Muscles & More

12/11/2026

🐾 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 & 𝗢𝗜𝗟 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗢𝗚𝗦?

Life involves a fair bit of maintenance, doesn't it? 🔧

We service our vehicles, maintain our homes and keep an eye on things so they continue to run smoothly.

And it got me thinking about our hardworking dogs. 🐕

Whether they're working cattle, herding sheep, competing in agility or simply living a very active life, their bodies do a fair bit of hard work.

They're athletes in their own right, even if we don't always think of them that way.

There's twisting, turning, stopping, starting and plenty of physical effort involved.

And when they're fit, enthusiastic and getting on with the job, it's easy to overlook the wear and tear that can come with all that activity.

That's where I think a little maintenance makes sense.

I like to think of it as being proactive rather than reactive.

Looking after our dogs doesn't have to start when something goes wrong.

Sometimes it's simply about giving those hardworking bodies a bit of attention.

A grease and oil change, if you like. Just with a few more legs and a lot more fur! 😄

Janine
Muscles & More

11/11/2026

💚 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗼 💚

This cheeky little bloke is around 15 years young, and I've had the pleasure of working with him for the past few years.

Chico is a happy, jovial little character who still enjoys his walks, loves his treats and, like any respectable old man, appreciates a good old grandad nap!

In fact, he usually sleeps right through his therapy sessions. 😂

As Chico gets older, our focus is on supporting his strength, movement and range of motion to help keep him comfortable and mobile.

Even the little things matter, like keeping his nails and the hair underneath his paws maintained to help with grip, balance and stability.

Chico is getting older, and naturally his mobility is changing. But his dad tells me he notices a real difference in how Chico moves after his sessions.

That's what makes working with these older dogs so rewarding. It's not about turning back the clock, but helping them continue enjoying the things they love.

Always a pleasure to see this cheeky little face. 💚

10/11/2026

🦷🐾 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗞! 🥩🦴

I've always been a massive fan of giving my dogs appropriate bones to chew from a young age.

All my girls have had wonderful teeth throughout their lives, with one exception. Midge!

Interestingly, Midge was also the one who wouldn't eat bones until she was older.

Go figure! 😂

What I find interesting about this research is that it looks beyond simply cleaning teeth, exploring changes in the oral microbiome and the wider benefits of chewing.

Of course, choosing appropriate bones for each individual dog and understanding the risks is important.

There's certainly more to chewing than meets the eye! 💚🐾

🦷🐕 JUST 14 DAYS OF CHEWING SPONGY BEEF BONES REMOVES NEARLY 90% OF EXISTING TARTAR FROM DOGS’ TEETH!

Dogs and their ancestors have been chewing bones for thousands of years. Now, scientific research is revealing benefits that go beyond simply cleaning teeth!

HERE’S WHAT SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED: 👇

🦴 NEARLY 90% LESS TARTAR! A randomized study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE found that dogs chewing spongy beef bones had 89.5% less visible tartar after just 14 days. After only THREE days, tartar was already reduced by 57.7%!

🦠 A HEALTHIER ORAL MICROBIOME! A second peer-reviewed study found that chewing spongy beef bones changed the bacteria living in dogs’ mouths. Several bacteria associated with gum disease decreased in relative abundance, while bacteria associated with healthier mouths increased.

🧠 STRESS RELIEF & BRAIN HEALTH! A 2025 scientific review published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science explored how chewing may support stress management, mental stimulation, memory and emotional well-being.

🐾 A NATURAL INSTINCT! Chewing is an important natural behaviour that provides enrichment and supports dogs’ physical and psychological health.

NOT ALL BONES ARE CREATED EQUAL!

Researchers found that softer, porous bones removed more tartar than harder, dense bones. Texture and processing matter; Vets never recommend offering any type of cooked bones ☠️.

Choosing the appropriate type of bone matters; giving raw bones comes with rules every dog owner should know, including when not to give bones.

🦴 WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RAW BONES FOR DOGS?

We’ve created a FREE guide covering the studies, dental benefits, bone selection and important safety tips to help pet parents make informed decisions.

👇 LINK IN THE COMMENTS!

07/11/2026

💚 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧...

I've been a little quiet here lately.

Since losing Midge, I've taken a break from posting. Perhaps that time has given me space to reflect on what I share and why.

When I share educational posts, they generally come from something I've experienced, observed or found myself thinking about.

I'm not someone who can simply pick a subject and write about it for the sake of having something to post.

I need to feel genuinely invested in what I'm sharing. It has to come from me.

Sometimes that means there's a gap between posts. Other times I might revisit something I've spoken about before, but from a different angle or because another experience has given me something more to think about.

And when something really captures my interest, I tend to go into detail!

What I share is my perspective, shaped by my experiences and observations. It doesn't mean it's the only perspective, or necessarily right or wrong. It's simply something I feel is worth sharing and perhaps discussing.

I've shared many journeys with my own dogs, as well as the beautiful dogs who visit my table.

