Alison White is the founder and President of The Total Dog Canine Swim Center in Oceanside California, where she offers customized canine hydrotherapy programs (swim/water therapy for dogs).
For dogs who have been injured, are recovering from surgery, or have medical conditions such as arthritis, water therapy is a valuable tool in helping them to improve flexibility and overall muscle tone. It’s also a gentle, low-impact form of exercise that promotes good health.
Alison has a website, thetotaldogwellness.com where you can find information on her canine hydrotherapy classes as well as the other services The Total Dog Spa offers such as exercise, massage, grooming, training and more.
I really appreciate Alison taking the time to talk to us, and share a little about the great work she is doing.
I know you're going to enjoy hearing what Alison has to say, as well as the great photos she's provided.
Sue: After graduating from college, you started a company involved in dog walking, as well as the training and socialization aspects of dog ownership. Can you tell us a little about that venture?
Alison: During college I started writing a novel, another one of my passions. After I graduated I continued writing. I wanted to take a break during the day and get away from my computer, so I started walking my dog. People asked me if I was a dog walker, so I told them I could be. After my book was published I continued walking and got so busy I didn’t have time to do writing. I took a training class and started a business training and socializing dogs and the rest is history.
Sue: You were a student of, and graduated from, Carol Gurney's Heart Talk Program. I know that this is a program based on an innovative method of communicating with animals. Carol herself has described it as 'learning to speak a different language'. It sounds intriguing – can you tell us a bit more?
Alison: Animals have this wonderful passionate energy. They live totally in the present. Unlike humans animals don’t hang onto much baggage. While some do have issues, communication with an animal can help this with a few sessions, where as with people it can take years of therapy. Animals also have a very pure heart. They don’t harbor hate like humans and they are much more tolerant than their human counterpart. I have an entire article I have written about adopting rescue animals. They are so happy with what little we give them.
Sue: After closing your dog walking and training business, you opened the Total Dog Canine Swim Center. What sparked your interest in canine water therapy?
Alison: I was searching the net for a place I could take my dog swimming. In Southern CA most of our water ways are also reservoirs. This means we can`t swim in them. The ocean was too rough, so we looked for a pool. I stumbled on water therapy during my search and signed up for class the same day. I bought my pool two days after I got home from my class and I haven`t looked back.
Sue: 4. Can you tell us a little bit about the types of physical, or behavioral, problems in dogs that benefit most from this sort of therapy? Do you see many puppies at all, or is it mainly older dogs that need this kind of therapy?
Alison: I have Natalie an R.V.T. that specializes in physical rehabilitation in canines. She comes in and works with our dogs just out of surgery. We work to bring range of motion, flexibility and muscle tone back to post surgical patients.
Natalie works very closely with the vet to ensure a proper recovery. Our clients tend to recover much quicker than a dog that doesn’t have PT after surgery.
We also use the pool for geriatric dogs. Swimming can keep an older dog mobile and gives them nonimpact exercise. We also use therapy jets just like people do when they sit in a spa. We want to keep our geriatrics comfortable as well as keep them moving.
We have a trainer that rents the pool on Friday mornings. We use the warm water to help curb aggression, teach obedience and build confidence. Ninety nine percent of aggression stems from fear. When we work with the dog in the water we are building trust and confidence. Aqua training also builds focus quicker which actually makes the training go faster. We haven’t been able to fully explain how aqua training works, but we know that it does. We do know that swimming causes the brain to connect with the body so the dog feels more in tune with all the systems in his body. We swim puppies for exercise and training.
Sue: I have dogs who love the water, and others who hate it. I had a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who wanted to swim, but even with all the will in the world she always seemed to sink like a rock! I put that down to her body shape, and very muscular build, but have always wondered if that really does factor in with certain breeds, or is a very individual thing?
Alison: Your Staffie should have been allowed to swim, but with a life vest. Different breeds do have body characteristics that cause them problems with floatation. I will say that I have had every kind of dog in my pool and swimming. We actually have swimming lessons for dogs. We teach them the basics along with their humans and first and foremost we teach water safety. I have also written an article on water safety with dogs. Most dogs can swim, some prefer not to. We always teach our clients safety and the basics when we introduce them to the water.
Sue: Are there any dogs you’ve worked with that especially stand out in your mind, or who surprised you in some way?
Alison: We had Dalmatian, Cassie, that was a typical rehab client until three weeks into her program. She fell in a hole while walking and was paralyzed. It took eight weeks of her swimming twice a week to get back on her feet, but when she walked into one of her appointments it was the proudest day our my life. We were ecstatic that we were able to get her up and mobile again. There were times at the beginning when we had our doubts.
Sue: What do you enjoy most about running The Total Dog Canine Swim Center? For you, what is the best part and worst part of what you do?
Alison: By far the best part of my job is bonding with the dogs in the water. I wish that was all I had to do. The worst part of course is all the little things that drive you nuts about owning your own business, the bookkeeping, marketing and such. I especially hate when things break down. But I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything.
Sue: 8. You recently opened The Total Dog Spa Store online, which sells a range of delicious-looking home-baked dog treats, plus other ‘must have’ dog essentials such as collars, dog bowls etc. What gave you the idea for the store, and what are your plans for it?
Alison: We actually have a new web site www.thetotaldogwellness.com where we cater more to the invalid dog. We have a lot of things in the works for the site. We want to add a section and post articles. We`d also like to do an `Ask the Vet Tech forum`, where people write in their questions and our Vet Tech, Natalie answers them. We are also constantly searching for new products to help our clients deal with their invalid pet.
Sue: You must be kept pretty busy with the Swim Center and the Spa Store, do you have plans to add any other ‘spokes to your wheel’ in the near future? Any upcoming ventures or projects you’d like to share?
Alison: We would eventually like to open other wellness centers.
Thanks so much Alison!
I really enjoyed learning about The Total Dog Spa, and how it's helping so many dogs to get back to a healthy, active lifestyle.
I'm learning so much from these interviews and I hope you all are too!
Alison, I wish you lots of luck with your swim center and all the new project underway at the Total Wellness Spa. Thanks again for sharing with us.
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