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. 

 

 

Getting it right from the start

Bailey is a 2 year old Sproodle who decided to have a couple of random stop and sit downs during walks.  When his vet examined him, it was noticed he seemed to have a stiff neck and upper back and was prescribed a short course of NSAIDs. 

But a few weeks later, on a return to the vets, he still seemed uncomfortable and was recommended to visit us for a check-up and advice.

Working with such a young dog is perfect for our ‘helping you to help your dog’ philosophy.  Discovering and assisting Bailey’s mobility issues as a puppy, will enable his Mum to carry those skills into his maturing days.  It’s about knowing what to do and being empowered to help and those skills can be learned at any stage.

Your dog will get older but that course doesn’t have to be predetermined.  It doesn’t have to be a case of they get old, they stop moving, they get worse which will ultimately lead to an unacceptable impact on their quality of life.

Bailey knew that he needed some help and, although timid, allowed me to work with him and show his Mum what he needs now and in the longer-term.

Things such as getting into the habit of giving him a quick warm-up and cool-down before and after exercise is something that will benefit him whatever his age.  Our Sarah refused point blank to move in the morning until we’d given her a warm-up in the park.  She knew how beneficial it was.  We simply incorporated it into our morning routine.

Daily massage on the muscles and joints that take all the stress and strains of being a dog is beneficial whether your dog is 2 or 12. 

We found that, as well as tight neck and upper back muscles, Bailey was also uncomfortable on his thighs possibly due to compensation.  This gave us a plan for a massage and exercise routine Bailey’s Mum could do now, to help with his current issues while enabling her to know how to will help him later.

As Bailey gets older the massage routine will grow and develop.  His needs as a puppy will differ from those as an adolescent or middle-aged boy.  A 15 to 30 minute daily massage, warm-up and cool-down, simple stretching mobilising exercises and generally making the most of every opportunity given, will make sure you get to know your dog’s body and needs.  This will prevent injuries by identifying tissue change before it becomes a problem.  Added to that the bond created with your dog, helping your dog with physical therapy is a wonderful skill to learn.

Looking at Bailey’s expressions during the session, he will soon start to become a Massage Diva demanding and guiding his Mum on the areas that need help.

 

 

It’s all about the intention.

Lexi is a 6 year old Portuguese Podengo cross with long legs rescued by Karen from Helping Paws and has been living for the past 3 years in her Forever Home with her new Mum and Dad. 

She has never really been completely settled with her Dad indoors. She doesn’t bark or cower, she just prefers to move away. This behaviour is not as bad when outdoors, but even then, she seems to prefer her Mum. It’s not just her Dad though, she reacts in a similar way with other men. They don’t think she was mistreated before rescue but believe she lived on her own with an elderly lady – maybe not getting much socialisation. She was certainly housetrained although she didn’t know how to play with toys. (That has now been rectified as she has a vast toybox full of things!) 

Overall, she is simply timid. She will accept a hand touch, stroke and may even lick the back of her Dad’s leg in a café. Just not a lot. 

The aim for the session was to try and create a better bond between Lexi and her Dad by intentional touch. AchyPaw Massage is all about intention. You need the dog to know that they are your focus. It’s not petting. It’s intentional. It’s beneficial. It has a purpose. 

We don’t force therapy on any dog – they come at their own speed. At the start of the session, Lexi was upstairs, so I sat on floor by the massage mat while her Mum brought her down. She soon sat on the mat, with her back to me. But close enough to let me gently touch her. As I was working, she didn’t move away but just glanced at me over her shoulder making sure I was an OK person. She even let me perform some massage. Guess I was Ok! 

I spent 15 minutes with her helping her feel comfortable. I then asked her Dad to take my place on the floor. I told him to feel rather than pet. We held our breath. Lexi did not resist or move away. After 10 minutes, we all had to breathe again as we were going rather blue from lack of oxygen! 

