when supporting their dogs.

Not more instructions. Not more pressure to stay calm (- does that ever actually work?). Just practical ways to pause, ground, and stay present instead of spiralling. Fair to say, I’m still a work in progress.

Dogs don't exist in isolation from us. They read our stress, our tension, our hesitation. Often before we're even aware of it ourselves.

And when we feel more grounded, our dogs feel it too.

This learning has done more than help me. It’s changed how I show up for my clients. I'm not watching just your dog's body language anymore. I'm noticing where stress is showing up in you - and I have practical tools to share that can shift it in the moment.

Small shifts that help your nervous system feel safer. Which helps your dog feel safer too.

If you're feeling stuck with your dog right now and wondering if your own stress is part of the puzzle... it probably is. And that's okay. There are tools that can help.

Curious to read more? There's a blog linked in the comments.

Flexiness Canine Fitness gear … pre-orders open!

Flexiness has been popular recently. If that’s you, thank you 🙌

And now I’m getting ready to put together my next Flexiness Canine Fitness equipment order to restock.

I already have some pre-orders in, and before I finalise the shipment I wanted to let people know that pre-ordering is available for items that aren’t currently in stock.

Pre-orders help me plan stock more accurately (small business realities 🙃😬😆), and they’re a win for you too:

- You’re guaranteed the equipment you want
- You’ll lock in current pricing (ever-rising import costs mean prices are likely to rise… again)

If you’ve been thinking about paw pods, balance discs, SensiMats, or any of the other fab fitness gear for your dog, now’s a good time to have a look.

Flexiness canine fitness equipment is extremely versatile and ideal for supporting strength, balance, mobility, and confidence in dogs of all ages.

If you’re unsure what might suit your dog, feel free to email me - [email protected] - I’m always happy to help.