I met Vanessa in 2011 when she started dog grooming training with me. We clicked immediately because we shared not only our love for dogs but for all things natural too. Vanessa finished her training in n April 2012. Once she had gained some work experience, Vanessa opened Top Tails – Individual Dog Grooming to her first customer.
At the very heart of Top Tails is kind, sympathetic handling, where Vanessa provides one-to-one grooming on an individual basis. She has a very successful record with anxious but gentle dogs who need time, patience, and training.
Vanessa takes a holistic approach to grooming not only with behaviour where she uses training, massage, sound therapy, and aromatherapy. She is also using natural, and whenever possible, organic products to produce the very best health benefits for every dog.
Vanessa is a Certified Canine Flow Practitioner. As well as being certified in Aromaflow (the use of a range of essential oils with dogs).
She is launching her Canine Flow Dog Relax Classes this Sunday, 31st January 2021! Find out more here
If you haven’t heard of Canine Flow, read my interview with Vanessa and find out how to connect with your dog even more…
J: What is Canine Flow?
V: Canine Flow is a gentle way of working with dogs and their owners. When dogs get overloaded with energy, they behave in unsettling ways, which we often, as humans, struggle with. We have several different techniques that we use to help release excess energy and release trapped cellular memories and trauma.
J: How did you start or what attracted you about it?
V: I stumbled across Canine Flow completely by accident. I had a beautiful dog called Brian, but he started to struggle with the world. He became fearful of other dogs and his sensitive skin wasn’t fully healing despite working with both a conventional vet and a holistic vet.
I went for a training day which was part aromatherapy for dogs and part Canine Flow. By the end of the day, I had noticed visible changes in Brian’s behaviour. After working with Canine Flow for a couple of months his firework phobia was much improved, he was happy around other dogs and his skin problems had cleared up. The rest they say is history.
J: Describe briefly how a session looks like.
V: Canine Flow Dog Relax classes are often a good starting point. They start with teachings about Canine Flow and our dog’s behaviour, are followed by a heart-based meditation for the humans, and then a relaxing hypnotherapy session for the dogs.
Canine Flow Practitioners also do individual consultations. In these, we look at all the energy going into the dog and recommend ways of reducing what is going in and also ways for your dog to release or ground that energy. So we look at chemicals used in the home, diet, where the dog sleeps, we teach owners Canine Flow Spiral Massage Technique ©. We suggest meditations, we can do individual hypnotherapy sessions. Some Canine Flow Practitioners are also trained in Aromaflow and so can work with specific essential oils. The most important thing is that we work without judgement. Sometimes we work alongside vets or behaviourists, when we do this we find that the desired results can be achieved more quickly.
J: For whom is it?
V: Canine Flow is for anyone with an open mind that wants to learn more about why dogs do the things they do and also feels that meditation and mindfulness are something that may be of use to them. Everything that we do is backed by science. It doesn’t just have to be for dogs and owners that are struggling.
I also work with groomers to help them use some of the techniques of Canine Flow to help them and the dogs they groom in their day-to-day work.
J: What benefits do you see with your clients?
V: Transformation! Calm, relaxed dogs and calm relaxed owners.
Canine Flow has proven successful results with Anxious Dogs, Aggressive Dogs, Dogs that are unpredictable, Dogs that bark, Dogs that struggle with travel, Dogs that struggle with separation anxiety, Dogs with firework phobias, Dogs with allergies, and Dogs that struggle at the dog groomers.
J: Where people can find you?
https://www.facebook.com/TopTails-484833031531480/
https://canineflow.com/findapractitioner/
Stay safe, Jitka xx