MASSAGE FOR DOGS

Massage is more than petting or playing, it is a deliberate and focused technique of touching your dog. Each stroke is controlled in pressure, direction, and intention. They are the channels through which healing and love flows. When we tune into the needs and fears of our dogs we learn to understand the body language they use to communicate with each other and with us. Massage is the manipulation of muscles and skin to promote increased circulation to all the organs and tissues in you pet’s body. It also increases lymph movement, which is very important to the immune system. Massage is a nonverbal form of communication. It is a touch, which is essential for growth, health, and life. Massage is a physical therapy, as well as mind/spiritual therapy. It helps to rebalance the body to live and move in harmony and grace, while relieving pain and discomfort naturally by releasing the natural production of endorphins in you dog’s body. It’s soothing effects, promote calmness so healing can take place. Massage is a complement to, not a substitute for your pet’s need for a qualified healthcare professional.

Some Techniques:

Effleurage- with very light pressure. Hands open, and strokes are long, slow, even pressured, and flowing movements. This is very similar to long even petting strokes.

Compression- Pressure onto the surface of the body with thumbs, fingers, palms, using one or both hands. This is very similar to gently squeezing water out of a wet sponge.

Petrissage-This stroke is working the skin. Muscle kneading of digital circles can be used to detect and loosen knots in the muscles.

Skin Rolling- Lifting the coat and skin away from the underlying structures, like muscles, bones, and fat. This stretches the connective tissue under the skin increasing pliability and general skin tone. To do this stroke, grasp the coat and skin and roll it between your thumbs and fingers. Be careful not to pinch your dog. This should be a rhythmic rolling motion. Hand positions are open hand, curved hand, and thumb walk, and different pressures are applied.

Sequence of massage– Face and head and is done to increase circulation and bring oxygen and nutrients to the tissue. Move around entire base of ear and both sides of head. Then the neck and entire length of the spine is worked. Next, work on the vertebral column, (Never work directly on the vertebrae) sides, shoulders, chest, and finally the limbs. Movements that are quick will produce stimulating effects, while long slow strokes will produce a more relaxing effect.

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CAT MASSAGE
Cat massage is a form of petting or rubbing the cat’s body for remedial effects. It tones muscles, improves blood circulation that clears away waste products, and promotes physical well-being. By using routine massage, it encourages your cat to be more involved with the family. It can help you to detect early changes in your cat’s health. It also helps your cat to become accustomed to being handled and can make trips to the vet’s office less frightening, or relax her when it’s nail clipping time. It helps the healing process for ill or post-operative cats. Most importantly it conveys love, trust and a wonderful friendship and bond between you and the cat you are massaging.
The tools and Techniques of the Trade are Hand Parts (12 of them), Hand positions, Motion, Speed, Pressure, and Mood.

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TELLINGTON TTOUCH
Tellington TTouch was created by Linda Tellington-Jones, and is a revolutionary approach for training and communicating with animals of any species. TTouch is often mistaken as a form of massage. However what TTouch does, is that it reorganizes the nervous system and activates neural pathways to the brain, to increase an animals self image and awareness, thereby improving self-confidence and coordination. Massage is done with the intent of affecting the muscular system.

You do not need to know anatomy to do it successfully, because using it any-where on the body improves health and awareness. Through the activation of unused brain cells, an animal increases is ability and willingness to learn. TTouch develops a “cell to cell” connection and oneness, an inter species nonverbal communication between the animal and person.

TTouch can be used for problems such as barking, chewing, fears, difficulty training, nail trimming, grooming, carsickness, emergency care, nervousness, and much more. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice from your veterinarian, but instead can be used to compliment allopathic medicine, and also to enhance the closeness of your relationship with your pet.

How to do TTouch:
The method is based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body, using different pressures ranging from one to nine, while maintaining a steady rhythm and constant pressure. Using the image of a clock, curve your fingers lightly at six o’clock and push the skin around the face of the clock for one and a quarter circles, paying special attention to the roundness of the circles. Your thumb should be placed two to three inches from your forefinger. By using your free hand to support the body, and placing it opposite your hand making the motions, this makes a connection between your two hands and will balance and enhance the effect of the TTouch on the animal. Clockwise circles are effective for strengthening and healing the body, while counterclockwise circles are used for releasing tension.

