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The Association of Dynamic Dog Practitioners (ADDP) is a community of qualified professionals dedicated to advancing the understanding of canine movement and behaviour. All our members are qualified Dynamic Dog Practitioners, having successfully completed the Dynamic Dog course—a specialist programme that equips behaviourists and canine professionals to observe, interpret, and communicate subtle changes in dogs’ movement and behaviour. ADDP verifies qualifications on entry, maintains practitioner status through ongoing practitioner growth requirements, and upholds a code of conduct and complaints process. Our aim is to bridge the gap between what owners and professionals notice in their dogs and what veterinary surgeons and physiotherapists need to know to make informed decisions. We support our members in sharing their expertise and work to raise awareness among vets, carers, and dog owners about the value of expert observation in improving canine welfare.
Dynamic Dog is the professional qualification our practitioners hold. The Association of Dynamic Dog Practitioners (ADDP) is the membership body that maintains practitioner status, sets standards, and provides accountability.
ADDP was founded to bridge the gap in communication between those who spend the most time with dogs—behaviourists, groomers, walkers—and the veterinary professionals who care for them. Founded by Gemma Harvey, ADDP recognises that while dogs constantly communicate through movement and behaviour, this vital information is often underappreciated or not clearly conveyed to vets and other professionals. With veterinary teams under increasing time pressure, our role is to gather and communicate these subtle observations in a concise, industry-recognised format, supporting better outcomes for dogs and their caregivers. ADDP provides practitioner status by registering and maintaining the status of qualified Dynamic Dog Practitioners, ensures standards and accountability through a code of conduct, supervision/peer review, and a formal complaints pathway, offers CPD and education and access to member events and resources, and supports professional reporting with industry-recognised SOAP/HEAP reports that aid veterinary decision-making.
Our committee is dedicated to supporting our members and advancing education in the field. Sharon Alton serves as Member Liaison, ensuring our members’ needs are prioritised. Lauren Tsao, our Events Manager, organises free monthly events for members and is expanding our educational offerings to non-members. Samantha Bailey is our Committee Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, overseeing the smooth running of the association.
We are proud to support our members in delivering clear, actionable information to veterinary professionals, using the SOAP/HEAP reporting format developed and refined by Gemma Harvey. This approach is recognised and valued within the industry, as highlighted by feedback from veterinary professionals:
“Working with a Dynamic Dog Practitioner helps us to get to a faster diagnosis for the patient. The SOAP and videos provided are invaluable. It is a win-win for the veterinary team and client patient relationship.”
“Working with a Dynamic Dog Practitioner helps us to get to a faster diagnosis for the patient. The SOAP and videos provided are invaluable. It is a win-win for the veterinary team and client patient relationship.”
— Alison Patrolia, CVT, CVOM, Animal Medical Center Hattiesburg, MS