The Balanced Dog
About Us
Professional, trained and committed to your dog's care
Hi, I’m Kathleen Crisley. After studying geology and having a 20+ year career in environmental science, I started this second career in 2009 after attending my canine therapeutic massage qualification course in Colorado. Over the years, I returned three more times to Colorado, made four visits to the world-renowned Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, one trip to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville for my CCFT course, plus pro-bono attachments to Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Wyoming and Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston.
Professional development is a cornerstone of my practice and a commitment I make to both myself and my customers.
I am particularly passionate and concerned about the proliferation of online-only qualifications and those with limited in-person supervision that are typically referred to as ‘mentorships.’ Many of these courses claim to be recognised in NZ; they are often marketed through sponsored posts on social media. Because the student does not have to travel, these courses appeal to prospective students. I encourage you to read my blog post We have to talk about qualifications to assist you in understanding the importance of in-person learning to ensure you are trusting your dog’s care to someone who is truly qualified.
When you scroll through my list of professional development, all events with this symbol indicate an activity attended in-person, with other qualified professionals: 
Qualifications & Affiliations
Credentials
Academic qualifications
- Diploma of Executive Management
- Canine Therapeutic Massage Therapist (CTMT)
- Canine Sports Massage Therapist (CSMT - since re-named as ACMT)
- Senior Canine Massage Therapist (SCMT)
- Certified Canine Fitness Trainer (CCFT)
Ongoing Professional Development
- Aging in Dogs: Understanding Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome,
- The Intersection of Nutrition and Behavior in Veterinary Care,
- There's No Such Thing as Just "Behavior",
- Cognitively Inclined: Supporting the Aging Canine Brain,
- Integrative Strategies for Canine Stifle Injuries: A Nutritional Focus,
- What Keeps Clients Away?,
- Fear Free Handling: When to Pause, Pivot & Re-assess,
- Gut Instincts: How the Gut Brain Axis Shapes FAS and Pain,
- Tuning Into Your Dog: A Guide to Acoustic Healing for Pain & Mobility,
- Suffering in Silence: Overlooking Dental Disease,
- Muscle Matters: Identifying At-Risk Patients for Muscle Loss & Understanding the Importance of Early Intervention,
- Healthy Humans, Happy Pet Physical Well-Being: The Foundation of Health,
- Evolution of Pet Nutrition: Understanding Modern Pet Food Formats,
- Battling Chronic Enteropathy: Cutting-Edge Approaches to the Most Frustrating Cases,
- Fear Free & Physical Rehabilitation,
- Less Stress, More Joy: 5-Sense Solutions for Fear Free Animal Care,
- A Practitioner's Guide to Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation,
- From Bowels to Bile: Supplements & the Gut-Liver Connection in Dogs & Cats,
- Stress, Health & Behavior,
- Aging Gracefully: Update on Canine and Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome,
- Privacy 101 for Vet Clinics and Animal Shelters,
- Multimodal Pain Management for Canine Osteoarthritis,
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD),
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Certified Canine Fitness Trainer (CCFT) online course, 3 days of workshop, case studies and final exam,
- Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease: How to Approach Challenging Cases,
- Illuminating Intervertebral Disc Disease: A Multimodal Approach to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Monitoring,
- Critical Comfort: Fear Free Practices in Emergency Pet Care,
- Managing Neuropathic Pain in the Veterinary Patient,
- A Close Look at Enrichment,
- Next Level Nail Trims,
- The Impact of Pain,
- Neurobiology of Toxic Stress,
- Satisfying Diet Trials: Improving Client Communication to Improve Treatment Outcomes,
- Honey, I Shrunk the Wound,
- 4 Paws and Teamwork: A Pathway to Success in Nutritional Recommendations,
- A Modern Team Approach to Nutrition Recommendations,
- Finesse the Chin Rest, the Basics & Beyond for Cooperative Care,
- Veterinary Nurse Nutrition Consults: Helping Clients with Diet Choices,
- Diarrhea Again? Multi-modal Approach for Dogs with Chronic Enteropathy Podcast & Quiz,
- Fear Free: Gentle Control and Handling Techniques with Debbie Martin,
- Yes, You Can Perform a Fear Free Orthopedic Exam,
- They're Never Too Old: Senior Patient Anesthesia & Periopera,
- Quantifying Pain: Pain Scales & Scoring,
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Canine Arthritis Management Professional Development Day for Vet Nurses,
- Canine Mobility: What am I missing?,
- Case Studies in Feline and Canine Fear Free Visits,
- A Practitioner's Guide to Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation,
- Osteoarthritis Pain: Targets for Therapy,
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Coaching the Canine Athlete, one-day seminar with Christine Zink, DVM,
- Effects and Management of Chronic Pain,
- The Business of Pain Management,
- Three Ways to Help Your Clients Say Yes,
- Noise Aversion: Nutraceuticals and Behavioural Medicine,
- Non-pharmaceutical Options for Veterinary Visit Anxiety - An Evidence-Based Review,
- Fear Free Certified Professional certification,
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Pro-Bono Therapist at Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary (1 week),
- Noise Aversion Beyond Thunder & Fireworks,
- Proven Fear Free Strategies,
- Dog Emotion and Cognition,
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Fine-Tuning Your Dog Handling Skills,
- Canine Energetics & Landmark Anatomy,
- Acupoint Classification,
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Advanced Massage for the Canine Athlete,
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Canine Trigger Point Therapy Protocols,
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Using Foundation Skills to Develop Dog Handling Skills,
- Therapeutic Exercises,
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour,
- Small Animal Food Therapy,
- Overview to Traditional Chinese Medicine for Small Animals,
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Senior Canine Massage Therapist Certification,
- Small Animal Meridian Therapy,
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Foundation Skills for Working with Dogs,
- Canine Theriogenology for Dog Enthusiasts,
- Canine Health and Pathology,
- Multiple Dog Problems,
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Giving Hearts Retreat,
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Volunteer attachment at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston (Dr Lisa Moses, pain management),
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Pet Tech CPR/First Aid certification,
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Canine Sports Massage Therapist certification,
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Canine Therapeutic Massage Therapist certification,
- Pet Nutrition,
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Holistic Health for Animals,
The Balanced Dog is dedicated to the memory of Daisy, an English Pointer who joined my life in 2003 and inspired me to learn about complementary care. My ‘heart dog’, she had a myriad of health problems starting with dietary intolerances, then a poisoning from landscape work on our property, followed by arthritis diagnosed shortly after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and, in the final year of her life, inflammatory bowel disease.
