Soul Touched by Dogs

Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs
Podcast, the show for dog lovers who

see dogs not as toys or tools, but
wise souls worth our respect and care.

I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.

I talk to poor some humans, people who
do great work for dogs and their people.

So come and join us for
today's conversation.

Anke: Hello and welcome, Ruth.

I'm like, I always say I'm super
excited, but like, it's super true today.

Ruth: Well, I am too, so that
makes two of us, doesn't it?

Thank you, Anke, for inviting me on.

Anke: Oh yes, I, I just like, I, I
just think we have like a real kind

of treasure on our hands today.

So before we go in there, uh,
Ruth, why don't you share with

people where you're based and So
what's your business with dogs?

Ruth: Yes, well, I am a whole energy
body balance practitioner, which

is a type of dog massage, which
focuses on the connective tissue,

uh, the neuro, uh, the neuro fascia,
which is packed with nerve endings.

Um, I learned that massage about
four years ago, uh, and I've now

been practicing for two years in my
little canine cabin at the bottom

of my tiny garden in a little town
called Winchcombe in the Cotswolds

in Gloucestershire in the UK.

Uh, so that's what I do
in terms of working with.

Dogs.

Uh, and it's absolutely fantastic.

Um, I've always wanted to work with dogs.

It's taken me a little while, but I
got here in the end, um, and doing the,

the web as it's called, whole energy
body balance, doing that training,

working with, uh, learning from Dr.

Edward Bassing Thwaite, the healing
vet who, who devised web and

works with it himself and teaches.

Uh, that's been one of the most
amazing experiences I've had for

a long, long time, and it set
me on the path that I'm now on.

Anke: I love that.

I love that.

And so people who are listening,
well, there's a good chance

you've come across Dr.

Adam on the, on the Planet
of Peace Summit, and he was

also on the podcast here.

So maybe you're familiar.

If you're not, I might recommend you,
you check it out, because I always

remember how I stumbled across him.

You know, it's that, oh,
here's ways you can detect.

Yes.

And I was like, Oh, you know, so yeah,

Ruth: I mean, I, I, like,
like you, I stumped, sort of

stumbled across him as well.

I actually found him on Facebook
when he, he advertises on Facebook.

And when I read about web and what
it does and how it works and went,

looked into a bit further, the
training and everything else, I just

thought, this is absolutely perfect.

This is what I've been looking for.

I have been looking into
other types of canine massage,

which tend to focus more on.

You know, that the muscles and
the muscle groups, whereas this

is much more the whole body.

It's the energetic system, as
well as the connective tissue,

the tissue, the neurofascia,
which is all the nerve endings.

Uh, and it just really fitted
for me really with, you know,

it's a little bit intuitive.

Obviously you do do an
assessment, seek out the silent.

Pain and tension, uh, and then work
with the dog, not on the dog, you work

with the dog, you know, at their pace,
connect with them, build up their trust.

Um, and it's, it's absolutely wonderful.

And I think I've always had a bit of
a, um, I don't know what you'd call

it, an understanding or a connection
with dogs, even from being very young.

Um, and, and it, as I say, it
just works perfectly for me.

And it's lovely to be able to
help them both emotionally and

physically, uh, in all sorts of ways.

Anke: So, I mean, all sorts
of ways, like, what is it that

people typically come to you for?

Because, you know, like, if my dog's not
well, I'll go to the vet or, you know, I

might get rakey or I might get like, you
know, what will make people come to you?

Ruth: Well, very often, I mean, obviously,
if your dog is ill, and I obviously would

always say this, if it becomes lame,
if it's ill, you must go to your vet.

You know, that's, that's the one
thing we must be clear on when, you

know, we're not vets by any means.

And if your dog is, is sick, take it
to the vet as a first port of call.

And we always get vet consent before
we work with the dog anyway, just to

make sure if there's anything we need
to know or any, any areas of caution.

Um, but having said all that.

People will bring their dogs to us.

The reason being usually
two sorts of camps.

There's people with dogs who
might have got arthritis.

They might have got spinal issues.

Um, they might just be old and
suddenly their mobility seems to go.

They've slowed up.

They don't get in the car so easily.

They don't get on the
chair or up the stairs.

And they're, they're people who,
they're dogs who have got very tight.

Their fascia's got very tight and stiff.

Um, and they're probably feeling,
Quite uncomfortable and immobile.

So we work with that, work with
them to loosen them up and it gives

them a new lease of life very often.

So that's sort of one, one area.

The other area is dogs with emotional
issues because like us, dogs hold

tension the same as we do, you know,
and if they're emotionally stressed,

whether it be through separation.

