How it Works

Dog Massage is the skilled manipulation of muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue.

As a specially trained Canine Masseuse I have trained in Canine Anatomy and Physiology, Canine Massage, Human Swedish Massage and specialise in working with the muscoskeletal system, that is the bones and muscles - and must know every bone and each of the muscles that are associated with them, where they are located, their points of attachment (origins and insertions) what they do and how they feel when they are normal and fully functioning and importantly what needs to be done in terms of muscular manipulation to improve your dogs mobility, working with you and your vet to achieve the best results possible for your dog.

I use my in-depth knowledge of Anatomy & Physiology to understand and appreciate what is happening inside your dogs body, allowing your dogs session to be specifically tailored to their individual needs.

The aim and outcome of massage is to:

Positively influence the bodies natural healing process
Relax muscle spasm
Release Trigger Points (knots)
Improve circulation
Improve mobility and flexibility
Relieve tension, soreness, stiffness, tightness
Relieve connective tissue restrictions
Reduce and alleviate pain and soreness
Eliminate wastes ie:lactic acid and which is responsible for stiffness after exercise; massage actually flushes this out the system.

All in all, massage is the structured approach of applying specific techniques that will resolve or support issues and pain and yes, I use Human Massage Techniques that I have adapted to specifically suit the dogs unique anatomy.

I use the art of palpation to help me understand what is happening underneath the dogs skin. Palpation basically means "seeing with your fingers" and can tell me what areas of your dog are tight, sore or tense, if there are any areas of old or new scarring in the muscle which are impeding movements, if the dog is holding any spasms in its muscular system and I am also feeling for areas of pain, heat and cold and these all signify different things which means that your dogs massage will be one that is certain to benefit them.

Your dog will undergo a thorough Gait Analysis which is a method of studying the way a dog moves; its locomotive system. This can detect all manner of gait irregularities such as pacing, limping and where the pain is being referred, knuckling, overcompensating areas, areas of wasted muscle and much more. You will then spend some time in a consultation which assesses all aspects of your dog from day to day activities, habitual patterns and lifestyle.

Massage itself utilises many many different techniques, each of which has a specific function. Some movements are used to mechanically warm the muscle before progressing onto other techniques which are used to break down scarring, rebuild muscles, stretch lengthen and shorten muscles (we call this balancing) separate muscles that have become adhered together (a common issue of the hamstrings) release spasms, repair areas of injury, promote full mobility in the limbs and much more.

Many people are surprised to hear dog massage exists but personally I find it ironic that massage therapy for humans (which is even available on the NHS primary care programme) has been used for thousand of years on us but has never been systematically applied to our best four legged friends, until now!

Many dogs have been down the painkiller route which when prescribed with your vet can be mean an effective reduction in pain and can be an important part of treatment, rest, chiropractors (great people who deal with the skeletal system whereas I deal with soft tissue & we both specialise in our specific areas and I will refer to a chiropractor if I suspect there is something awry with the spinal column as they will do to me should they suspect soft tissue problems), drugs and their owners are quite simply at the end of their tether.

Like all owners, my clients only want the best for their dog and even though some come through the door saying they are sceptical but they all leave converted! Why?

a) The results produced by massage speak for themselves
b) My clients are sat with me during their dogs sessions so I can explain what I am feeling and doing , why they are seeing certain symptoms, what they can do at home to help and after the session I sit down with the client (the human one!) and draw a diagram for them what is happening in the muscular system and where.

Please note: massage is not a substitute for veterinary care and advice. Natalie Lenton and The Canine Massage Therapy Canine Massage Therapy Centre acknowledges and respects the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and Exemption Order 1962 by never working upon an animal without gaining prior veterinary approval.

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Having Canine Massage for your dog is a good way of taking responsibility for your dogs health as not only does it carry many health benefits, it also provides a good, thorough and deep hands on check for any lumps, bumps or growths that may not be necessarily apparent to the owner due to the way they can often lie deep in the system. Its also a great way of anticipating potential problems beginning to occur and nipping them in the bud before they get worse. The Canine Massage Therapy Centre will always refer you back to your vet should any lumps or growths be detected.

But does it really work?

Absolutely and 100% yes! There are approximately 700 muscles in the dogs body which accounts for 45% of its entire weight.

Think about it, these muscles are what allow them to move, run, jump and play and give the dog`s body the power, strength and ability to move. If you have pulled a muscle yourself, had a back or neck injury, strained or torn a muscle you will know yourself how debilitating such an injury can be. You may notice as you get older parts of your body seem to ache more, you get joint pain and stiffness in your muscles and you generally don`t feel as agile. Well, dogs are exactly the same.

If any of your dogs muscles becomes damaged whether its due to injury, a collision with another dog, overexertion, repetitive strain or simply through the process of ageing, the system is thrown out of balance. We may see symptoms which manifest as lameness or limping, holding one leg off the ground, an unwillingness to play or go on walks, stiffness and a whole host of other symptoms (click here for list). Through Canine Massage your dog can benefit from this 100% natural, hands on method of injury repair and pain relief.