Dogs love it when you are petting them gently as it uplifts their entire mood.Every time you rub your dog’s ears, belly, or neck just look how jovial its mood turns into. You can also discover any lumps or body ailment troubling your dog while giving it a massage.It is recommended to massage your dog weekly and they are known to greatly benefit from it. It might sound a very difficult task but you do not need to be a professional masseuse or a vet to give your dog a body massage. Although there are a few pointers you must keep in mind when massaging your dog. The key is to start slowly as your dog is not used to this practice. Do not press its body with great force because it might stress your dog, rather pay attention to how your dog is responding to the massage. Observe your pet’s response and go ahead accordingly. Do not forcefully massage your dog’s body if the response isn’t positive. Dog massage sessions do not need to be extensive, a 10-15 minute window is fine. A dog’s inability to speak and ability to share any health problems enhance the need for massage because they often suffer from stiff necks and tight hamstrings. It is our responsibility as their caretakers to relax their sore muscles and achy joints. To all those dog parents who are still contemplating if canine massage help dogs, massaging your dog is indeed beneficial. It not only improves your pet’s physical health but also reduces its stress and anxiety levels. You can also find tools in the dog market which are related to dog massage and they greatly benefit in relaxing your pet.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about how to make a dog throw up and how to know if your dog has fleas here on Kidadl.Why should you massage your dog?The goal of giving a massage is to increase fluid movement in your dog’s body, relax its muscles, and free up any aching joints. There are a number of relaxation techniques you can employ to fulfill these objectives. Begin with gentle strokes of your hand on your dog’s back and belly, parts where it enjoys to be touched. Move on to the back of your dog’s neck, slowly moving your fingers in a circular motion and apply just a tiny bit of gentle pressure. Make sure that your dog is enjoying it. Now move on to the section between your dog’s blades and move your fingers in a circular motion once again, applying the same amount of pressure. This releases great tension from your dog’s shoulders and is a great way to massage your pet’s shoulder.Massaging your dog greatly benefits its mental and physical well being. You do not need to go to a professional for giving your dog a basic home massage. However, for deep tissue massages, contact a vet or a professional as it requires thorough knowledge about dog anatomy. The massage you provide to your dogs can very well lower their blood pressure levels and relax tension in their muscles or joints. Additionally, as you gently stroke your pet during the massage, it builds a unique bond between you and your pet. In order to give your dog a massage, the first step is to calm your dog down. Make them sit on a bed, a couch, or even on the floor, but make sure that they aren’t fidgeting. You can try and talk in a calm voice and stroking your dog’s body in a gentle manner to calm it down. You can now begin massaging your dog, starting from the neck. Apply gentle pressure and be careful that the motions of your fingers are circular. Now move down towards the shoulders and the front legs following the same massaging technique. You can then move further down towards the abdomen and hips.An interesting fact is that your pet dog has a number of pressure points through out its body. Parts such as the head and face, ears, front legs, paws, back legs, and the base of the spine contain multiple pressure points which are often in acupressure and acupuncture. Professionals utilize this knowledge to treat dogs.How to massage a dog with arthritis?Arthritis is a degenerative disease and affects the tissues of your dog. As your dog suffers from this ailment, it tends to over use the other muscles of its body which leads to pain and tension in those joints. Canine massage is an effective technique to solve this problem. Usually it is your dog’s spine and lower hips which are affected during arthritis. Canine massage helps dogs lower their blood pressure and relax their sore joints. You also get an opportunity to discover any hidden lumps or fleas in your dog’s body while massaging.Even though a massage does not permanently cure arthritis in your dog, it does temporarily reduce the pain. Massage sessions increase blood flow to the ailing joints and at the same time reduces muscle spasms. Now before you start massaging your dog, keep in mind that it is going through a lot of pain, so slowly perform all the hand movements and be vigilant about your dog’s reactions. Stop as soon as your dog seems uncomfortable or shows signs of pain or becomes grumpy. The ideal time to massage your dog is either in the morning as an overnight sleep makes the muscles stiff or in the evening.The first step in the process is to position your dog comfortably. The recommended position is laying your dog sideways. Begin by calming them down, slowly petting their body, and talking in a soothing manner. The next step is to focus on large muscle groups and avoid joints which are affected by arthritis. Focus on your dog’s shoulders and haunches primarily. Keep on moving your hand from one area to the other in order to avoid over working a specific joint or muscle. Your fingers’ movements should be in circular motions and alternate between kneading and stroking. You must be quick to understand if your pet is experiencing any sort of discomfort and do not overdo the massage. At the end of massage, you can try and treat your dog in order to psychologically encourage them for other such sessions.Moreover, a lot of dogs suffering from arthritis tend to have weaker rear legs. Massaging the back legs of your dog with gentle strokes will greatly help in reducing the pain. In order to massage your dog’s back legs, start slowly and calm your dog before reaching its legs. Among a host of massaging techniques, one such is known as compression. In this method, you need to push the muscle against the bone with a flat hand, be very slow with your hand movement as you perform it. This technique is especially effective for your dog’s legs and hips. Some of the other techniques which you can use are vibration, rocking, effleurage, and petrissage.Benefits Of Massage For DogsThere are many benefits of dog massage. All it takes is 10 minutes to keep your dog healthy and well maintained. Some of the most important benefits of massaging your dog include:Lowering blood pressure levels of your dogImproving immune systemIncreasing the blood circulation to ailing joints and sore musclesReducing the stress and anxiety levels of your petRelaxing any sore muscles or stiff jointsHelping in improving your pet’s digestive systemAdditionally, when you give your dog a massage on daily basis, it reduces fearful behavior in your pet and at the same time makes it more energetic and jovial. It also makes your dog or pup feel more relaxed with you and you adapt a proactive approach towards your dog’s ailments.How to do a dog massage for anxiety?A number of dogs suffer from anxiety issues, such as when it is thundering loudly or when there is huge crowd. Under such anxious conditions, massaging greatly helps dogs. It has a calming effect on dogs. These anxiety massages are recommended only for dogs who are suffering from such issues. They might have a negative impact on a dog that is perfectly fit. Usually, these massages last for a duration of 10-15 minutes.Let us now take a closer look about how to give an anxiety massage to dogs. The very first step is to calm your dog and make it relaxed with a slow rub of your hand all over its body from head to tail. Once the dog has settled down and is ready, place one hand at the base of the dog’s head and the other hand above your dog’s pelvis. This is the ideal hand position because it comforts your dog as you begin to give it a massage. Begin to gently stroke your hand from the base of the head to the tip of your dog’s tail. Do not apply a great amount of pressure as you pet your dog. If your dog feels relaxed and comfortable with this movement and shows a positive response, continue this for the next 15 minutes. You can slightly increase the pressure if your dog is comfortable with it but be careful about your hand movement, keeping it slow and steady. At no point should you continue the massage if your dog exhibits even the slightest signs of discomfort.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how to massage a dog, then why not take a look at how to groom a goldendoodle or German Shepherd facts?
Dogs love it when you are petting them gently as it uplifts their entire mood.
