From "Head to Tail"
Canine Massage Therapy
The effectiveness and health benefits of massage for your dog can often be greatly overlooked and undervalued. However, the amazing benefits us humans reap from a therapeutic massage, our furry friends do as well. In fact, studies show that dogs who have had a history of massage therapy throughout their lives, have reported more resilience to injury, less anxiety, and longer lifespans.
Benefits of Canine Massage
Give Your Four-Legged Friend the Pampering They Deserve
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Dogs suffer from stress just like humans do. This is an incredibly effective way to reduce any anxiety, even the less obvious kind.
Improves Circulation and Flexibility
Circulating blood flow in your dog promotes self-healing, and more flexibility in muscles, helping to prolong their youth.
Lymphatic Drainage
Especially in older dogs, if they aren't moving regularly, it can lead to swelling and edema, which may lead to more serious problems down the road that may have seemed irrelevant to edema.
Comfort at all Stages of Life
Other than a boosted immune system, a fantastic healing aid, and pain relief, massage for your dog can add to the overall quality of their lives by promoting happiness and comfort in all phases.
What Does Canine Massage Consist Of?
How is it different from just petting?
While petting, scratching and rubbing your furry friend is one of of the great pleasures of their lives, therapeutic massage is substantially different.
There are certain specific techniques in canine massage that make it so uniquely effective as opposed to simply petting them. Massage offers a certain skill set and knowledge of canine anatomy that adds tremendous value to the result of a professional session. This type of therapeutic touch is targeted, specific and strategically purposeful to your dog’s health.
For example, a therapist may start with a light stroke in a location that feels innately comforting to them is important. Beginning behind the neck is familiar to them because that is how their mothers picked them up in their first few weeks of life. Did you know that dogs carry most of their weight on their two front legs? This is a very important place to massage, often a therapist may find knots and trigger points that no one knew was even there. With specific strokes and professional technique, your dog will have increased range of motion in one of their strongest, important muscles, therefore feeling more energetic and mobile, leading to a longer, healthier life. Another important area to work on in a dog is their jaw (or masseter muscle). Dogs are constantly chewing, pulling, and tugging with their ferocious masseter muscles, therefore most dogs carry a great deal of natural tension in this area. Working on this muscle is extremely pleasurable and highly beneficial for them.
Massage is also so important because dogs, just as humans, pump a lot of their bodies blood with their muscles. Helping to increase blood flow to all these parts of the body keeps their muscles juicy and flowing, with less risk of ailments, and an overall happier, healthier existence.
These are a few main points of contact in canine massage, followed by a thorough Swedish style full body resulting in a total relaxation for your dog.
I hope this gave some helpful isight on the wonderful benefits and effectiveness of therapeutic massage for your four-legged friend.
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