A rescue dog, you know, it's had an
awful start to its life or whatever.

Um, it will be holding to
emotional tension like we do.

And again, we assess, we find
out, find out where it might be.

And then we work with that dog very
gently when it's a rescue dog, or if

it's been abused because, you know,
obviously a big trust issue there.

So, you know, you're very slowly and
gently with rescue animals, um, build

up the trust and work to release it.

And again, the same thing often happens.

Their personality starts to come out.

They start to relax.

They start to enjoy life, start playing
with toys for the first time, running

about, engaging with their owner, a human.

Uh, and it's just so lovely to
be able to help them in that way.

It really is because, because a lot of,
a lot of, um, Other sort of massages.

They don't tend to seek the
silent pain and tension that Dr.

Edward has has devised.

It's a slightly different
method of working.

And, uh, yeah, it's, and the,
and the calming work we do with

the nervous system as well.

Uh, that's something he's devised
and it's very, very powerful

and some energetic work as well.

And it is, it's very powerful.

Anke: I love that.

I love that.

So now this work has It has had
an unexpected side effect for you,

Ruth: as well as it being absolute
joy to work with lovely dogs and

help them and their owners because
obviously it helps the owners too.

It has.

It's, it's led me down an unusual path.

One I wasn't expecting to do.

Before I was a dog, Uh,
Canine Massage Therapist.

I was a writer.

Uh, I started off in journalism.

And so I've, I've spent 40 years writing
in, in one vein or another, whether it

be publicity, marketing, journalism.

Um, so, but I've managed, I've been
able to combine that sort of skill

with my dog work, um, and through.

The last two years, and particularly
post pandemic, when a lot of dogs and

owners have struggled with all sorts of
issues, um, through maybe they're not

socialized, or they've been with their
humans so much, they get separation

anxiety, uh, all the rescue dogs as well.

Um, I've, I've, I noticed there was lots
and lots of ongoing issues with people and

very similar issues, um, and a lot of it
was down to the human actually not having

the knowledge they needed, uh, that, you
know, about their dog's welfare, what

their dog's needs were, whether it was
sort of breed specific or dogs in general.

Um, and so, As a result of that, and I
used to talk to, I talk a lot to my friend

who's a dog trainer, uh, so we used to
have lots of conversations about this.

Um, and I suddenly, I joined a
writing group online just to do

a little week session, a session
of evenings, uh, not with any

intention other than I like writing.

Um, and, and the first question,
um, Michael Heppel, who was

the writer of that book.

He's the, he's a best selling
author and motivational man.

And he is motivational.

He's a brilliant chap.

Uh, first thing he asked us was,
what's your passion in life?

And of course, my passion in
life is helping dogs leave, lead

happier, healthier lives and helping
their owners as well, of course.

Um, so I put that down as, as my passion.

Uh, we 50 words or something.

And then the next night we
had to expand it, which I did.

and ended up writing this piece that
we were then asked to post and people

to comment on and give feedback.

And I had such lovely feedback from
this first couple of hundred words.

People saying, Oh, where can I buy this?

Where can I get, where are you?

Is, you know, is this book finished yet?

And I thought, well, I hadn't
even, I haven't even started this

book, but I better get on with it.

So I did.

Um, and now it's published.

It's out there.

They're all barking.

I've actually got a copy here.

They're all barking and it's written
by Professor Daniel Springer Spaniel.

Um, and yes, so, so it's now available.

And basically in there I've
gone through, um, it's about 14

chapters, each with an illustration.

And I've gone through all sorts of areas.

Um, it's sort of making humans aware
really of, of how they can, what the,

what they can do best to help their dogs
lead a happy, healthy, balanced life.

It's not about what the human wants.

Um, it's, it's not because the
human wants it to wear a jumper

or shoes or any of these things.

Um, or the human wants that dog because
it looks fluffy and pretty or whatever.

It should really be about does that.

Is that dog going to fit into your life?

Um, can you provide for that
dog the things it needs?

If it's a working dog, it's going
to have real specific needs.

It's going to be high energy.

It's going to need mental stimulation.

It's going to need a lot of outdoor work.

It's going to be very energetic.

You know, can you really, really
provide for that dog if you're a

family, you've got a young family
and you work, uh, you know, probably

the answer there might be no.

So things like that, and it's written
from a dog's perspective and it includes

case studies, which are based on genuine,
um, Sort of stories that either have

happened to me with my dogs or other
people I know so they are, they're

true But I've obviously put a little
bit of twist of fiction on it So it's

slightly, but it's the dog talking in
the case studies and it's it's Professor

Daniel talking in the book Telling
people, telling other dogs actually if

you have an owner who's like this This
is probably what's going to happen.

