The Value of Massage |
In this article, my first for the Pekingese column of the AKC Gazette, I am presenting a modality which I have found to be amazingly helpful to animals as well as to their two-legged friends. I am a Pekingese breeder/exhibitor of more years than I care to remember. In the past 14 years, I have pursued a sometimes-career as a Massage Therapist, also applying what I have learned to these wonderful, beloved little creatures we call the Pekingese. First, let me state there is no special "mystique" to using simple massage techniques on your dogs. I doubt there is anyone who has not observed the calming effect of "petting" on your canine friends. Petting is, simply stated, elementary massage. Your hands-on connection with your dog is the beginning of an incomparable bond between you. Massage is helpful to calm a nervous dog but can also be used to "spark" a lethargic animal. I use massage on newborn puppies from the moment they take their first breaths. Puppies which are regularly turned on their backs in your hand and gently stroked develop a trust in you which will pay immense dividends in the future. I massage mothers-to-be during their pregnancies, as well as before and immediately following whelping. A frightened dog can be calmed by massage; an injured or ill dog often responds well to massage. Massage is much more than "rubbing", just as the body is more than an assemblage of bones, flesh, etc. Often there are results which defy explanation; but then, why question success? Some of the basic massage techniques are as follows: Begin by placing your hands gently on the dog and just hold briefly, thus creating your "connection". Then, a simple unbroken stroking from nose to tip of tail. On legs and tail, a rolling stroke may be used - just roll the tips of your fingers around the leg or tail from the point where it attaches to the body down to the end. Use the tips of your fingers, pressing beneath the skin with gentle pressure in a circular move, then lifting your fingers and moving to an adjacent point. This is a very basic touch which can be used all over the dog's body. Don't forget to use this touch on your dog's face and between the pads of his feet. You can also move your fingers in a circular motion over the surface of the dog's skin. On the ears, place your thumb on the inside of the ear leather and your index finger on the outside, pressing and rolling gently together. At the tip of the ears are acupressure points known as "shock points" - reportedly, a pinching of these points can save an injured animal's life while traveling to the vet. When massaging your dog's back, do not press directly on the spine. With your thumb and index finger on either side of the spinal column, use a gentle press, circle and lift motion, repeating down the full length of the spine - at the tail, use the above-described "rolling" motion. As a finish to your massage, repeat the long, unbroken strokes from nose to tail, at least three times. At our Pekingese Club of America National Rotating Specialty in October, in my home state of California, I will be available for massage for anyone who is interested. Jacqueline Ragland |