Meet The Team
Behind every Sidewood dog is a team of people — and one very important cat.
Sidewood Canine Services is a small, independent business, and that's something we're proud of.
Behind the treatments, equipment, building work, muddy paws and endless cups of hot chocolate, is a small team who all play their part in making Sidewood what it is.
Debbie Rae
Director & Clinical Canine Therapist
"Dogs have always been a huge part of my life, but my journey into canine therapy has been shaped by many years of working with animals, competitive sport and performance".
Before turning her attention to canine therapy, Debbie spent many years working with horses. She had owned horses from the age of five and competed in showjumping, Pony Club games and eventing before concentrating on dressage. She then subsequently ran a dressage livery and training yard for more than 15 years, competing successfully at national level.
That background gave her a real appreciation for the demands placed on an animal's body through training and competition — and the difference that good conditioning, rehabilitation and careful management can make to performance and quality of life.
Her focus eventually shifted to dogs, particularly through the involvement in IGP sport with her Dobermann, Bezzecchi.
"Working with a sporting dog sparked my interest in canine fitness, movement and rehabilitation and ultimately led me to qualify in Canine Clinical Massage Therapy and further my studies in Canine Clinical Hydrotherapy and Class IV Laser Therapy".
Today, Sidewood Canine Therapy offers Clinical Canine Massage Therapy and Class IV Laser Therapy and will soon add pool-based Hydrotherapy, with treatments tailored to each individual dog.
Whether she's working with a competition dog striving to perform at its best, a dog recovering from injury, or an older dog who needs a little help staying active and comfortable, Debbie's aim is always the same:
To help every dog move better, feel better and enjoy life to the fullest.
David Rae
Head of Engineering, Maintenance & Problem Solving
Where there is a problem, David will usually find a way to fix it.
David is the man behind much of the practical side of Sidewood — the person who can turn an idea into something that actually works.
From building, fixing, modifying and maintaining equipment to helping transform the Sidewood facilities into the therapy centre they are today, David has a knack for making things happen.
While you may not see him delivering treatments, Sidewood simply wouldn't be what it is without him behind the scenes.
BEZZECCHI
Head of Security & Quality Control
Every good canine therapist needs a dog who thinks he's in charge.
Bezzecchi — or Bez, as he's more usually known — is the family Dobermann, Debbie's IGP training partner, personal protection dog, constant companion and an important part of the Sidewood story. He is named after Italian MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi.
Training with Bez has given Debbie a first-hand appreciation of the demands placed on sporting dogs and the importance of fitness, conditioning, recovery and good physical management.
Bez also takes his responsibilities at Sidewood very seriously. He has tested equipment, supervised countless decisions, provided moral support and generally made sure that nobody takes themselves too seriously.
His official responsibilities include quality control, product testing, greeting delivery drivers and reminding everyone when it is time for lunch.
He's also quite partial to a spot of sofa lounging!
PENELOPE
Head of Office Administration
Penelope is Sidewood's rescue cat and resident mini panther.
She oversees all important office activities from her preferred position, usually involving a chair, keyboard or anything Debbie happens to be trying to work on.
Her responsibilities include monitoring emails, supervising paperwork, quality-checking invoices and snacking on Dreamies.
As a rescue, Penelope also represents something that's important to all of us at Sidewood — giving animals the opportunity to live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives, whatever their start in life.
If you are looking for a training or competition venue, Sidewood's large indoor arena provides a safe and secure space for your event where you don't have to worry what the weather forecast is - which is handy in Scotland! We also offer an exercise field adjacent to the arena for dogs to stretch their legs before embarking on their activity. There is also access to a short and secluded woodland walk in the forestry next door.
If you would like more information on availability and hiring our venue, please email:
info@sidewoodcanineservices.co.uk
or fill out the Contact Us form and we will answer your query as soon as we can.