Preparing a dog for its first hydrotherapy session

A good first hydrotherapy session starts before the dog reaches the water. Check you have the vet's consent and health information, send owners a short checklist — towel, lead and harness, no big meal just before, a toilet walk on arrival — and plan the first visit as an introduction rather than a full workout. Book a slot long enough for arrival, showering, a short time in the pool or on the underwater treadmill, and drying, so nobody is rushed. A calm first experience makes every later session easier for the dog, the owner and you.

Hydrotherapy is exercise in water: it can help with a range of conditions, but not every dog on every day. Ask for the vet's consent and details of the condition, surgery or treatment, and check on the day for things that should delay the session, such as open wounds, stitches not yet cleared, skin infections, vomiting or diarrhoea. If in doubt, postpone and check with the vet.

Let the dog explore the room and the equipment before going in. Fit a buoyancy jacket if you use one, shower the dog, and introduce the water gradually — a few minutes may be enough the first time. Watch body language closely: some dogs relax quickly, others need several visits before they trust the water. Keep the owner nearby if their presence helps, out of sight if the dog gets distracted.

For a dog that is wary of water or new places, split the introduction over two visits: the first to walk around, sniff the equipment and get treats without getting wet, the second to go in. Keep your voice low, move slowly, and stop while the dog is still calm rather than pushing for a few more minutes. A dog that leaves the first session relaxed is far easier to work with at the next one than a dog that leaves frightened.

Rinse and dry the dog thoroughly, especially thick coats and ears. Tell the owner what to expect over the next day — some tiredness is normal — and what should prompt a call to you or the vet. Note how the dog coped, the time in the water and the settings used, as a baseline for the next session.

Increase time in the water and intensity step by step, according to the dog's condition and progress. Agree on a rhythm with the owner and, where relevant, with the vet or the rehab plan. Keep the same weekday and time where possible: dogs, like people, settle into routines.

Time in the water is only part of the appointment. Count arrival, showering before and after, drying, and the time you need to check the water and clean between dogs. Build that into each slot length rather than squeezing it between back-to-back bookings, and keep a longer slot for first visits.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a first-session service and a regular session service, and open slots for each at their full length, one place per slot. Repeat them each week on chosen weekdays until a date. Owners book online without an account and receive a confirmation email; the optional note on the form is a good place for the dog's name and condition. Put the owner's checklist in the service description, so they read it before booking.

Durations and prices are examples: set your own. Owners can't move bookings online: they contact you, you reschedule or cancel from your bookings list and tell them yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.