Wouldn’t it be good if every dog settled down to their massage session immediately? Of course, but that doesn’t happen. Some dogs get it straight away. We arrive. The massage mat goes down. They lie on it. And they’re away – lying down in the zone. Grins. Sighs. Snores. Others take a bit of time. They investigate the mat. They stay still for a few minutes then decide they need to get up and go for a walk coming back in a short time. This may go on for a while until, eventually, they ‘get it’ too. Trust building is important.
We would never force a massage on a dog. Therapy is on their terms. After all, as well as being beneficial, massage should be enjoyable. What we do will feel different to dogs than petting, even those who get petted all the time. And initially, we are someone new – although we quickly seem to become their new bestie.
We let the dog come into the massage space on their terms. It may be that in the first session, hands on therapy may only take half the time. But the dog is still experiencing its associated benefits.
Equally importantly, we are adaptable and the massage techniques we employ are also adaptable. If a dog won’t lie down, we run a whole workshop full of techniques that can be performed on dogs who prefer to sit during their therapy. Seated massage is frequently performed on humans, it made sense for us to develop similar techniques for dogs.
Even the dogs we have been visiting for a long time can display this pattern. I’ve been treating Ralph and Auntie Pearl since 2014. They are big solid dogs – Sussex Bulldogs. But with hearts of gold. When I arrive, I get squashed with affection and licks and paws and legs. They love their massage. But the position they adopt has to suit them.
Big Boy Ralph will happily sit right in my lap letting me work up and down his spine and over his shoulders but won’t lie down until he decides it is time. On the last session his front paws were slipping bit by bit down the mat until he went fully prone lying down. Now I could get to work on his hind legs and perform long myofascial moves.
Auntie Pearl was the same, except she likes to start by facing me while being massaged – she loves a quick sneaky nose boop – mine, not hers. She slips down into my lap rather than out of it like Ralph. With her, I can start work on her rear legs and then get to her front when she’s lying in my lap. But then she turns around and copies her brother.
By having a toolkit of massage techniques that can be performed with the dog sitting, standing or lying, both Ralph and Auntie Pearl receive the benefits of massage whichever way they decide to go.
Don’t worry if you think your dog won’t like it or doesn’t settle down immediately, we adjust and adapt to suit your dog.
#lotsoftechniques
Whenever we visit a dog, we see if there are any simple adaptations that can be made to their house to help with their daily mobility. Things like rugs, mats or carpets over slippy floors. A raised food bowl so the dog doesn’t have to stoop down on already sore joints. Small steps over the door frames. Cushions beside a sofa or bed that they always use to jump on. And comfy beds – don’t forget them. Do the 30 minute Numb Bum test (if you can sit on your dog’s bed for 30 minutes without getting a Numb Bum then it’s likely that they are finding it supportive and comfy)
But things change. And adaptations should change too.
Our house has progressively become a Senior Dog Show Home. We have carpets and half steps everywhere. But our Sarah is beginning to drag her rear legs more, meaning Carpenter Chris has been building again.
Most of the frames to the outdoors have small lips. These were becoming trippy lips. Now we have ramps. Two pieces of light, but strong, wood, hinged in the middle so we can put the ramps away when not in use, move them from door frame to door frame as necessary, with some rubber on top to protect paws even more. And Sarah loves then. Up she goes and down the other side with a big grin into the great outdoors.
Then there’s Mr Sam. He likes to start the evening on my bed. He had a couple of memory foam mattresses to help him with the up and soften the down but they were giving a little and not helping his upwards propulsion. Now….he has his own step. Custom built to Mr Sam height with an added soft but thin mattress. He can easily stand up on the step and then take a further step onto the bed. Going down, the step is big enough so he can get completely on it, before taking the last step to the floor. No more crashing squishing noises. Just a couple of gentle steps.
Follow your dog around your house for an hour or so, noting any areas where they may be struggling or tripping and think how you could minimise or relieve the hazard. Cheap, simple homemade solutions often work best as they can be tailored to your house and your dog. Give us a call if you need any advice or help.
We’re always putting up pictures of the dogs we work with after their therapy session where they are wearing big fat smiles. But one of the many perks of what we do is that we get to smile too – a lot.
Chris was over at Harry’s yesterday (https://www.facebook.com/HoundsOnTheDowns2014 ) where Molly was staying for a long weekend. Both are AchyPaw maintenance dogs and both were due a therapy session.
