Sport Dog: PetMassage for Active and Athletic Dogs

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PetMassage is especially important for Active and Athletic Dogs.

Historical background

The first people to recognize value of canine massage were the trainers and handlers of agility dogs. They saw their dogs working their hearts out, getting injured, going lame, missing jumps, missing times. They saw how valuable massage is and sought out people who could help their dogs.

Sport dogs include dogs performing in timed and judged agility, fly ball, hunting, and racing events. In my practice I see a lot of dogs that play too hard at doggie day cares and pet dogs who get injured racing about at the dog park.

Active dogs

All these athletes are prone to injuries. They could trip. They could step in a hole. Get blindsided and t-boned by another dog. They could play out of their league or beyond their conditioning.

Muscles get strained; ligaments get sprained. Dogs get sore, bruised, fatigued, tight, tied up, lame, overstimulated, and sometimes, like human athletes, get soured: bored, apathetic, and not trying their hardest. Injuries may take awhile to be symptomatic. Like realizing a neck injury the day after an accident.

Indications

By the time I see them, they are often limping or bobbing their head. Their top lines are rounded. Their hips or shoulders are tipped to one side. Paws are not pointing straight ahead. Their eyes are sad, ears are flattened, tail tucked under. One might say they looked broken.

Massage identifies areas that have meaningful variations in temperature, texture, shapes, and reactivity.

And works them so they are more flexible and comfortable. It revitalizes muscle groups and restores movement.

The goal is to reestablish flexibility, comfort, strength, and confident movement.

Fortunately with Ilaria we have a healthy dog. She still will benefit with massage. In this case, to maintain flexibility and strength. For her, we can relax her muscles while incorporating stretches. That’s all she needs.

At events, dogs often get massages before their runs, after their runs, if their times are slow, and if something shows up in their gait.

The canine massage practitioner observes their gait and any extraordinary movement. Our knowledge of dog Anatomy and physiology helps us visualize what is between our hands, how it ought to feel and be positioned. We focus on working the body to enhance flexibility, joint mobility and ease of movement.

Optimizing function is the name of the game. That’s what canine Massage does. The dogs appreciate what we do. Their owners, handlers, trainers, vets and breeders do, too.

We have had tremendous success helping active and athletic dogs with dry massage and aquatic canine massage, a non-weight bearing experience. Massage is an exquisite complement to veterinary chiropractic and orthopedic care.