Helping dogs move better, feel better and live well.
Hi, I’m Tracey!
Over ten years ago, my German Shepherd, Djambo, began barking and reacting to other dogs and people. Like many owners, I assumed it was a training issue. I spent money on advice that didn't help, and I felt guilty and unsure who to trust.
What I didn't realise at the time was that he was living with pain in both shoulders.
Treating his physical discomfort helped enormously, but it also taught me something that would shape the direction of my career: behaviour rarely exists in isolation.
Our dogs don't separate their physical wellbeing from their emotional wellbeing. Discomfort can affect confidence, resilience, tolerance, and behaviour. Equally, stress and anxiety can influence how a dog moves, rests, and copes with daily life.
That experience led me to study behaviour, movement analysis, therapeutic exercise and chronic pain, so that I could better understand the whole dog.
Today, Shaping Dogs exists because too many dogs are living with hidden physical discomfort and emotional distress, and too many owners are told the answer is to correct, suppress or punish.
We offer a different path. By bringing together the science of movement, physical comfort and emotional wellbeing, we help people find out what's really going on for their dog and give them a practical, compassionate plan they can trust. No aversives or quick fixes, just a better life together.
What we believe
1. Behaviour is rarely just behaviour.
How a dog moves, feels and behaves are all connected. We look at the whole dog, because treating one piece rarely solves the problem.
2. Discomfort should be ruled out, not trained over.
A dog who is barking, lunging or withdrawing may be telling us something hurts. Physical comfort is always part of the question.
3. Kind methods are effective methods.
Harsh corrections can suppress behaviour, but they don't address why it's happening. We never use aversives, because we don't need to.
4. Owners deserve support, not blame.
Most people come to us after trying hard for a long time. Guilt doesn't help anyone move forward, and understanding does.
5. Evidence comes before trends.
We follow the research, not fashions or opinions, and we'll say so honestly when the evidence isn't clear yet.
6. Honest answers matter more than easy ones.
We'll tell you when your dog needs a vet, when something is outside our scope, and that lasting change takes time and work.
7. Real progress fits into real life.
A plan only helps if you can actually follow it. We build practical steps around your dog, your home and your routine.
8. Dogs do best when professionals work together.
We work alongside vets and other professionals, because no single person sees the whole picture alone.
Our approach
Whether your dog is showing signs of reactivity or anxiety, struggling with a sudden change in behaviour, or you simply feel something isn't quite right and want to understand why, we look at the whole picture. That means considering physical comfort and mobility, movement and posture, emotional wellbeing, and lifestyle and environment, because these rarely tell separate stories.
My goal is not to diagnose medical conditions or replace veterinary care. Instead, I help owners notice the signs, understand what they might mean, and take practical steps to support their dog's physical and behavioural wellbeing alongside their vet.
How I can help
The Whole Dog Programme
A 12-week programme combining behavioural and movement expertise to understand what's really driving your dog's behaviour, not just how to manage it.
Movement & Posture Assessments
Observing movement, posture, and physical compensations that may warrant further investigation or support, helping owners have informed conversations with their veterinary team.
Qualifications & experience
My work brings together behaviour, movement and science, because understanding the whole dog needs all three.
Behaviour & training
Level 6 Diploma in Clinical Canine Behaviour, Canine Behaviour College (in progress)
Certified dog trainer
Movement & physical wellbeing
Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT)
Diploma in Canine Exercise Rehabilitation
Canine Sports Massage (Distinction)
Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) Advocate, Level 2
Movement and posture analysis courses
Science & evidence
PhD in Environmental Chemistry
Trained systematic reviewer, assessing the quality of published research
Medical writer, translating complex scientific and clinical information for different audiences
That scientific training shapes everything I do. I know how to read research critically, tell strong evidence from weak, and explain what it means for you and your dog in plain, practical terms.
Ready to find out what's really going on for your dog?