As ever, the dog not being treated at that moment slept happily picking up the calmness of the other. And in this case, young Whoopi grabbed some chill vibes too and fell asleep although she was not even being treated.
At the end, they all came up for their treats. First the two who had their massage and then Whoopi got in the mix too. Looking down at the three faces resulted in……a big grin from Chris.
#bestmedicineever #dogsmakeyousmile
I had an emergency call-out for Lord Nelson. His Dad wrote that he was limping on the front left leg having probably over-done his exuberance on the beach over the weekend.
He and his Spaniel brother, Mr Darcy are part of our Double Therapist maintenance programme. As active boys this helps them with their mobility as well as hydrotherapy, osteopathy and supplements which all contribute to their multi-faceted therapy regime.
This ‘emergency’ session, though, would be the first time in ages that his brother hasn’t had his massage at the same time. His Dad thought that Darcy might be a bit pushy-iny during the session, but we needn’t have worried. Mr Darcy simply sat on one side of the massage bed while Nelson sat on the other.
Both then fell asleep on either side of the massage mat - for an hour. They even mirrored each other - when one rolled over so did the other.
Mr Darcy had his relaxation therapy without even being touched - well.....he did get the occasional touch or two from me until Nelson noticed and pulled my hand back to him.
#poweroftouch
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.
Many dogs that we work with are ‘back seat drivers’ – telling us which bits they need help with that day. Sometimes the communication is vocal with sighs and purrs. Sometimes it is by a look with their eyes. And sometimes it is by body positioning – shifting their body into just that right way so we can get to the issue.
Roo the Golden Doodle Tripawd is the master at this. He spends a lot of his hour massage adjusting his position so that Chris can fully work on his compensatory tight chest and shoulder muscles. Then he’ll give a long stretch so Chris can work along his spinal muscles. And even lifts up his hind legs so we can work inside his adductors. But every now and again, he looks up to make sure Chris has ‘got the spot’.
Thanks Roo…we’ve got you!
Handsome Bentley is a Canine Partner dog – he assists his Mum with lots of household tasks. Things like getting the washing out of the machine, clearing up the laundry, taking socks off, opening doors and other remarkable things. We delivered a massage training session last year to 12 of the Canine Partner instructors and their dogs.
Bentley is 2 in May this year – the same day as my birthday (except I’m not 2) so I had fallen in love with him already.
His aftercare instructor at Canine Partners felt he was showing signs of muscular discomfort. He was very body sensitive, and avoidant of touch in certain areas. She asked if I could go and visit. When I spoke to his Mum beforehand, she explained a bit more. She said he is hit and miss with pressing the lift button and road crossing buttons. Both these movements involve him stretching or jumping up and hitting the button with either his paw or nose. But is fine with the lower light buttons. Clues?
He also mainly walks to the left of his Mum when they are out and spends a lot of that working time looking forward or up at her. More clues?
He has been a Partner since the end of last year and has already endeared himself to his Mum. She said that when he arrived, she had a strict not-on-the-bed policy. But now when she wakes up, she invariably finds him snuggling next to her and before they get up, he demands his morning cuddle.
Despite his amazing abilities (at one stage I dropped my phone case on the floor – he immediately went and picked it up for me and Mum says he often clears up the discarded clothes left behind in shop changing rooms) he is still young and playful.
It was evident something was causing him to react when his back was touched. He was fine with his neck, chest and shoulders but uncomfortable mid back. Just as I was feeling it, his Mum said that she had felt a hot spot right where my hands went which is exactly what I was finding. Clever Mum. Put this palpation together with the clues and it would suggest he may have over-pulled or over-stretched at some stage which has led to a stiff back. Imagine your shoulder is sore and you’re being asked to reach up to press a button. You’re going to think a bit about it – hit and miss.
As well as massage for him, which Mum can do on the bed or sofa, his Mum and I had to do some Out of the Box thinking on how to help him stretch his back. We couldn’t do any floor work. Luckily Bentley loves treats – he is a Labrador after all. To get him to stand and stretch, we raised the treat while he was standing up to her lap in the chair, and Bentley’s nose followed – which pulled his whole body upwards creating space in his back. We couldn’t do Figure of Eight walking to get him turning but we could play a newly invented exercise game - the Round the Wheelchair game. Mum held the treat out and moved it round one side of the chair then swapped hands and moved it the other side – Bentley followed like his nose was glued to the treat. Worked a treat, you could see his back becoming more mobile.
We’re going to add him to our maintenance programme to keep that handsome young body supple and healthy.
