The concept of canine massage therapy may seem a little new or even strange to many, but it's an important option to consider in maintaining optimum health for your dog. Think of it in a human sense - you get tight muscles from stress at work, or from sitting hunched over that computer day after day. You participate in sports activities or hard workout routines that can leave you stiff and sore. It's the same for dogs: that 3 mile hike, hours of fetch, agility trials, heavy nose work, or maybe just a good round of play in the backyard.
All these things can lead up to tight or overworked muscles. Our dogs go through just as many stressors and activities as we do sometimes more , and have the capability of pushing through pain before showing us any signs of concern.
And just like in humans, a good massage session can help reduce tension, loosen trigger points, and work out the toxins in the muscles and joints to allow for better mobility for our canine friends. Canine Massage is not frivolous pampering β it offers so many physical and emotional benefits for your dog that you could consider it as essential a component of health care as food, water, shelter, exercise, and grooming.
Massage is beneficial for dogs of ALL ages and conditions, and helps:. Senior dogs benefit from reduction in pain and inflammation for better joint mobility and well-being. Best of allβ¦it feels good! While most dogs are quick to relax for our sessions, some may have trust issues or reservations. There may also be physical reasons why they do not want to be touched: pain, little or no experience with touch, lack of socialization, or a negative or aversive experience with touch.
In these situations, establishing a safe space and trusting environment from the start is key. A significant part of my training included understanding what the dog is communicating through body language, and how best to respond.
