You already know that your dog loves to be petted and brushed. But did you know that he relies on your touch to help him feel calm, release nervous energy and even bring relief from minor aches and pains? Just as humans love to be massaged, dogs relish in the undivided attention and physical benefits from massage as well. You don’t need an appointment with a professional massage therapist; follow these steps to massage your dog yourself.
Step 1: Choose a quiet and peaceful environment free from distractions. Have your dog lie on a rug or on a soft surface on top of a table.
Step 2: Start by talking softly to your dog and saying encouraging, praising phrases. This should relax your dog so you can begin the massage.
Step 3: With open palms and a light touch, start at your dog’s neck and run your hands along the length of his body in the direction of his hair growth. Repeat this until his breathing becomes regular. You might even hear the telltale sign of relaxation; a big sigh.
Step 4: Apply pressure with your fingertips to the either side of your dog’s spine and work from his neck to his buttocks. Move your fingers in a slow circular motion and continue this exercise, each time getting further and further from his spine until you’ve massaged his entire back. Do not massage any lumps you may feel but make a mental note of their location so that you can share the information with your veterinarian.
Step 5: Move to the front legs. Start at the top of each leg and massage downward, paying attention to sore joints along the way. His toes and feet might be ticklish; if he twitches, move quickly away from the area. Repeat with hind legs.
Step 6: Your dog should be comfortable enough now to allow you to massage his stomach and chest. Move your open palms in a circular motion, starting wide and working towards his heart.
Step 7: Return to your dog’s neck and lightly massage around his ears and the back of his head.
Step 8: Place one hand under your dog’s jaw and with the other hand, massage your dog’s nose and the area between his eyes. Massage his ears from this position as well. Switch hands and continue his face massage as this will help to relieve any last tension he may have been feeling.
If at any time during the massage your dog appears uncomfortable, stop the massage immediately. This writting was submitted by the authors from pet-super-store which is an online pet shop featuring great deals on dog gates and electric dog fences.