K9 HYDROTHERAPY CENTRE, ROSEBURN AYRSHIRE - SCOTLAND

We would just like to take this opportunity wish all our dogs and their families a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2011! We have enjoyed meeting you all this year and many of you have become firm friends! The new year brings the exciting prospect of further training for me, firstly a course on Advanced Surgical Procedures in January followed by my first aid refresher in February, both at Hawksmoor Hydrotherapy Training Centre. I will also be tackling a distance learning course on spinal conditions. I know many of you have attempted to leave comments on the guest book but have been unable to do so, I am still trying to find out what the problem is and will let you know when it's sorted. Keep checking the blog, I will try to update it more regularly - that's my new year's resolution!

Course Update

Good morning everyone! Just a quick update before Holly arrives for the treadmill. As most of you know, I closed the centre yesterday to attend a course on 'Spinal Conditions In the Dog' down at Hawksmoor Hydrotherapy Training Centre near Nuneaton. It was lovely to see some familiar faces including Angela Halls who runs Aquadogs in Cardiff and with whom I started my hydrotherapy training over 3 years ago. It was also lovely to see Sue again, some of us attend her courses so regularly that we feel like part of the family! The course itself was highly informative and interesting, with lots of relevance to the spinal patient in hydrotherapy. The lecturer was Mr Malcolm Mckee (BVMS MVS DSAO MACVSc MRCVS). It was clear from his patience, expertise and attention to detail in answering every question we asked just how much passion he has for this particular area and the animals he works with. Sue is hopefully introducing a new distance learning course in the new year on this same subject and I look forward to embarking on some further study in this area.

It was lovely to be away but I am happy to be back to work today as I really miss the dogs when I'm not here (both my own and visitors!). I hope all your dogs coped with the fireworks over the last week or so, I think we have heard the last of them till they start up again at New Year!!

I am trying to update the website Gallery but it is so difficult to get decent photos of dogs in the pool - they are either too fast, the camera is too slow, or at the perfect moment the lens fogs over! If anyone has some good shots of their dog in action, send them to me in an e-mail and i'll post them up and thanks to those who have already done so.

Take care till the next blog, Linda RCH

NEWSFLASH!

Firstly I am delighted to announce that I have now been accepted as a full member of NARCH (National Association of Registered Canine Hydrotherapists). This allows me to use the letters RCH (registered canine hydrotherapist) after my name. If you would like to learn more about the criteria required to become a RCH or to have a look at my details/qualifications on the NARCH website, go to www.narch.org.uk

Secondly, I received an e-mail earlier this week from Hawksmoor Training Centre informing me that I passed my distance learning course on canine elbow & hip dysplasia. This means I now have enough credits to qualify for the new certificate in small animal hydrotherapy and I will let you know as soon as the paperwork is processed!

And lastly just to let you know, I am booked onto 2 new courses in October and November. One on arthritic conditions and one on the spinal conditions. The Hawksmoor courses are always extremely thorough and informative and I will update you on both courses when I have completed them.

Off to get ready for the first dog of the day now, Linda Gillan (RCH) !