That was Lexi’s cue to get up on the sofa. I asked her Dad if that was what he expected to get out of the training session. He replied ”Yes but not within 30 minutes…….”. There were lots of smiles. 

As we were on a roll, I got him to shuffle over to her where she allowed him to perform a full one side body massage. Lots more smiles – even from Lexi this time whose head was slowly slumping down as she relaxed. 

Her Dad stayed on the floor while her Mum took over as we wanted Lexi to feel she could go to either carer. Again, no protestations from Lexi – just a ‘bring it on’ look. After an hour, we got her Dad to stand up (many creaking joint noises from us as we had hardly dared move a muscle), walk away and then come back. This would typically have been Lexi’s signal to go. But she didn’t. She stayed on the sofa and let him put his hands back on her and she relaxed her head even further. He said “She has never felt this relaxed with me touching her”. We say it all the time….intention….intention….intention. Lexi was now being touched with a purpose, with benefits. Petting your dog is fine, they will enjoy it. But if you touch them AND help their tight muscles to relax, how much more enjoyable will that be to the dog? 

I think we have won Lexi around to her Dad touching her and hopefully that bond will strengthen with every massage session.

Massage Diva

Charley’s Mum recently put up this post of their new nightly therapy routine “This is how Charley has his massage now Uncle Les .... candles lit, nightlights on, Coronation Street on. What a Massage Diva!!” 

 #sorrynotsorry

Enrichment with your dog doesn't have to be physical activity : Charley's story

“It’s so lovely….it’s not just about the fact that I’m helping Charley but it’s about the time we spend together”. 

We first met Charley and his Mum in February when she put up a desperate plea for help on the Hanover Dogs Facebook group. He was struggling to walk, was clearly uncomfortable and, naturally, his Mum was beside herself with worry. 

Having gained his vet’s consent to treat, on the first session we were able to not only offer him a thorough investigation and treatment, but also sent his Mum her own massage routine tailored specifically for his needs, some exercises, lots of ideas for household adaptations and some suggestions of other things she could add to his treatment plan. 

Charley has now been on his own multi-modal regime for 4 months now : massage daily from his Mum (Charley knows it is massage time when the Emmerdale theme tune comes on), maintenance massage from us, frequent text messages between Charley and us, Yumove Advanced, Paracetamol, rugs and mats in all the previously slippy places, harnesses to help him up the stairs to bed, raised food bowls, safe stretching exercises and laser therapy (weekly at first and now fortnightly).

His Mum asked if I could come back to make sure she is doing everything right with her massage techniques. Doing it right? Goodness, she was amazing. She was doing moves on Charley that were her own – techniques that ‘felt right’, that Charley clearly adored and, most importantly, had built Charley’s muscles back again. Intuition. 

But it is the positivity in Beverly Ann’s attitude toward Charley which is the biggest change. After our first visit, Beverly Ann wrote “I think people can be a bit sceptical. I wasn’t but I was desperate to try anything and I’m so glad I did! I know the arthritis won’t ever go but we can make it more liveable. When we went for our walk, I felt far more relaxed with him, and not worrying so much. I’m sure he felt that too. The relief I feel is huge. And yes - my worry face has been replaced by a big grin xx” 

“Massaging Charley like this, has given us an even deeper connection. When I massage his bad legs, he looks at me with such deep trust, knowing that I won’t hurt him. I thought Charley and I had the most amazing relationship before. Now there is something even more between us.” 

Four months later and she said “It’s about us. It’s so easy to come in the door, say hello, give your dog a fuss but then carry on with doing the things that have to be done. And then you can find that you have forgotten to spend time with your dog or that time has simply disappeared. With massage, I make sure that Charley and me ALWAYS spend 30 minutes together every day. This is his and my time and nothing gets in the way of it”. 

Enrichment activities don’t have to be about getting your dog out and moving. Equally enriching is spending quiet time with your dog, giving them a beneficial massage on the bed. 

