Soon after I have Belle, my first dog, I found myself visiting the pet park on every weekends and while I was there I made a couple of new friends who shared a great deal of information. One of the things I learn from the other pet loves there was the power of giving a massage to my dog. Similar to how a massage makes us feel good by releasing tight muscles and helping us find our calm center, the same applies to our dogs as well.
Some of the benefits of massage includes:
- stress relief
- soothing and comforting
- assist healing process by triggering body natural ability to heal itself from injury, strain and fatigue
- helps detect swelling, stiffness, pain and tension
- helps the body to function more effectively
- improves our dog's agility
- helps increase the bonding between our dogs and us
There is a whole big field dedicated to massaging for dogs, books and information are easily available. I am not an expert in this field so I will be sharing the basics which I have learnt from my fellow dog lovers and found to be useful.
1. Get your dog to lie down on a soft but firm mat.
2. Begin with several long and slow stroke starting from head all the way down to the tail.
3. Once she is relax and calm, you may start scratching from behind the ears, under chin, slowly over the nose, between the eyes, around the eyes and to the top of her head.
4. Using three fingers, move slowly over the neck, shoulders, and chest in small, circular patterns, gently pinching folds of any loose skin in these areas.
5. Lightly squeeze down the length of each leg.
6. Placing three fingers on each side of the leg and softly rub opposite directions several times.
7. Place your thumb and index finger on each side of the spine and move down lightly toward the base of the tail, and then the outside of each thigh.
8. Finish with a few long and slow stroke from head to tail.
If your dog is feeling uncomfortable with having his feet handled, give each foot a couple of soft squeezes. While massaging your dog, it is also a good time to feel around and have a visual check on your dog for any abnormalities. It is important to remember to keep your touch light and gentle at all times.
Recommended resources:
The Healing Touch for Dogs: The Proven Massage Program for Dogs, Revised Edition
Canine Massage: A Practical Guide
The Healthy Way to Stretch Your Dog: A Physical Therapy Approach (Dogwise Manual)
The Dog Lover's Guide to Massage: What Your Dog Wants You to Know
Some of the benefits of massage includes:
- stress relief
- soothing and comforting
- assist healing process by triggering body natural ability to heal itself from injury, strain and fatigue
- helps detect swelling, stiffness, pain and tension
- helps the body to function more effectively
- improves our dog's agility
- helps increase the bonding between our dogs and us
There is a whole big field dedicated to massaging for dogs, books and information are easily available. I am not an expert in this field so I will be sharing the basics which I have learnt from my fellow dog lovers and found to be useful.
1. Get your dog to lie down on a soft but firm mat.
2. Begin with several long and slow stroke starting from head all the way down to the tail.
3. Once she is relax and calm, you may start scratching from behind the ears, under chin, slowly over the nose, between the eyes, around the eyes and to the top of her head.
4. Using three fingers, move slowly over the neck, shoulders, and chest in small, circular patterns, gently pinching folds of any loose skin in these areas.
5. Lightly squeeze down the length of each leg.
6. Placing three fingers on each side of the leg and softly rub opposite directions several times.
7. Place your thumb and index finger on each side of the spine and move down lightly toward the base of the tail, and then the outside of each thigh.
8. Finish with a few long and slow stroke from head to tail.
If your dog is feeling uncomfortable with having his feet handled, give each foot a couple of soft squeezes. While massaging your dog, it is also a good time to feel around and have a visual check on your dog for any abnormalities. It is important to remember to keep your touch light and gentle at all times.
Recommended resources:
The Healing Touch for Dogs: The Proven Massage Program for Dogs, Revised Edition
Canine Massage: A Practical Guide
The Healthy Way to Stretch Your Dog: A Physical Therapy Approach (Dogwise Manual)
The Dog Lover's Guide to Massage: What Your Dog Wants You to Know
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