Helping you to help your own dog workshop

 If you’re going to come back after a long break with a brand new workshop and want to respect people’s space, then why not go for a huge gazebo with airy open sides in the middle of the countryside?  And not just any gazebo….go for one that has not one, not two but three chandeliers.  AchyPaw goes classy! 

Val Chandler organised the session at the Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary.  This was the first time for our “Helping you to help your own dog” workshop.  The focus was not just on massage but everything appropriate to help the mobility and comfort of your own dog. 

Physical therapy is not a one size fits all.  Every dog is different.  Each condition is different.  Each therapy plan should be tailored to fit that individual. 

The session covered the where, the why and the how.  13 lovely lucky dogs brought along their Mums and Dads to make sure they learn how to help them now and throughout their life.  There were big dogs, senior dogs, muscular dogs, rescue dogs, puppies and small dogs.  Each wanted their carers to help them in different ways. 

Bella and Max represented the senior larger dogs and were both Golden Retrievers.   Naturally, they soaked up every touch on offer. 

Representing the smaller dogs were 7 year old French Bulldog Milly (who adored all the back work) and Peanut, another 7 year old Jack Russell who had no issues but whose Mum wanted to keep her that way. 

Representing the anxious were 2 year old Bali who has high anxiety and 12 year old JRT Pogo who is having some emotional problems at the moment with a house move as well as a cruciate issue.  Pogo was an ex PAT dog and this time brought along her sister Aidey for support. 

Then there were the young fit and muscular.  Young Saluki Wilbur “runs like the clappers” according to his Dad, while Belgian Shepherd Savannah has 3 siblings to play with.  Also in the Super Duper Fit category were Doodle the Poodle who brought along his black Lurcher chum.  They had a corner of the vast gazebo to themselves….lots of black fur in that corner. 

In the “we’re a little stiff Dr Les but otherwise Ok” category were 11 year old JRT Toby, 12 year old Patch the Staffie (who worked as my demo dog) and 11 year old Tibetan Terrier cross Pups.  

What a variety!  A dream band for an educational session to teach about individuality. 

With a little help from me, the dogs taught their Mums and Dads over a dozen massage moves with each having a favourite technique on a favourite targeted muscle area.  Some dogs liked one move, others another.  Fortunately, there was plenty of alternatives.  And that’s the idea behind a ‘helping you to help your own dog’ session.  Giving variety for choice. 

As well as massage, the dogs were shown how to get their carers to warm them up properly before any exercise using our special Locomotion technique and then to cool them down afterwards. 

Finally, the exercises. AchyPaw exercises are simple yet effective.  No poles, no balance balls no tools needed other than your own legs and some yummy treats and maybe a cushion from your sofa.   

The day ended with all the dogs happy and content that their Mums and Dads are equipped with the knowledge to help them now and throughout their life.

 

 

Validation

 

We always knew this was the case but now there has been a clinical research trial.

https://bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/.../vetr.586

"Results

Significant reductions in reported pain severity scores were recorded for all pain indicators over successive treatments (p < 0.001), with each treatment causing further significant reduction in pain severity. Number of pain indicators recorded over successive treatment sessions remained constant, in keeping with a cohort presenting with degenerative disease and chronic pain. All dogs and diagnostic variables responded similarly. Post-treatment a dog was significantly more likely to have a ‘positive’ quality of life.

Conclusions

This cross-sectional study indicates canine massage therapy may effectively reduce myofascial and musculoskeletal pain severity reported by owners and practitioners associated with gait, posture, behavioural and performance issues and reduction in daily activities. Although this is not a double-blind trial, and there is no control group, this study suggests massage therapy may be a valid treatment for myofascial and musculoskeletal pain typically derived from muscular injuries, arthritis/other orthopaedic conditions."

If you get lost in the stats...just ask Pixie. She'll tell you it means canine massage is great.

 

Mirroring

Giant Hudson has an equally giant heart. He needs regular maintenance therapy of both Reiki and massage to keep his large body supple without getting stiff.

This means he has Double Therapist sessions from Chris and me.  As we can’t leave our Sam alone anymore, he comes with us.

He thoroughly enjoys his afternoon out, waking and sitting up in the back of the car every time as we turn the corner to Hudson’s House.

And Hudson bounds down his front path to greet Sam as if he is his bestie.

Recently Sam has made it clear he wants to become fully involved in the therapy session sitting alongside his new chum. This is something Sam never does. Even with his sister they were never cuddle buddies. But Hudson is clearly extra special.

They lie there, side by side absorbing all the healing Reiki and getting massage in unison. They even mirror each other’s paw position, yawns and nose drippings. Look at the photo….eyes equally closing, jaws equally loose, expressions equally serene.

It’s quite heart-warming to be part of this bromance. 

 

 

Working with a rescue dog

Working with a rescue dog is notably heart-warming.  Their new carer often doesn’t know all of their history.  What we do know is that they are now able to live their best life.  But for someone new, like me, getting their trust is very special.  And Bobby was very special.

He is an almost 5 year Romanian rescue – a bit of Collie, Labrador and Hound.  But the eyes are all Bobby.  When he was first adopted in 2017, he had separation issues and was anxious about many things.  But with calming consistent work from his carers, he has blossomed into a wonderful family dog. 

Recently he started to show signs of apprehension again.  It was thought that maybe he was in discomfort, especially from his rear end which he displayed by a “don’t come too near me please” behaviour.

Imagine if you have a constant back ache.  You don’t particularly want random cuddles or people in your face.  Dogs are no different.  But they can’t just phone up a therapist or pop some pills.  Luckily, Bobby’s Mum was able to call a therapist for him and along he came.

He was oh-so-sweet as he walked in.  Looking round surveying the room but within a minute saw the massage mat in the middle and plonked himself down.  My brightly coloured dog sized massage mat has seen that behaviour so often.  “Not sure what to do?  I know….I’ll plonk myself on that lovely colourful place.  It looks safe and me sized.”

He allowed me, and sometimes helped me, find where his issues were.  He had a stiff neck which was probably due to anxious shoulder raising.  But his main tightness was in his lower back.  He had clearly been holding himself quite rigid which would, understandably, be giving him anxiety.

It took a while for him to trust me to work there.  We were helped by treat distractions……good old Primula Cheese tubes, the best solution for any distraction.

After about 40 minutes he looked as though he needed a stretch and went for a walk round our garden.   This has a double use.  The dog can have a well-deserved pee and it means for the next few days our Sam can patrol ‘his’ garden sniffing out the new pee smells.  Win, win.

When Bobby came back it was like he was a new boy.  The old anxious Bobby had shaken himself off in the garden and Mr Relaxed Bobby came back in.  He simply lay down and allowed his Mum and me to work wherever we, or he, liked.  It was a very special moment.  Trust established.  Back pain eased.  Bobby returns.

We ran through some appropriate exercises and I prepared his workbook for his Mum.  She replied “Bobby has literally been a different dog yesterday afternoon he has been smiling and generally seems so much more comfortable. It really was amazing to see the shift in the room. Thank you so much 💓”.  You’re more than welcome Bobby.  You are a special boy.