With Tucker Jane's bilateral hip dysplasia, I'll continue sharing how I support her strength, stability, comfort and movement as her condition progresses, stabilises or changes.

But I'd love to know...

💚 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗗𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗘𝗡𝗝𝗢𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘?

🐾 Educational posts and observations?
🐾 The dogs who visit Muscles & More?
🐾 My dogs' journeys, achievements and challenges?
🐾 Interesting information from other sources?

Or is there something you'd like to learn more about?

I'll keep sharing what I'm passionate about, but I'd genuinely love to hear what you find interesting and useful.

28/10/2026

The good ol' Googa Egg! 🥚😂

25/10/2026

🎡 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗦 & 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞! 🐾

With the lead-up to the Albury Show and the Show itself, I'm taking some much-needed time away from the clinic.

It's a chance to properly switch off, recharge the batteries and hopefully come back with a bit more spring in my step!

From today, 𝟮𝟱 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿, until 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, I'll be taking a complete break from work.

During this time, I won't be answering phone calls, text messages, Messenger or emails, or checking any business correspondence.

If you need to get in touch, I'd really appreciate you contacting me again from 3 November, rather than leaving messages during my break. This will help me avoid a big backlog of enquiries when I return.

𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿.

Thanks heaps for your understanding and continued support. I look forward to catching up with you and your four-legged mates when I'm back!

Janine 🐾

23/10/2026

What a lovely surprise to see Muscles & More in the spotlight! 💚🐾

It's always nice to have the work we do with dogs and their owners recognised.

A big thank you to Albury Showground for the support. Very much appreciated! 💚

Give their page a follow to see some of the other awesome businesses operating out of the Showground! 🐾

Feel-Good Friday at Albury Showground! 🐾💚

Meet Janine Fraser and her four-legged friend, Addie!

Janine runs Muscles & More Canine Myofunctional Therapy and is part of one of the many valuable user groups at Albury Showground.

Janine helps dogs of all ages move more comfortably, whether they’re recovering from injury, slowing down with age or simply needing a little extra care.

Get in touch with Janine to discover how canine therapy could support your four-legged friend.

We love celebrating the wonderful people and animals who make up the Albury Showground community.

Who should we shine the spotlight on next?

We’d love to hear about the people, groups and businesses that make Albury Showground so special! Tag someone in the comments who deserves a little local love. 👇🐾

21/10/2026

🌿🐾 Interesting research worth sharing!

I'm always interested in research that helps us better understand canine health and wellbeing.

This is another fascinating area of research exploring natural compounds and their possible role in supporting our dogs' health.

I enjoy following the work of Dr Karen Becker and Rodney Habib, and thought this was worth sharing.

Have a read! 🐾

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CCP75UVsa/

🍵🐶 GREEN TEA EXTRACT CUTS DOG CANCER CELL GROWTH BY 50% IN LAB TESTS! 🤯

Green tea contains powerful plant antioxidants called polyphenols, including EGCG. And canine research is uncovering some fascinating findings!

🔬 1. GREEN TEA & CANCER
A peer-reviewed Cornell University study published in BMC Veterinary Research found green tea extract inhibited cancer cell growth by 50% at specific lab concentrations across THREE canine cancer cell lines:

🐾 Mast cell cancer
🐾 Bone cancer (osteosarcoma)
🐾 Mammary cancer

🔥 2. LESS LIVER INFLAMMATION
In a 12-week canine study, green tea polyphenols reduced three major inflammatory signals: TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Researchers also observed less liver fat buildup and tissue damage!

🦠 3. BETTER GUT HEALTH
Another canine study found green tea polyphenols improved markers of intestinal inflammation and influenced gut bacteria.

🦷 4. ORAL HEALTH
Green tea catechins have been investigated for fresher dog breath. A multi-ingredient formula containing matcha also reduced dental plaque!

🍵 WANT TO TRY OUR DECAF GREEN TEA FOOD TOPPER?
From our bestselling book The Forever Dog LIFE, we’re sharing our organic decaf green tea recipe, including how to prepare it, how much to add to your pet’s meals and our simple ice cube hack!

💚 WANT THE RECIPE, SERVING GUIDE & MORE OF THE SCIENCE?

🐾 CHECK THE COMMENTS FOR THE LINK TO OUR FREE GREEN TEA GUIDE!

09/10/2026

💚 THIS TIME IS JUST FOR FINN 💚

Finn has a pretty important job.

He spends much of his time supporting children in schools and bringing comfort to others through hospital and palliative care visits.

He gives so much of himself to others.

So when Finn comes in for his complimentary Canine Myofunctional Therapy sessions, it's about much more than looking after his physical wellbeing.

It's about giving something back to him.

Time where nothing is expected of him.

Time to switch off, relax, de-stress and just let go.

And let go he does. 💚

It's absolutely beautiful watching him settle into his session, completely relax and enjoy being the one receiving the care.