#bemoreCharleyandMum #enrichment=quiettime

Relaxation massage - at the vets

Charley the Senior Lab is usually quite excitable when being taken to the vets. But this time his Mum sent a picture and wrote : 

“Charley is at the vets uncle Les. It’s very busy and very hot. Charley is having a massage and is the calmest doggie in the whole place!!” 

You don’t have to have a physical issue to benefit from massage. It is a great way to bring about calmness in your dog. Be more like Charley and his Mum and ask how to learn a massage routine appropriate to you and your dog. 

Starting canine physical early

A frequent misconception we hear and read is that massage therapy is only necessary for a dog when mobility issues appear. In fact, it is equally appropriate to start manual therapy before these issues appear. 

Dogs are putting their bodies through all sorts of stressors – both mental and physical – every day. Helping to prevent these stressors becoming a chronic issue is just as important as treating an existing injury. 

A dog who fits into this category is Ziggy. He is an 8 month old (possibly but not sure) rescue from Spain. He is largely a Vizsla with something else. He has a very gentle soul. When he greeted me at the door, he didn’t jump up at me...jump would imply he leapt....it was more of a gentle placing of each front foot on my chest with a look of “I don’t know who you are but I love you anyway”. 

When he arrived from Spain, he was very reactive - understandably. New house, new country, new brother and all that after a long trip in a van across Europe. His new Mum and Dad immediately started working with canine behaviourists and trainers to deal with his reactiveness. 

He is fine with people, it’s other dogs and the outside world which stresses him. He was very thin on arrival and has filled out a lot. 

He also seemed quite hunched (again understandably) so we were both invited over to check him out physically while working with his brother.

All these stressors will affect the way Ziggy holds his body and move. Luckily, he is in stunning condition and couldn’t get enough touch. He seemed to enjoy his preventative check-up session.

Trust and Canine Physical Therapy

Trust. 

When working with dogs that is a HUGE word. You’re performing physical therapy, not petting. The dog may not have been touched in a professional way before. Petted certainly, but intentional touch. Possibly not. 

You can’t force them to enjoy massage. You can’t force trust. It will happen. It’s not about pampering. Massage will affect all parts of their body. Muscles, nervous system, lymphatic system, joints – everything. That is bound to feel odd at first for a dog. Plus, your dog might be sore, tense, anxious or uncomfortable. And here is someone touching them. If you’ve had a massage session yourself, you’ll know how important it is to feel safe and have trust in your therapist. 

By working with the dog, letting them know this is not coddling but beneficial touch, that trust is built up. And they let you in – physically and emotionally. 

When we were working with Alfie and Flint recently, both leaned in for a head to head touch. And later while Chris was working with Alfie, Flint decided he would sit in his lap while I was working with him. Trusting. Special. #bestjobintheworld 

Massage and canine anxiety

Sometimes it not just about the physical issues. 

6 year old Jack Russell/Chihuahua cross Pippa was referred to us by behaviourist Debbie Peters Schooling 4 Dogs. For the past few months, Pippa had been exhibiting anxiety and shaking. Debbie wanted to make sure there were no underlying physical issues causing these behaviour patterns. 

When I met Pippa she came bounding down 3 flights of stairs and back up again – no noticeable issues there - thank you for that Pippa. Then once in the house, Pippa decided I was her latest plaything – bringing me her toys and sitting with me. Again, no obvious signs of physical discomfort or anxiety. 

What was clear though, was her movement when walking across the vinyl floored living room. She is a small dog but she was making teeny tiny deliberate steps from place to place. She also hunched her back while doing so. As soon as she reached a mat or rug, her back visibly lowered and straightened. This had given her quite a stiff back. Stiff backs in us humans can cause a lot of grief and anxiety and it is likely the same in dogs. 

The stiff back was one thing we could help to solve with physical therapy. But there was also the floor – lots of Mobility Islands needed of mats, runners or rugs especially by the water and food bowl so Pippa didn’t have to worry about slipping. 