Um, and there is, I've got some
lovely feedback from people and it is

written, you know, with some humour.

Um, but there's also some really
serious messages in there, uh,

you know, about what can happen to
dogs if they do end up with owners

who can't provide for their needs.

Um, you know, maybe because it
hasn't just been thought through.

Um, and I think this
happened in the pandemic.

People rushed out and got dogs without
thinking it through, without thinking

about what the dog needs and how they can
look after it and what's going to happen

in this situation and that situation.

Um, and, and a lot of people
humanized their dogs as well, I

think, and they did when they were
spending a lot of time with them.

Um, and they weren't able to get
professional help and guidance.

They weren't able to go to classes,
socialize the dog properly.

And, and as a result, There's lots and
lots of dogs with problems out there now,

um, but as I often say, you know, if you
want to change your dog's behavior, you

need to start by looking at your own.

And this is what Professor Daniel does.

He looks at human behavior and how
it affects dogs, including emotions,

because emotions affect dogs as well.

Anke: Oh, totally love that.

I love that.

Reminds me of this book by Kevin Behan.

It's called Like Your Dog Is Your Mirror.

Ruth: Oh yes, I've read that.

You know, like you

Anke: want to kind of always look
on both ends of the leech, right?

So I think they're so, especially knowing
how, how tuned in they are, you know.

Like you can, you can trick
another person five times and

you will never trick your dog.

Like no one knows what's really going on.

Ruth: Yeah, and that's actually another,
another point that Professor Daniel makes

is, you know, And there's a chapter on
that, sensing your human's emotions.

And again, that's a really, you know,
quite a serious issue because dogs, I

think a lot of humans underestimate how
sensitive dogs are energetically, how

intelligent they are and how much they
absorb what we're thinking, what we're

feeling, our emotions, um, and it can
have a really serious impact on them.

Um, so that, that's, you know, that's
one aspect of the book is, is realizing.

you know, just how intelligent
and sensitive they are.

Uh, and again, you know, that it's not
just, not just a dog or not just an

animal, that, that it's not an accessory.

It's not an object.

It's a real living, breathing,
sentient, very sentient being.

And it needs to be treated with respect.

Um, and, and given it, you know,
its needs, its breed specific

needs provided for, um, and then
you'll have a happy, healthy dog.

Anke: I love that.

I love that.

It's like, literally like, what
I've got on the cover page of

SoulTouch products is that.

It's like, they're not toys.

They're not tools.

You know, they, they, they're
different from us, but not any less,

you know, it's almost like, boy,
my dogs have taught me so much.

It's like, well, you know, like,
you know what, I'm curious.

Like, who is Dr.

Daniel?

Like, is that, like, Yoda?

Or, like, how do you?

Ruth: Yeah, it's funny, actually,
because a couple of people have asked

me that, and in a way, I think I've
probably slipped up a touch there.

I came up with Professor Daniel Springer
Spaniel, obviously because Daniel arrives

with Spaniel and he's hyphenated his name.

Um, I don't know why I came up with
a Springer Spaniel, Professor Daniel.

Because my dog is actually a Labrador
and it's a girl, it's a bitch.

So I don't know where he came from.

I mean, also in the book, we've got Dr.

Peter Poynter, who is his colleague, who's
provided the skate case studies for him.

So he's got a role in the book as well.

And I haven't got a pointer either.

Anke: Oh, that's funny.

Ruth: Just came out of my very You know,

Anke: there could be good
dogs or maybe a child.

Like, you know, could it
be the dog in particular?

Yeah,

Ruth: no, it's funny.

It just came out of my head.

All sorts of strange things do.

Anke: So, so would you, I mean, the thing
is, I would recommend it for anybody

who loves dogs because it's just like,
it's the edutainment almost, like it's

half entertainment, it's half education.

You know, but uh, so is there a specific
group of people where you say, well, if

you have an anxious dog, if you have a dog
that kind of does things you don't really

understand, is there a specific kind
of dog lover where you think, well, if

anybody gets a lot out of this, it's them?

Ruth: Well it's interesting actually
because I mean I, I obviously make

it clear in the beginning of the
book and I say to people I'm not a

trainer, I'm not a behaviorist, this
is just my experience, well Professor

Daniel's words, but my experience and
obviously of working with dogs and their

owners and I'm able to get it across
because I'm a, I'm a writer as well.

Um, But I would say, and from the
feedback I've had, the people who've

bought the book, some of them have been
doggy clients, some obviously people

I know, other people I don't know.

Um, so far I've had
lovely, lovely feedback.