For me, looking after Finn's mental wellbeing is just as important as looking after his body.

He spends so much of his time being there for others.

When he's on my table, it's his turn to be looked after. 💚

02/10/2026

𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 -“Bubba”
27 April 2014 – 2 October 2026

How the hell do you put 12 years of a little dog like Midgie into words?

I don't think you really can.

She was one of those dogs you just had to know.

Quirky, cheeky, funny, full of s***k and completely and utterly Midgie.

And more than anything, that little dog loved to run.

If you only knew Midgie later in her life, you probably never got to see the little dog I knew for all those years.

Because Midgie ran.

She ran everywhere.

All she ever wanted to do was run and be with me.

She’d be 100 metres in front of me, flat knacker, doing whatever the hell Midgie was doing, but she always knew exactly where I was.

Because for all her independence and all her quirks, I was her whole world.

She liked a few people, but she only ever had eyes for me.

I was her person.

And she was my soul dog.

Bloody hell, what a privilege it was to be loved like that.

God, she was a funny little dog.

She looked like a puppy nearly her whole life, so everyone wanted to pat her. Midgie wasn’t interested. It was pretty much, “No thanks, I’ve got my mum.”

She’d tear off ahead of me on a walk, hide behind the ute or a tree and wait.

Then as I got closer she’d get down low and stalk me ever so slowly.

And I’d bloody forget she was doing it. Every time.

Then out she’d come, flat out at me, growling and carrying on as she hit me.

Not an angry growl. Not nasty.

It was her cheeky little “I GOT YA!” growl.

Then the little bu**er would tear off again.

God, she made me laugh.

She’d grab her bumper by the end so it stuck out of her mouth like a cigar, tap it along the ground and go round and round in circles with it.

One day in South Australia she did it with a leaf, going round and round chasing a leaf that was already in her own mouth until she was practically dizzy.

She had her little patterns and circuits that she did over and over.

She snapped at fairies in the air.

She noticed things the rest of us didn’t.

I once found her staring at the ground and wondered what the hell she was doing.

She was watching the tiniest little ant walking along.

Another time she stood staring into a baking tray with a little bit of water in it, completely captivated by the tiniest ripples moving across the water.

Years ago, some kids with autism used to come into work, and one day they said to me, “Janine, Midgie’s like us.”

I asked them what they meant.

They said, “She’s got doggytism.”

And you know what? In their beautiful little way, they understood something about her.

She was different.

She was an enigma.

And she was bloody wonderful.

And then there was food.

Midgie had been fighting for her tucker since the day she was born.

She was the tiniest pup in a litter of six, stuck amongst these big fat Buddhas, and I was forever making sure she got onto a b**b and got her share.

Well, apparently she never forgot it.

Food was serious business to Midgie.

If you gave her a treat, you could see her trying so hard to take it gently.

She’d slowly open her mouth and come towards your fingers ever so carefully...

And then at the very last second...

WHACK.

Gone.

Treat, fingers, possibly half your hand.

She drew blood on more people over the years than I care to remember.

I’d tell people, “Don’t feed her out of your hand.”

They’d feed her.

And then I’d hear, “OW!”

There was never any malice in her.

She just seemed completely incapable of judging that last little bit of distance between her mouth and whatever she desperately wanted.

Even today, she was still Midgie when it came to food.

One of the first things I ever taught her was tracking.

And bloody hell, could that little dog track.

I could walk around the property, go off spraying weeds or doing whatever I was doing, and hours later Midgie would put that nose down and follow every bloody step I had taken.

Everywhere I’d been, she had to know.

She would track me until she found exactly where I’d gone.

I suppose that was Midgie all over.

For all her independence, all her running 100 metres in front of me and doing her own thing, she always needed to know where I was.

She always found me.

The lead-up to today has been excruciatingly hard.

Mentally, she was still my Midgie.

But physically, her body just couldn’t keep up with her anymore.

She couldn’t do the thing she’d loved doing her whole life.

She couldn’t run.

And that wasn’t fair to her.

I didn’t want to wait until it became an emergency.

I didn’t want her final day to be decided for us.

So today I gave my girl the biggest gift of love I could give her.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.

Freedom.

When her grandma Crikey passed away, I told her to run.

Run to the top of that hill as fast as she could.

And today I told Midgie the same thing.

Go, mate.

Run flat knacker.

Hammer and tong.

Run those hills.

Chase everything.

You’ve got your legs back now.

And as she was going, her little front feet started to run.

Just like her grandma’s did.

I kissed her little face and told the little dog who had spent her whole life finding me,

“You have to do one thing for me now, Darlin’.

You cannot look for me.

Not this time.

When my time comes, when I’m ready, I’ll find you.

And you’ll find me.

But until then, you don’t look for me.

You go and run.”

And she looked straight into my eyes.

I am heartbroken.

But tonight, for the first time in what feels like forever, there is peace in me too.

Because my girl is free.

Run, Midgie.

Just run. 💞🐾