Examples:

Ear TTouch: Important for cases of emergency and shock. Helpful for relaxation, stress, fatigue, carsickness, and improves digestion. Start by stroking the base of the ear. Support the head with one hand, place thumb on top and folded forefingers on underside of ear, and do a slide to the tip of the ear. Also, make tiny circles between thumb and forefingers over the whole ear. Tiny circles at the base of the ear improve digestion, respiratory and reproductive systems.

Bear TTouch: Used for itching hot spots from skin allergies and fleabites. Place a damp, cool cloth over the area before starting TTouch. For kidney problems, use over loin and back areas. Use fingernails (at medium length) in a straight down position. Make clockwise circles at 6 o’clock for one and a quarter circles, with emphasis of contact being with the nails and not the pads.

Belly Lift: Used for digestive problems, arthritis, hypersensitivity, shyness, nervousness, and sore backs. Helps to change negative and habitual behavior problems. Use your hands or a folded towel under the belly, just behind the front legs and lift, holding the position for 10 –15 seconds, with a very slow release, (twice as long as the lift) for the best benefit. Continue to move towel backward, with lifts till you reach the hindquarters.

Clouded Leopard: Used for aggression, barking, carsickness, nervousness, leashing pulling, fear biting. It aids in building self-confidence, and to introduce new animals to the household. Hands rest lightly on the body, while pads of your fingers move the skin in circular motion, one and a quarter circle, with middle finger leading. Thumb and forefinger held several inches apart, while feeling the connection.

Lick of the Cow’s Tongue: Used to increase circulation, relax sore muscles, and muscles that were worked during hard exercise. Light, long sweeping stroke with curved fingers, opened slightly, from belly and up onto the back, or across the shoulders and the hindquarter.

Lying Leopard: Used for injuries, bruises/swelling, wounds, relaxation, barking, biting, and nervousness. This is a variation to the Clouded Leopard, which is less invasive. Use for reducing pain and swelling from injuries. Cup hand lightly over the wounded area, (not touching wound) and move fingers in circles in a small area directly over the injury.

Mouth TTouch: Used to improve the ability to focus and learn, and affects physical and emotional responses. Used for barking, excessive licking and chewing, biting, hyperactivity, and fears. Sit behind the animal, support muzzle with one hand, slide fingers back and forth on the inside and outside of the lips and make tiny circles on the gums. Work both sides of the mouth.

Raccoon TTouch: Promotes healing for bruises, sprains, and wounds. Used to increase circulation, eases shyness and fears, arthritis and helps calm for nail trimming. Use fingertips making tiny circles with very light contact (barely touching) and make small circles. For nail trimming go all the way down the legs starting at the shoulders to the paws and pads.

Snail’s Tail: Used to release pain or soreness from puncture wounds, sprains, arthritis, bruising, broken bones, and stiffness. Place fingers at 6 o’clock and move the skin in a circular motion clockwise, pausing then going back counter-clockwise to complete the rotation.

Tail TTouch: Used to help aggression and timidity, and fear of thunder or other loud noises. Provides relief from tension, stress, hip dysplasia, and arthritis or back problems.  Place one hand at the base of the animal’s tail, and gently push the tail upward, moving the tail in circles in both directions. Slide hand down the tail with pull and hold movements, for about 4-6 seconds and work small circles all the way to the tip of the tail.

Tiger TTouch: Used on heavy muscled animals. Helps ease stress, and aggression as well as relieving itching. Curved and separated fingers move in clockwise circles with fairly strong pressure. The thumb is stationary while the fingers move in circles simultaneously.

Tarantulas Pulling the Plow: Used to increase circulation, and helps with grooming problems and sensitivity to being touched. Place hands side by side, fingertips separated and curved, with thumbs touching each other. Walk your fingers of both hands simultaneously with thumbs following, rolling the skin.

Noah’s March: Used to finish a session, this TTouch is intended to reintegrate the body of you pet. Long sweeping strokes are made with the entire hand, fingers and palms. Starting at the head, neck areas and covering the entire body, including the legs and tail.

Disclaimer: these practices don't take the place of veterinary care.

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