Passionate about happy, healthy dogs
Our ethical commitment is to share canine clinical skills linked to sound knowledge, to optimise the natural balance, movement, function and wellbeing of every dog. We achieve this with our free resources and “at cost” services.
Our clinical belief is to build a positive therapeutic partnership with each dog and work actively with their consent, using specific canine skills and clinical reasoning. This guides all our resource and course development and publications.
Meet Barbara Houlding
I am passionate about supporting therapists, dog owners and dog carers. My vision is to offer high quality CPD courses and resources at ethical pricing, to promote the best canine healthcare and hands on therapeutic skills. This aims to help every dog enjoy their life fully, as happy, healthy and fulfilled dogs.
- Designed, taught and examined the canine component of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) Core Knowledge & Skills course up to its closure
- The first UK Accredited Clinical Educator in Veterinary Physiotherapy (awarded by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy – CSP)
- Accredited clinical educator, lecturer and assistant examiner at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) on their Postgraduate Masters in Veterinary Physiotherapy for 10 years
- Co-Course Director for the Nottingham Veterinary School’s Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert level 7) in Small Animal Rehabilitation – co wrote, delivered and examiner of this qualification for 5 years
- International speaker on canine physiotherapy, rehabilitation and clinical hydrotherapy 2002 to 2023
- Approved Training Provider for Ofqual regulated canine hydrotherapy courses 2009 to 2025
- Presented with the Canine Hydrotherapy Association (CHA) Award in 2017 for outstanding services to the UK hydrotherapy industry
- Chartered Physiotherapist and Veterinary Physiotherapist with over 43 years of clinical experience
- Past Chair of IRVAP (irvap.org.uk) for a decade, retiring February 2025
- Led the initiative to launch the IRVAP – Institute of Canine Hydrotherapists (ICH) in 2019
- Past IRVAP – ICH Chair from inception to 2022
- Fellow of IRVAP, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) member since 1982, ACPAT Cat A member 2002 – 2024, Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP) member
- Launched the ethical “at cost” online K9 Therapy Hub membership site in 2022 to share clinical techniques with canine practitioners wanting to advance their canine skills, practice and services
Barbara Houlding is proud to belong to these professional organisations
