Overview

A newly regulated Ofqual Level 4 qualification combining online theory and practical training at Pawseidon (Poole). Developed by experts in canine hydrotherapy and veterinary physiotherapy. Endorsed by IRVAP (ICH) and NARCH. On completion you may use the post-nominals Level 4 Dip C.Hydro.

Who it’s for

  • Age 18+ with experience working with dogs (paid or voluntary)

  • Good spoken and written English

  • No prior hydrotherapy experience required — practical training included

What you’ll learn

  • Professional practice and clinical reasoning

  • Canine functional anatomy & biomechanics

  • Health monitoring & Clinical Risk Assessment

  • Canine behaviour, therapeutic handling & common conditions

  • Water management & biosecurity

  • Advanced pool and aquatic treadmill techniques, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and personalised treatment planning

How it runs

  • 3 online study blocks, self-paced within a 2-year registration window

  • Practical training: 10 days (80 hours) at Pawseidon, Poole (scheduled to suit you), with expert guidance, real cases, and feedback

Outcome

Graduate ready to deliver safe, effective, evidence-based hydrotherapy that supports rehabilitation, mobility and wellbeing.
After qualifying, you can apply for membership with IRVAP (ICH) or NARCH.

This will consist of three units plus 3 practical days and must be completed before moving onto block 2:

Build the know-how to work safely, legally and professionally as a canine hydrotherapist.

What you’ll learn

  • Ethics & law: scope of practice, code of conduct, recognising limits, referrals, data protection and consent.

  • Working with others: collaborating in the MDT (vets, physios, trainers), clear handovers, respectful teamwork.

  • Client care: relationship building, expectations, informed consent, safeguarding, and communication (incl. difficult conversations).

  • Documentation: accurate clinical notes, report writing, outcome tracking, and secure record keeping.

  • Business basics: marketing essentials, pricing and budgeting, insurance requirements, risk management and complaints handling.

By the end you can

  • Navigate ethical dilemmas and stay within legal/insurance requirements.

  • Communicate clearly with owners and MDT colleagues.

  • Keep robust clinical records that support safe, effective care.

  • Understand the fundamentals of running or contributing to a compliant hydrotherapy service.

Build the anatomical insight and hands-on skills needed for accurate assessment and effective hydrotherapy.

You’ll cover:

  • Nervous system & proprioception: functional roles of key peripheral nerves and postural control.

  • Muscle biomechanics: prime movers vs stabilisers, and how postural muscle tone supports balance and gait.

  • Fascia & lymphatics; cardio-respiratory systems: structure, function, and relevance to rehabilitation and performance.

  • Therapeutic palpation: locating major muscles, bony landmarks and joint lines to recognise movement disorders and guide treatment.

By the end, you’ll confidently link structure to function and use skilled palpation to inform precise, evidence-based hydrotherapy plans.

Learn the essentials for keeping dogs safe in hydrotherapy sessions and responding confidently if something goes wrong.

You’ll learn to

  • Run a Clinical Risk Assessment (CRA): spot hazards, rate risk, apply safety controls, and consider ethical duties in water-based practice.

  • Do thorough health checks: identify red flags and manage precautions vs contraindications before treatment.

  • Monitor during sessions: track behaviour, pain/fatigue, and vital signs—and know when to progress, pause, or stop.

  • Know your responsibilities: legal/professional duties, consent, reporting, and when to escalate or refer.

  • Deliver first aid: practical CPR, bandaging, and safe emergency evacuation in a pool/treadmill environment.

By the end you can

  • Plan and document a structured CRA for each case.

  • Keep dogs safe through continuous health and behaviour monitoring.

  • Act quickly and appropriately in emergencies using clear first-aid protocols.

This will consist of three units plus 3 practical days and must be completed before moving onto block 3:

Understand how dogs think, feel and communicate in the hydrotherapy environment—and use that insight to deliver calmer, safer, more effective sessions.

You’ll learn to

  • Read behaviour: recognise stress, comfort and engagement signals; interpret body language, vocalisation and posture in water and on deck.

  • Identify influences: manage factors that shape behaviour (pain, fatigue, prior experiences, handler influence, environment, equipment, water depth/temperature, jets).

