WELCOME TO OUR BLOGS

You've probably heard it before: "Your dog kind of looks like you." But what if it goes deeper than appearance? From shared habits to emotional patterns, dogs don't just resemble their guardians - they begin to mirror them. The science behind it is real...and what it means might change how you see your dog.

When Bowie’s Embark Vet DNA test results arrived, they revealed something unexpected about his ancient northern breed dog genetics. Despite being a Husky–Malamute mix, Bowie carries an unusually high amount of retained ancient DNA — something that often shows up in dogs who still behave a little more like their working ancestors than modern companion breeds. That genetic blueprint has shaped everything from his communication style to his independence, and quite possibly even

Why Their Nervous System Changes Everything About Bodywork Husky meeting nose to nose with his bodywork practitioner If you live with a Husky, Malamute, Akita, or other northern or primitive breed, you’ve probably noticed something interesting.   They don’t rush to please.   They observe first.   They assess.   Then they decide whether your request makes sense.   This isn’t stubbornness. It’s ancient wiring.   Northern and primitive breeds evolved in environments where indepe

If dogs could text us about their bodies, we’d probably get a lot more information. Unfortunately, instead of sending messages like: “Hey, my left hip feels tight today.” …they send: Stares. Pauses. Sits slowly. Pretends nothing happened. Because dogs don’t complain with words. They communicate with movement. So let’s imagine what their texts might actually say if they could. 📱 Text #1: “Can we not do the stairs today?” You: “Why are you standing at the bottom?” Dog (in your

A young Golden doodle and a senior Aussie mix communicate to each other their mutual intent to play. The older dog bows to the Golden Doodle, who is young and already in a "play bow" and irrespective of arthritis in the hips and lumbar area on the Aussie mix, he hides any joint discomfort but he does not hide his kind, youthful and loving personality towards this young Golden doodle. It is a perfect demonstration of polite dog communication prior to playing.

Sometimes the most powerful support is simply staying close When a dog experiences an acute injury or undergoes surgery, the body enters a highly organized — and highly sensitive — healing phase. This stage is not just about pain control or “keeping them quiet.” It’s about how tissues heal, how movement patterns reorganize, and how the nervous system interprets safety during recovery.   At Soul Paws, I work with dogs in this exact window — not to replace veterinary care, but

This article is part of a 10-part series exploring fascinating (and often misunderstood) facts about how dogs move, feel, and adapt. If you missed the first instalment, you can read Facts #1–10 here. Nate, a senior Aussie-Greyhound, enjoys the late winter sun on his back while standing in the sand at Jericho Beach, Vancouver. Why Everyday Movement Matters More Than You Think (Facts #11 - 20) Dogs are masters of " I'm fine. Carry on ." Walkies! Park! Squirrel! Treat! They qui

Why front-end tension is rarely “just the neck” Mars (black Pitbull Terrier) lying on his side during myofascial release session Dogs do not have a bony clavicle attaching the forelimb to the trunk. Instead, the entire front limb is suspended from the axial skeleton by a complex system of muscles known as the thoracic sling. This sling supports the dog’s body weight, allows shock absorption, and enables dynamic, adaptable movement during standing, walking, running, and turnin