Massage Therapy for Your Dog

Massage Therapy is a natural process that you can use to help your dog maintain a better quality of health. Massage works on your dog’s body on many different levels. Dogs are emotional; they have the same feelings and thoughts as we do. They experience pain, loneliness and anxiety. Early emotional conditioning is directly connected to the amount and quality of touch they receive. “The benefit of massaging your dog is to increase the circulation that dog’s bodies receive during any basic full body massage. During a massage session, dogs also experience important psycho-social interactions.” (Pet Massage, 2011) Another benefit is that massage is a way to maintain an ongoing assessment of your dog. “There are four important areas for the body that are stress areas where several muscle groups attach. The head and the neck play an important role in the dog’s movements. A dog uses his head and neck constantly to balance the rest of his body. The head and neck are also very active when dogs play. The shoulders and forelegs needs to be strong and flexible. This is essential for a proper athletic performance. Good muscle power at the shoulder will ensure a high level of performance.”(Canine Massage, 2004)
“The back and rib cage, also known as the vertical column and the rib cage, both are solid structures made up of strong bones, ligaments and muscles.”(Canine Massage, 2004) Next is he hindquarters, hind leg and pelvic limb. “The hind quarters are a very important part of the dog’s anatomy as it is considered the engine of the dog.”(Canine Massage, 2004)
It is important to massage the trouble spots of all these areas to relieve pain and discomfort in these areas. Many dogs experience tight muscles resulting in reduced muscle action.
“Hydrotherapy is a water treatment applied externally to the body. Using hydrotherapy before and after massage treatments will increase the effectiveness of this massage therapy.”(Canine Massage, 2004)
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References: Gan, Z. (2011). Dog Massage Secrets. Retrieved from Pawsitive Media website: http://dogmassagesecrets.com Hourdebaigt, L.M.T., J.-P. (2004). Canine Massage (2nd ed.). Wenatchee, WA: Dogwise Publishing. Rudinger, J. (2011). Benefits of pet massage for dogs. Retrieved from Pet MassageTtraining and Research Institute website: http://petmassage.com 10 Benefits of Therapeutic Canine Massage. (2011). Retrieved from http://small dogs paradise