As a a dog owner, you know that they love to be petted and massaged. It’s one of the best ways to show them that you love them! But did you know that massaging your dog has a lot of other benefits too? It can help improve their circulation, digestion, and overall well-being. So if you have a few minutes, why not give your dog a massage? Read on to learn more about the many benefits of canine massage and how it can help your dog.
BECAUSE YOUR DOG IS STRESSED
Some Stress Factors in Dogs
This stress can be of physical or of emotional origin. Your dog’s personality, his disposition, his fear, his anxiety and sometimes his boredom can add to this nervous stress.
The causes of stress can be eliminated by providing your pet with a stimulating environment, allowing him to exercise and play as much as possible and give him the company of other dogs, if that’s what he likes.
However stress can also be due to a physical problem such as injuries, pain, digestive problems or even the fact of being kept in an unhygienic environment with poor ventilation.
Symptoms of Stress in Dogs
Stress in dogs is often displayed by symptoms of stress, such as rubbing his skin with the ground, scratching excessively and licking his body. Such symptoms can also be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea or even repeated infections.
In some stress cases there may be a loss of control over the bladder and bowel movements resulting in bouts of incontinence. In these cases it is essential to see a specialist veterinarian.
Stress Dog Massage
The stress dog massage stimulates the circulation of energy throughout your pet’s body and relaxes him, thus allowing stress to be reduced. It is also used in cases of muscular fatigue, or even skin diseases. The stress dog massage consists of stroking movements over the pet’s body with both hands.
One stress dog massage technique that can be particularly helpful is stroking downwards over your pet’s body with both hands. This will help increase his energy levels and make him feel better.
You must start from the head and neck, moving down to the back and then on to the rest of his body. You can massage any part of your pet’s body as long as you know what you’re doing and avoid sensitive areas such as his face.
There are stress dog massage techniques for small dogs, big dogs, for dogs with long hair or short hair. It’s important to get the basics right before you get started on any of these stress dog massage techniques.
BECAUSE MY DOG IS SICK
What Kind of Sickness?
Massage therapy has long been used to help dog’s with arthritis, hip dysplasia and other musculoskeletal disorders. It may even be helpful for dog Lyme decease due to the fact that it helps reduce dog tension and stress .
Some dog owners have provided encouraging feedback to some dog massage therapists claiming that it has helped their dog’s Lyme decease.
One thing that we know for sure is that dog massage can aid dog Lyme decease if your dog has a muscular or joint ailment.
How Can Massage Help with Illness
There is a fair amount of dog owners who give their dog a massage, or at least think about it. However, there are also some dog owners that still think that dogs don’t benefit from massages. Several studies in the past have shown that dog massage can be beneficial for dogs and therefore, dog massages are now taught in dog training.
Many dog owners have a very special relationship with their dog. When you look at your dog, it is almost as if the dog knows exactly what you are thinking or how you feel. This is why dog massage can make perfect sense in this context. If your dog knows that when they come to lie on the floor next to you they will be massaged, chances are they will be more than happy to stay in one place for a while. It can be interesting if you need your dog to stay still for a bit, for example to give him a shot.
So dog massage is not just a luxury dog treat, it can also help with dog illness as you dog relaxes and feel better.
BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF MY DOG
My Dog is a Puppy
A massage is a wonderful way to relax, soothe and even pamper your pup. It also reaps lots of health benefits such as: relaxation, relief from stress, improved circulation and much more!
Start off with getting yourself familiarized with massage as a whole. There are lots of massage techniques and styles, so make sure you know what you’re doing before starting to use massage as a form of pet pampering.
After that, grab your puppy and get comfy. Make sure the area where you massage him is quiet and warm enough, but not too hot or cold. Make sure to massage in a place where your puppy feels safe and secure.
After that, massage your pup! You can massage all over his body or just focus on certain spots that might be especially sore for him right now. Use gentle pressure when massaging the pup’s muscles, but don’t massage too hard please.
My Dog is a Senior
A senior dog can benefit from massage, just as any other dog. With the aging process comes stiffness of movement that affects dogs in many ways. They are unable to bend easily or move fluidly, there is pain associated with the stiffness, they have trouble getting up and lying down with ease, they are unable to stretch out, massage can help ease pain and stiffness.
Here are some massage techniques that you can use on your senior dog:
1. Gently massage the base of the neck with circular motions. The feet will relax and move more freely because this area (neck) is connected to the feet via nerve endings.
2. Gently massage the stomach from left to right with circular motions, then massage from top to bottom. This helps ease pain and strengthens back muscles that have been weakened due to all the extra weight of a senior dog.
3. Massage behind ears on either side of head for a minute or so, this will stimulate the lymph nodes.
4. A massage in front of the ears with pressing and circling motion will stimulate nerve endings which will help ease pain and stiffness, it also improves circulation in this area, which is very important for senior dogs.
5. Throb massage with gentle pressure behind the shoulder blades (with dog lying on its side) stimulates muscles in the legs and helps senior dogs get up easier.
6. Stroke massage, rub up and down the back (with dog laying on its side), massage all four legs. Also massage under front legs gently to make it easier for your pet to lift his front half of the body when he is getting up.
HOW TO DO AN EFFICIENT MASSAGE
Get Prepared
One thing that you will need to do before massage is to get your dog in a calm and relaxed state. The massage experience itself should be soothing and calm, so the massage preparation is part of creating this environment:
- Slow, deep breathing can help bring your pet into a more relaxed state
- Give him time to walk around and do his needs prior to massage
- Place him on a bed or blanket so that he is most comfortable
With your dog in this state of relaxation, you will now want to begin the massage.
Understand what Dog Massage Means
1. A massage is a manipulation of tissue through massage strokes and massage techniques. It aids in the body’s natural healing process by improving circulation, removing waste products from muscles and joints, reduce stress, increase the range of motion of limbs, improve function to muscles and organs that have been affected by disease or injury.
2. Massage can be done on the limbs, head, neck.
3. The massage strokes can be classified as follows: General massage strokes are those massage techniques that apply pressure towards the heart and lymphatic system of the dog body. Pressure is usually light and slow with a firm touch and applied at varying speeds and depths. Effleurage massage technique is the massage stroke that most people are familiar with. It consists of long, gliding massage strokes using the palm of your hand. Friction massage technique is the light circular massage stroke which stimulates circulation and lymphatic flow. Petrissage massage technique uses squeezing, kneading or rolling movements to massage your dog’s muscles.
4. To massage your dog properly, massage should be done daily or every other day for 5 minutes. You should start with a massage to your dog’s neck and head first because massage on this area of the body will affect the entire body systems. Massage your dog’s neck first by rubbing a small circle around neck just below his jaw line.
Be careful when you massage your dog’s belly or chest area because massage on this area of the body will affect the digestive system.
Now, you know how beneficial a massage can be for your dog!
To sum up a little: it relieves pain in the joints and muscles by decreasing tension, relaxing the muscular system and increasing circulation. It lowers cortisol levels (the stress hormone), resulting in better overall health. It increases blood flow to the brain, which aids in concentration and mental function. It helps to prevent injury by making muscles stronger and more flexible. And they are just some examples among so many others.
So don’t hesitate to get started, because you and your furry friend will appreciate the benefits, and our materials will guide you every step of the way.