Then there is bonding. Touch is a language all dogs understand. Using it to help with re-establishing bonding is a powerful tool. We started to build a multi-purpose massage routine that would help to ease Pippa’s overall tension, straighten her back and also to be relaxing. A few minutes a day, a few times a day. 

Massage was on her terms. A bit here, and a bit there. In between getting out more toys, walking round the room but always coming back for more. Until, after 2 hours, we had a breakthrough moment with Pippa demanding more and more from her Mum. Even shifting her body around so nothing was left untouched. 

With massage, household adaptations and some interactive play we can see how Pippa progresses before her behaviour assessment. Her Mum wrote back “Thank you very much for the report, we have already noticed a difference in Pippa and she definitely appears calmer after a little massage and less shaking” so that is a positive start. 

2 years between canine massage sessions - same result.

It is a good plan to learn how to support your dog throughout their lifetime and to help them reach their full potential through knowledge and physical therapy. Recently I have had several returnees after a year or more to do exactly that – looking to learn more about how to manage their dog now they are a little more mature.

November 2016 I was invited over to show Mum and daughter how to massage their wonderful Retrievers Asbie and Tor. At that time Asbie was only 1 year old while Tor was 4. The other week I was invited back to give Asbie’s Mum a refresher/top-up lesson appropriate to the fact that that Asbie is no longer a new pup. Mind you, Asbie still thinks he is a new pup. At first he was being a bit of an ‘imp’ as his Mum put it, but after 30 minutes or so he assumed the “I love you Mum” position, looking up at her with that soppy grin as she worked her way through the new massage routine. 

Asbie, and brother Tor, now do agility in their garden with weaves and tunnels. But their main activity is Scent Work, once a week for 3 hours. Added to this are 2 daily walks and regular swims all contributing to the amazing condition Asbie is in at 3 years old. These activities are going to help maintain their mobility while daily massage can contribute to support their quality of life. 

Asbie has now grown into his body making it easier to see how balanced he is, how strong and toned his muscles are and any areas we need to concentrate on. In fact, he was pretty much perfect and simply needed Mum to adapt the techniques we went through 2 years ago to the increased size and mass of Asbie. As dogs grow, develop and mature, the techniques they like and need, change and adapt. 

Asbie adored the new bonding with Mum and her increased knowledge of his body. Just because he is not slowing down yet or showing any signs of discomfort doesn’t mean he won’t benefit from a daily massage routine. Getting it right at the beginning, making these simple changes, being aware of his body, will make all the difference as he matures even more. 

The one thing that hadn’t changed over 2 years is the end result – Asbie asleep & relaxed after all that massage. Here’s 2016. Not a lot difference to 2018 really. Looking forward to meeting him again in 2 years time and checking in with his progress. 

This is why we do what we do.....

“Dear Les and Chris, our parents were impressed with how quiet we were when you came in to our house. Normally we have to warn them of strangers but we knew that we didn’t need to worry about you both. You were very kind and didn’t push us into anything that we didn’t want to do. Thank you for making us both feel relaxed and more comfortable. We look forward to seeing you again , Wet kisses Flint and Alfie 🐾🐾🐾🐾"

It really isn't all about arthritis

Golden Doodles Ronnie & Roo are brothers from the same father and different litter. I worked with Ronnie last year. Since then his Mum has adopted Tripawd Roo. Roo has been a Tripawd since birth so doesn’t know any different. To him, three legs is normal. 

Ronnie is 3, Roo is 2. Ronnie has mild hip subluxation which is being managed conservatively with appropriate exercise, hydrotherapy and massage. When his Mum looked for a friend for him, she wanted a dog who could match his reduced exercise regime. Roo came along at the right time. 

We were invited around before Roo moved in permanently to help Mum assess the suitability of her house. But she already knew of all the things to do – just needed our professional confirmation. Things like carpets in strategic places, harnesses, ramps, joint supplements and garden access. The latter has already had plans approved for a bridge to be built from the patio out to the gate. Now THAT is forethought and equals the bespoke Corkie Stair Lift. 