  • Therapeutic handling: apply low-stress, welfare-first handling; position and support dogs safely; use targeting/luring and calm touch to guide movement.

  • Clinic enrichment: design simple enrichment strategies (scent, surfaces, toys, pacing, rest areas) to reduce stress and boost focus.

  • Link to MSK outcomes: understand how behaviour and handling choices affect muscle activation, posture, gait quality and overall treatment efficacy.

  • Plan & review: set behaviour goals, document responses, and adapt your approach across sessions.

By the end you can

Create a behaviour-aware treatment plan, apply low-stress handling and enrichment, and evaluate how your choices impact both behaviour and the musculoskeletal system during hydrotherapy.

Understand how genetics and breed traits shape conformation, injury risk and performance—so you can tailor safer, smarter hydrotherapy.

You’ll learn to

  • Breed biology basics: normal conformation across breeds; how genetics influences predisposition to MSK and neurological issues.

  • Pathophysiology in practice: how common ortho, muscular and neuro conditions affect balance, gait and overall health; typical healing timelines.

  • Movement analysis: spot inefficient/compensatory patterns and know what they mean for welfare and rehab planning.

  • Conditioning & fitness: design breed-aware programmes (load, frequency, progression) for pets, athletes and working dogs.

  • Performance optimisation: match exercise selection (pool/treadmill, intervals, proprioception, strength/endurance) to the dog’s job and morphology.

By the end you can

  • Link breed and conformation to likely conditions and movement faults.

  • Build evidence-informed, breed-specific hydrotherapy plans.

  • Progress conditioning safely to support both rehabilitation and performance.

 
 

Learn to run hydrotherapy water systems safely, legally, and efficiently.

You’ll learn to

  • Follow standards: legal/professional duties for water safety and record-keeping.

  • Operate filtration: run and maintain filters, schedule backwash, and troubleshoot water clarity.

  • Handle chemicals safely: dosing, storage, PPE, and spill procedures.

  • Test water correctly: routine testing, interpreting results, and taking corrective action.

  • Maintain biosecurity: cleaning protocols, disinfection, segregation, and documented SOPs.

  • Manage plant & hygiene: daily/weekly checks, equipment care, and audit readiness.

  • Work sustainably: cut energy/water use, reduce waste, and choose eco-smart equipment.

By the end you can

Confidently manage water quality, uphold infection control, and run a safe, compliant, and sustainable hydrotherapy facility.

This will consist of the final three units plus 4 practical days

Build a clear, step-by-step approach to assessing dogs and planning safe, effective hydrotherapy.

You’ll learn to

  • Structure an assessment: gather a thorough subjective history and carry out an objective exam (observation, palpation, ROM, gait, pain/behaviour cues).

  • Set SMART goals: agree meaningful, measurable targets with owners/handlers.

  • Apply clinical reasoning: choose the right techniques, manage precautions vs contraindications, and adapt sessions in real time.

  • Re-assess & measure outcomes: use valid, reliable tools; track progress and adjust the plan.

  • Communicate well: give clear explanations, obtain informed consent, write concise notes/reports, and work smoothly with the MDT—including handling difficult conversations.

By the end you can

Compile a complete assessment, justify your treatment choices, communicate them clearly, and update the plan using objective outcomes.

Refine your treadmill-based hydrotherapy so sessions are safe, targeted, and effective.

You’ll learn to

  • Make good clinical choices: use assessment, behaviour, anatomy, breed traits and pathology to select the right treadmill techniques.

  • Prepare & run sessions: therapeutic prep, equipment checks, safe entry/exit, water depth/temperature, speed/incline setup.

  • Monitor in real time: observe gait quality, effort, pain/fatigue and behaviour; know when to progress, pause, or stop.

  • Apply techniques:

    • Proprioception: stride placement, cadence changes, perturbations, dual-tasking.

    • Movement shaping: targeting/luring, stance and step-width adjustments.

    • Therapeutic exercise: dosing of speed, intervals, depth and incline; integrate manual therapy where appropriate.

  • Aftercare & review: cool-down, skin/paw care, owner guidance and home exercise; evaluate outcomes and adjust plans.