Testimonials from humans
Zabi's health and mobility wouldn't be as good as it is now if I haven't had the help and support from Kathleen. Zabi is a 14 year old Westie cross who still loves to adventure on the Port Hills. With Kathleen's regular massage and homework Zabi still has a high quality of life while living with osteoarthritis. Another bonus we have found working with Kathleen is Zabi has become more confident being handled at the vet and less reactive on walks. The regular massage sessions have impacted both of us in such a positive way!
Kathleen has been treating my greyhound Sadie for over a year now. She was suffering with chronic back pain which was really limiting her life. Along side the veterinary treatment she received, she had (and still has) regular treatments with Kathleen. I firmly believe these have really helped her and as a bonus she absolutely loves it. From her second session she was hopping up on the bed and presenting herself.
I have been using Kathleen and The Balanced Dog for a couple of years to help with my ageing bull terrier's arthritis and joint mobility issues. I wanted to explore options beyond merely relying on medication, that would also actively support Ed's flexibility and circulation. I'm delighted to say what a great experience this journey has been! Kathleen has a genuine passion for the well-being of dogs. She takes pride in her work, and it shows in every aspect of her service. She is not only deeply knowledgeable but also patient and compassionate and has taken the time to understand Ed's unique needs and personality to tailor-make a care program for him that adapts to how he's feeling and moving. The fear-free methods she uses has also fostered a strong bond between Ed and Kathleen which means he loves her visits and fully relaxes into the treatment. A major bonus is that Kathleen comes to my house, which is not only hugely time efficient for me, but also means that Ed doesn't get distracted or stressed by unfamiliar sounds and smells. I wholeheartedly recommend Kathleen to any dog owner seeking a positive and effective approach to holistic dog health.
Testimonials from dogs
"When Kathleen arrived I was super excited because I love good people, and I could tell she is a good person because her bag obviously had treatos inside. After some boring chat with my mum (and a distinct lack of belly rubs) they finally got on with the task at hand of giving me all the attention. I was a bit weirded out by the small black box which was named "LAY-ZAA", but luckily Kathleen was prepared with a licky mat, so me and Lay-zaa are now best friends. I had an agility competition that following weekend, and I felt like I was flying! I was going way faster than normal and it felt awesome. I can't wait for Kathleen to visit again so I can show her how good I am at my stretches."
Auntie Kathleen comes to see me. I never know when but my brother Lennie seems to know before she arrives so we can be ready outside to greet her. I like to mess about and avoid getting on the bed but this is just to get the extra treats I’m bribed up with. I usually fall asleep quite fast. I’m told that I save all my farts for when Kathleen comes and I’m extra relaxed. It’s a real battle to get down after because I’m sooooo chilled and just want to stay up there! Again my hesitation is rewarded with more treats so its win win!
I’m a simple dog, with simple tastes, so here’s my simple words. I like visitors. I promise I do, I do, I do! Even if I shiver and shake, peer shyly round door frames, and back away. But this visitor, Kathleen, I know her well now, she even comes with food and she likes coming back to see me. She carries lots of strange things but I know where the treats are stashed. Kathleen is so encouraging that I try, try, try to amp up my sociability as long as there aren’t too many extravagant gestures and the pace suits me. And then Mum starts doling out extra food too! Talk about decadence. I won’t say No. Holding my brother off becomes the main concern, but between Mum and Kathleen, Bruno is captured in the playpen - he still gets treats but I get the main event! I’m drooling just thinking about it. Apparently the goal is to stand in position and eat as much as possible whilst accepting handling of a gentle kind. I’m not sure about this touching business usually but I’ll cope under these circumstances. Come back soon nice feeder Lady! Sneeze sneeze.