Roo is a happy smiley playful carefree young lad who adores his brother who, in turn, has assumed a protector role. They have both benefitted from the new brotherly arrangement. 

When I first Ronnie last year, he was initially reticent about massage. This time the massage mat went down with Ronnie on top of it immediately. Sighs came within 5 minutes. The aim with Ronnie is to keep him fit and mobile so that his hip issues don’t become a chronic mobility problem. His Mum had been doing her homework – he felt remarkable. 

The aim with Roo is to make sure his tripawdness doesn’t lead to any long-term aches and strains by the different forces his body is going through. He only has a left fore-leg and moves that into the middle. That’ll cause the outer leg muscles to stretch while the inner muscles will shorten – a bit like a Greyhound who always runs the same direction round the track. Roo will also need maintenance work along his spinal muscles as they are also working extra to keep him mobile. He will be using his rear legs and back more to help him stand up. All these movements will cause compensation issues. Luckily, he loved his massage session – getting straight down on his mat so Chris could start work immediately. 

The brothers are now on our unique double-therapist maintenance programme which, with the hydrotherapy, should help them remain bouncy, contented and untroubled.

Going the extra mile to manage canine arthritis - meet the Corkie Stair Lift

I love the fact that we dog carers go to extra lengths to make our dogs comfy. The award of the year for 2017 has to go to Corkie’s Dad. He has built him a Corkie Stair Lift. 

Corkie is a 12 year rescue who spends all his time with his Dad. Recently he started to show signs of slowing down and discomfort so was taken to the vet who suggested there was some arthritis in his mid-spine. Shoulders and hips felt fine though. 

Corkie lives in a lovely house which unfortunately has many flights of narrow stairs to get to the top floor. There was no way his Dad could ask him to continue climbing those. He had to be carried. But it was a long way. His Dad would end up doing his own back in which would be bad news for both. Also, picking Corkie up the wrong way could make his spinal issues more uncomfortable. It would only need him to wriggle or twist and that would exacerbate his arthritis. Cue some wonderful resourceful inventiveness. His Dad came up with the Corkie Stair Lift (CSL). 

The inspiration was a basket used to carry things – but with an extra twist. CSL Mk1 was a bit heavy and clumsy. He’s now on CSL Mk2 which is a wooden lightweight open ended carrying frame with a fluffy cushion for Corkie to sit in. A treat is inserted into the frame. Corkie enters the frame. Corkie lies down. Dad carries Corkie in the CSL down the stairs. At the bottom, Corkie walks out of the CSL into the hall. No effort on his back. 

How amazing is that? Much admiration to Corkie’s Dad. 

Apparently CSL Mk3 is on the cards which will be a lighter slightly thinner version so Corkie fits snugly inside. Corkie’s Dad’s inventions are going to be bigger than Bitcoins next year! 

Meanwhile, Corkie is up for complementary therapy to help him manage his arthritis. He is already on supplements. As well as the CSL ©, carpets are now being used to cover the wooden floors. Food bowls are raised. And a ramp has been bought for the car. 

All that is left is a massage lesson – which was why I was called round. That was my job for the day. 

After a quick tour of Corkie’s body, his Dad started working with him. If Corkie could speak, he would have said “At last Dad….at last. That is sooooooo good”. Corkie is the new definition of receptive. We knew exactly where he needed his help – mainly along his stiff back muscles. Every time his Dad hit the spot Corkie closed his eyes in ecstasy and grinned. 

In fact, by the end of the 2 hour session, Corkie decided that anywhere was good. Anywhere and everywhere. Thighs. Shoulders. Neck. Chest. Just bring it on Dad. 

 When we’d finished, Corkie was prancing around the room looking so much happier and flexier. 

But this session was not all about Corkie. His Dad needed to feel that he could do something for Corkie. I think this was a result too as he said "I now feel inspired to help Corkie". That's my job done. 

