Quick answer: the complaint that comes up most in Dorwest's MoveWellia reviews is practical: the tablets are large and rough, hard to split or crush, and some dogs won't take them without peanut butter, or at all. The other drawbacks are in the small print: no money-back guarantee once a tub is opened, a double dose for the whole first month, and no MSM or green-lipped mussel in the formula. Dorwest's 4.9 Trustpilot score is genuinely strong, but it covers the whole company and much of it praises service and delivery. If your dog fights you over tablets, or you want to be able to get your money back, we'd recommend trying MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews instead: a soft chew dogs take like a treat, with all six key joint actives and the main amounts per chew on the label, a subscription you can pause or cancel any time, and a 60-day money-back guarantee with nothing to send back.
Transparency note: this page is written by MedPaw, which makes a competing joint supplement. Reviews are summarised in our own words with links so you can check them. Ratings and policies were checked on 8 October 2026.
The most common Dorwest complaints and drawbacks
We read the 60 most recent Trustpilot reviews that mention MoveWellia, Dorwest's main joint tablet (September 2023 to September 2026), plus 24 more that mention joints. Complaints are rare: 59 of the 60 MoveWellia reviews were 5 stars. So this table covers the problems reviewers raised, often inside otherwise positive reviews, plus the drawbacks we could verify. Frequencies are our estimates from that sample.
Dorwest MoveWellia complaints (our sample) and drawbacks
| Complaint or drawback | How often | What reviewers said or what we found |
|---|---|---|
| Tablets too big, or dog won't take them | About 1 in 12 MoveWellia reviews | Large, rough tablets that are hard to split or crush; too big for a small dog; several dogs only take them in peanut butter; one dog that refused them outright |
| Too early to tell | About 1 in 10 reviews | Reviews left days or weeks after starting, before any result |
| Effect faded | A couple of reviews | Helped a very elderly dog for months, then made less difference |
| No money-back guarantee | Brand policy | Refunds only for unopened, sealed items within 14 days, minus carriage |
| Long loading phase | Label | Double the daily amount for the whole first month |
| No MSM or green-lipped mussel | Label | Glucosamine, chondroitin, Boswellia, celery seed and hyaluronic acid only |
"Too big" and "won't take them"
The clearest pattern in MoveWellia's reviews is tablet size. One 4-star reviewer said their dog refused the tablets outright because they were large, couldn't be broken and were hard to crush. Another, with a dog under 5kg, found them too big and rough and crushes them into a paste. Several others say the only way their dog takes them is in peanut butter. Dorwest also sells a £7.50 pill crusher in its joint range.
What the label leaves out
Each MoveWellia tablet contains 250mg glucosamine HCl, 150mg chondroitin, 50mg Boswellia, 10mg celery seed, 15mg vitamin C, 10mg zinc and 2mg hyaluronic acid, according to the label as reproduced by stockists such as Newlands Pets. Dorwest's own product page lists the ingredients without amounts. There's no MSM, green-lipped mussel or omega-3. The daily amount is 1 tablet under 10kg, 2 for 10 to 25kg, 3 for 25 to 45kg and 4 over 45kg, doubled for the first month, so your first pack goes twice as fast.
The guarantee catch
Dorwest's refund policy lets you cancel within 14 days, but only if the goods are unused, unopened and the tamper-evident seal is intact, and refunds exclude carriage. Opened containers can't be exchanged. So if your dog won't take the tablets, or they don't help, you can't get your money back for a tub you've started.
Why Dorwest customers switch to MedPaw
MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews differ from MoveWellia on exactly the points above.