By the end you can

Plan and deliver evidence-informed treadmill sessions, adapt on the fly to the dog’s response, and progress programmes to improve mobility, strength and function.

Refine your pool-based treatments to deliver safe, effective, and individualised outcomes.

You’ll learn to

  • Decide clinically: use assessment, behaviour, anatomy, breed traits and pathology to choose the right pool techniques.

  • Set up & stay safe: therapeutic preparation, equipment checks, controlled entry/exit, water depth/temperature and jet/flow settings.

  • Monitor in-session: track gait quality, limb use, effort, pain/fatigue, breathing, and behaviour—know when to progress, pause or stop.

  • Apply techniques:

    • Proprioceptive facilitation: buoyancy-assisted limb placement, turbulence/drag, direction changes and cadence control.

    • Movement shaping: targeting/luring, contact points, therapist positioning and guidance.

    • Therapeutic exercise: dosing distance, intervals, rest ratios and jet intensity; add manual therapy in water where appropriate.

  • Aftercare & review: drying/skin/ear care, owner guidance and home exercise; evaluate outcomes and adjust the plan to the dog’s response.

By the end you can

Plan and deliver customised pool sessions, adapt in real time, and progress programmes to improve mobility, strength and function for each individual dog.

Placement: 10 Days (Minimum 80 Hours) — Pawseidon, Poole (Student Guide)

Turn your coursework into confident clinical practice across three study blocks at Pawseidon.

What you’ll do

Professional practice

  • Communicate clearly with clients; work effectively within the MDT.

  • Keep accurate clinical notes, handovers and reports.

  • Complete pre-session health checks, run Clinical Risk Assessments (CRA), and deliver emergency first aid (CPR, bandaging).

Clinical & handling skills

  • Perform therapeutic palpation and MSK assessments: locate bony landmarks, key muscles and joint lines; identify movement disorders.

  • Apply therapeutic handling, behaviour management in water, and simple enrichment to reduce stress and improve engagement.

Conditions & programming

  • Work with ortho, muscular and neurological cases.

  • Build tailored exercise programmes for rehab and performance.

Hydrotherapy practice

  • Run safe sessions on the aquatic treadmill and in the hydrotherapy pool: equipment checks, controlled entry/exit, continuous health monitoring.

  • Deliver therapeutic exercises; adjust dosage and technique based on real-time canine response.

  • Provide aftercare and owner guidance; plan progression/regression.

Facility operations

  • Apply water management: water quality testing, filtration/backwash routines, hygiene protocols and biosecurity.

How you’ll be supported

  • Expert trainers & assessors: live demos, guided learning, and personalised feedback.

  • Regular coaching to strengthen technique, reasoning and documentation.

What you’ll leave with

  • Practical confidence across pool and treadmill treatments.

  • Solid clinical decision-making and professional standards.

  • The skills to deliver safe, effective, evidence-informed hydrotherapy for a wide range of canine clients.

What it is
Canine hydrotherapy uses controlled, water-based exercise (pool or aquatic treadmill) to help dogs recover from injury or surgery, manage pain, and improve strength, mobility, and coordination—especially for musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.

Why water helps
Buoyancy reduces load on joints, while water resistance builds muscle and supports balanced movement with a lower risk of re-injury.

What you’ll learn

  • Foundations: functional anatomy, biomechanics, and basic pathophysiology relevant to aquatic rehab.

  • Assessment: gather histories, spot red flags, and link findings to treatment choices.

  • Breed awareness: understand how breed biology and conformation affect risk, movement, and programme design.

  • Techniques: safe, effective use of pool/treadmill; therapeutic exercise, movement shaping, and progressions/regressions tailored to the dog.

Professional practice

  • Handling & behaviour: low-stress handling, clear communication, and simple enrichment to keep sessions calm and productive.

  • Safety: clinical risk assessment, health monitoring, and first aid responsibilities.

  • Standards: work within scope, follow ethical/legal frameworks, keep accurate clinical notes, and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team.

By the end you can
Design and deliver individualised, evidence-informed treatment plans, monitor response, adjust dosing and techniques, and provide aftercare—supporting each dog’s mobility, comfort, and overall quality of life.