With this early diagnosis from the vet, daily physical therapy from a wonderful inventive Dad after our guided instruction session, some recommendations on exercise and other therapies, plus Corkie's receptive nature, this little fella should be looking at a comfortable 2018 with lots of fun and walks.

2017 - a year of training milestones for us

We’ve had a lot of milestones this year with our teaching. We’ve delivered over 14 workshops and diploma courses this year plus dozens of 1 to 1 sessions. Thanks to Paws, Play & Stay for hosting many of those classes and Elizabeth Whiter with the Healing Animals Organisation for the Diploma courses. 

That’s hundreds of dog Mums and Dads in East & West Sussex (plus others who came from London and beyond) who understand what is going on under their dog’s fur and now have the skills to help maintain their health and well-being. 

We also had a diploma module with the most dogs attending ever – 19 in 2 days. And yesterday ended our teaching year with the biggest workshop of 2017 – 18 people attending. 

We were invited by the Sussex Pet Rescue (http://sussexpetrescue.org/) to organise and deliver a workshop for their dog rescuers, fosterers, board members and even the founder of the SPR, Marcia Harris, who set up the organisation 50 years ago. The numbers who were interested, grew over the weeks and we filled up the hall. First time we’ve needed chairs in two rows too! 

 Dogs of all ages, from a newly rescued anxious puppy to senior dogs came along. All sizes and breeds. All levels of anxiety from very nervous to very chilled. The group started off with a ‘getting to know what’s under the fur’ session so that people could identify and pick up on any issues quicker rather than letting potential mobility problems become chronic and long-term. 

There was no fancy technology this time just a white board and pens. The pages quickly filled up with benefits of massage showing how this therapy can be used for so many different conditions and uses. Canine massage is truly multi-therapeutic and not for a single purpose only. We had dogs who needed help with their mobility due to their age or surgery. We had dogs who had been newly rescued and were quite anxious – although the littlest fella in the group decided that falling asleep on her foster Mums massage mat was far better than being nervous. We had dogs that needed a bit of stretching and myofascial release to ease out aches and strains. And we had dogs who just enjoyed it. 

We’d devised a special routine for the Sussex Pet Rescue comprising 13 massage techniques and the workshop finished with some Canine Pilates stretching the dogs out before their trips home. 

Thank you Sussex Pet Rescue, we’re looking forward to coming back to show more of your members how to help your lovely rescued dogs. 

All the pictures from the day can be viewed here

 

Benefits of physical therapy – and some obscure ones

There are dozens of established benefits from massage and physical therapy. There are the physical and mechanical benefits such as : 

• Rehabilitation 
• Prevention 
• For exercise and sport 
• To manage pain 
• Stimulation of the healing process 
• Increase blood, lymph and nutrient flow 
• Increase joint movement 
• To improve muscle tone and strength 

Then there are the psychological benefits including : 

• Relaxation 
• Bonding 
• Reducing anxiety, stress and other emotional issues 

And then added benefits such as : 

• Give the owner peace of mind 
• Education 
• Beacuse it feels nice

Every now and again I get the odd one to add to my list. For example, I was once referred a dog who really struggled to poo. When she came to see me, she hadn't been for a couple of days. Would massage help? Dunno, but stand clear and let's try. For the next few days I received multiple texts from the owner detailing quantity and quality of that dog's movements. It worked. There's a new benefit then...helps to poo. 

And yesterday I added a new benefit. Lovely anxious Whippet Sonny has been suffering from neck issues for some weeks now causing yelps and general depression. He came to see me last month and has now visited a chiropractor who put his pelvis back in alignment while making tweaks to his neck. Yesterday's massage was much easier with Sonny adopting his usual "I'll just lie here Dr Les" pose. 

When I got home I received a message and photo from his Mum saying "First cuddle we've been allowed to have in longer than I can remember! Very rare, he must be feeling better. Thanks again". So there we have it....massage benefit number 7654321 : Increases and Restores Cuddling Ability. That's going to be one of my favourites.