And even if some of the readers
have had dogs all their lives, they

all say it was really informative
and they learned something from it.

And in some cases they've even changed
Their behavior with their dog, uh,

because of what they've read in the book.

Uh, so that is fantastic.

That is what it's about for me.

You know, a lot of people have
said to me, Oh, you must be so

pleased you've published a book.

Well, yes, I am.

But for me, the really, really.

Great thing is when people say to
me, I've read it, I loved it, I've

really learned so much, you know, and
somebody says, I loved it so much, and

I'm no doubt going to read it again.

And that is, and they've got something
from it, because at the end of the

day, I've written it to help dogs.

That's, that's the simple reason
I've written it is to try and help

dogs by raising awareness through
their humans of how they need,

you know, the care they need.

Um, and the support they need.

Um, so yeah, it's, it's, I'd say any
dog, any dog owner, to be honest.

Um, so I've had all sorts of dogs

Anke: probably put it
on the Christmas list.

Ruth: Hopefully it makes a lovely gift.

The hardback makes a lovely gift.

And I've had quite a lot of people buy
it to make, you know, to give us gifts.

Uh, so, so I'm hoping come
Christmas, it'll be a busy time.

Anke: I hope so too.

So is there one thing like out of
all the You know, all the messages

that you communicate in the book, is
there, like, if there was one thing

you wish people knew, what would Dr.

Daniel say?

Ruth: Oh my goodness, me!

Um What would the one thing be?

I would say, respect, he would say rather,
respect your dog for the canine it is,

not, it's not a human, it is a canine
at the end of the day, and it needs

to be respected and treated as such.

Um, because I think that's, you know,
that's probably where a lot of people

can go wrong, um, is they think of it as.

You know, a child, a baby, uh, you
know, yes, it's part of the family.

Of course, they're part of the family.

And when we lose them, it's like
we've lost our arm or our leg.

It's, it's awful.

Um, and it doesn't mean you
don't love them any less.

It actually means you're
putting them first.

So respect them and, and, and love them
as a canine, not a, they're not a human

and they need to be respected as canines.

Anke: Yeah, I love that.

I love that.

So where can people go find, where
can you buy the book, you know,

and where can people find out
more about you, connect with you?

Ruth: Professor Daniel has
his own website, of course,

which is professordaniel.

co.

uk.

So he has his own website where you can
buy the book, uh, hardback or paperback,

um, Professor Daniel, I think it is.

I really need to check with him.

Um, yes, he's got, he's got a Facebook
page and he's also got, um, he's

got an Instagram account as well.

Yeah, I mean, we definitely

Anke: want to put all those links, uh, you
know, in the show notes, and if it's on

the podcast and in the actual newsletter.

So we definitely want all those.

Yes, I'll

Ruth: make sure we've got all
the necessary, but yeah, he is

on, he is on Facebook, he is on
Instagram and his professordaniel.

co.

uk is where you can buy the book.

Uh, it will be out on, available on
Amazon very, very shortly as well.

So wherever you are in the world, uh,
you will be able to buy it on Amazon.

And as long as you can speak
English, you'll be able to read it.

Anke: Awesome, awesome, awesome.

Well, the next one will be if
it's like, you know, barking.

So that they can, you know,
like make one for dogs so they

can train their owners, right?

Ruth: Yeah, absolutely.

Anke: And so where can people find you?

Ruth: Me, well, I actually, I
didn't say I'm a karma canine.

That is my, uh, web business, and
that's hyphenated@karmacanine.co uk.

Uh, I've also got a Facebook page at Karma
Canine, uh, at a Karma canine rather.

And I'm also on Instagram.

So again, um, for all the links
are there so you can find yourself.

I'm based in the Cut sws.

Um, I see dogs.

in my little cabin at home.

Occasionally, if dogs are within
a small radius, I will see them at

home if there's, if they're unable
to travel or there's a problem.

So, yeah.

Anke: I love it.

I love it.

So definitely, you know, do yourself
a favor, get the book because, you

know, it's just most delightful and,
you know, I think it's such a beautiful

way to, to help more dogs by, you know.

Ruth: Yeah, well, that's what it's about.

That really is what it's about.

about helping dogs, just raising
awareness of, of what they need and

how sensitive and intelligent they are.

Anke: Yeah, I love that.

Love that.

So thank you so much for coming.

Thank you Anke.

I'll hope to talk to you again soon.

Ruth: That's lovely.

Thank you very much for inviting me.

It's been lovely.

Thank you.

Thanks so much for listening.

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And if you know a pawsome human
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I'd love an introduction.

Email me at Anke.

That's A N k E at Soul
touched by dogs.com.