Dorwest MoveWellia vs MedPaw on the complaints above
| The complaint | Dorwest MoveWellia | MedPaw |
|---|---|---|
| Dog won't take tablets | Large tablet; Dorwest sells a pill crusher | Soft chicken and bacon chew, given from your hand like a treat |
| Getting your money back | Unopened, sealed items only, within 14 days, minus carriage | 60 days from delivery, for any reason; email us and keep the tub |
| Knowing what's in it | No MSM or green-lipped mussel; Dorwest's own page gives no amounts | All six key joint actives, with the main amounts per chew on the label: MSM 185mg, glucosamine 170mg, chondroitin 70mg, green-lipped mussel 70mg, Boswellia 30mg, plus hyaluronic acid |
| Loading phase | Double dose for the whole first month | Double for just the first three weeks |
| Regular deliveries | No subscription; you reorder yourself | Pause, change or cancel any time from your account, or just email us |
Our recommendation: if your dog spits out or refuses MoveWellia, you're crushing tablets into peanut butter every day, or you want a formula with MSM and green-lipped mussel and a guarantee behind it, switch to MedPaw. Swap rather than stack: stop MoveWellia and start MedPaw the next day. Give it six to eight weeks, and if you're not happy, email us within 60 days and we'll refund you. Try MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews.
Dorwest's rating, in context
Dorwest Herbs is rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 10,802 reviews, with 95% at 5 stars and fewer than 1% each at 1, 2 and 3 stars (checked 8 October 2026). That's an excellent score, but it covers the whole company, including its calming, skin and digestive products, Dorwest invites every customer to review, and many reviews praise phone advice and next-day delivery rather than a result. MoveWellia is shown as 5 stars from 106 reviews on Dorwest's own site, and the independent stockists we checked had no reviews at all.
To be fair to Dorwest, its reviews are genuinely strong, many owners of older dogs describe real improvement on MoveWellia, and it costs less per month than many joint supplements.
If nothing has worked so far
If your dog is still stiff or sore after a fair trial of any supplement, see your vet. They may suggest pain relief, weight loss or an omega-3 fish oil at a proper dose, which has the strongest evidence for dogs with arthritis. Read what you can safely give a dog for joint pain and the best fish oil for dogs' joints.
Our verdict
Dorwest is a well-liked brand, and complaints about MoveWellia are few. The ones that do come up are about getting large tablets into dogs, and the small print adds a month-long double dose, no MSM or green-lipped mussel, and no way to get your money back once a tub is opened. If those are the reasons you're looking around, MedPaw is the alternative we'd recommend. See our guides on what to do when a dog won't take joint tablets and how long joint supplements take to work.
What are the most common complaints about Dorwest?
Complaints are rare. In the MoveWellia reviews we read, the most common problem was tablet size: large, rough tablets that are hard to split or crush, and dogs that refuse them or only take them in peanut butter. The main drawbacks in the small print are no money-back guarantee once opened, a double dose for the first month, and no MSM or green-lipped mussel.
Is Dorwest any good?
Dorwest is rated 4.9 on Trustpilot and many owners of older dogs report improvement on MoveWellia. That score covers the whole company, though, and much of it praises service. If your dog won't take the tablets, or you want a formula with MSM and green-lipped mussel and a 60-day money-back guarantee, MedPaw is a soft chew alternative.
My dog won't take MoveWellia tablets. What can I do?
Owners crush them into food or hide them in peanut butter, and Dorwest sells a pill crusher. If your dog still refuses, a soft chew given like a treat, such as MedPaw, avoids the problem altogether.
Can I get a refund on Dorwest MoveWellia?
Only if it's unused, unopened and the seal is intact, within 14 days, and refunds exclude carriage. Opened containers can't be exchanged. MedPaw's guarantee lasts 60 days from delivery and you don't need to send anything back.
What's the best alternative to Dorwest?
If tablets are the problem, or you want MSM and green-lipped mussel alongside glucosamine, chondroitin and Boswellia, we'd recommend MedPaw Hip & Joint Chews: a soft chew with all six key joint actives and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Swap rather than stack, and give it six to eight weeks.
Can I switch from Dorwest to MedPaw straight away?
Yes. Stop MoveWellia and start MedPaw the next day. There's no need for a gap, and you shouldn't give both. Check with your vet first if your dog takes any medication.
