PetMassage on The Dog Face

There are areas on your dog’s face that connect with internal organs and their corresponding meridians. Forehead: bladder and intestines Temples and ears: kidneys Between eyebrows: liver and stomach Nose: heart Under-eye area: kidneys Upper cheeks: stomach Lower cheeks: lungs and liver Nasolabial folds: large intestine Upper lip: hormones, heart, and spleen Chin: bladder, hormones,…

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Grieving Cat’s Aquatic PetMassage is Transformative

I just facilitated an in-hand swim session in the PetMassage heated indoor hydrotherapy pool…with Chloe…a cat. Chloe’s mom was nervous, apprehensive about putting her kitty in water. Naturally. For Chloe it was a very new experience, as it would be for most house-cats. Like most cats, she had never swum before. What Chloe shared with…

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Those Blasted Research Papers – Awesome Info!

Sharing a message from one of the graduates of our PetMassage program. Hi! One of my own rescued adult puppy mill dogs has just been diagnosed with luxating patellas – yep, both of them. Immediately I thought of those research papers we all have to do.  What a wealth of information! Thank you so much…

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Waves inspire canine massage.

Waves tracing patterns in the sand: what could be more inspirational! The water and wind flowing rhythmically along the shore aligns perfectly with the flowing dance of massage. Whenever I stroll along a beach, I pause to experience the ebb and flow of the waves. I watch, close my eyes, and simply observe. The wind…

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Note of appreciation from a former PetMassage graduate

Note of appreciation.  Every once in a while, we get a note of appreciation for the work we are doing growing and teaching PetMassage. This is one we received last week. “Dear Jonathan – Thanks so much for contacting me.  Because I’m fast approaching 80, I’m slowing down a bit.  However, I want you to…

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Notice how each particle moves.

Notice how each particle moves, Notice how everyone has just arrived here from a journey, Notice how each wants a different food, Notice how the stars vanish as the sun comes up, and how all streams stream toward the ocean. Rumi This applies to dogs too, especially while our senses are heightened during massage. Jonathan

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Let’s Dash to Unify Opposing Camps.

I’ve read that there are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who understand binary numbers and those who don’t. I remember the moment I made a commitment to align myself with one group as opposed -and be opposed-to another. I was in college. This was back in the late 1960s. I’d been cutting…

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Wishbones: more than you probably wanted to know.

We humans have an innate need to have some sense of control of our futures. We believe that with focus and intention we can influence the making of our dreams to come true. We believe in Karma. We believe in the power of prayer, affirmations, goal setting, and plans of action. The act of wishing…

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What happens in Vegas.

What happens in Vegas. We’ve all heard (or said), “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” Or New York, or Chicago, or Miami, or —-. Canine massage is not like that. What happens on the table (except if the dog is incontinent) doesn’t stay on the table. It stays with, and becomes, part of who…

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Canine massage is therapy for dogs’ minds and spirits.

The more I practice canine massage, the more I appreciate that there is so much more that I am influencing than the anatomical nuts and bolts, fluid dynamics, and interdependent physiological systems. Touch, no matter how structured and clinical, also therapeutically influences the functioning of mind and spirit too. Dysfunction is always a result of…

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Inspiration: Where does it come from?

What’s that suggestion? Moving your hands over the dog, you listen. You are open to hearing the faint stream of suggestions that will help you make sense of what you feel and the best way to respond. Sometimes when giving a PetMassage one feels the presence of kindred spirits. These are the vibrations, or emanations,…

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In times like these we need to learn conscious grounding.

We are inundated with information. It’s coming from everywhere. The content is on so many subjects that it is overwhelming. It’s hard to know what’s true, what’s not; what’s relevant, and what’s inconsequential. It’s confusing and all consuming. This morning during my meditation, I was unable to quiet my mind. Too many thoughts. Each time…

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Senior dog massage

One of the good things we’ve learned during the pandemic is that dog owners are maturing in their appreciation of their dogs. Especially their older, more vulnerable dogs. They are demonstrating by their actions that they know how valuable their dogs are to them and their families. They celebrate them. Their companionship. Their emotional support.…

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Sacred geometry of Reiki Power Symbol Cho Ku Rei

During a recent dinner with friends, I heard the term “sacred geometry.” It was spoken in reverence. Sotto voce. So it got my attention. As soon as I had an opportunity I looked it up. I learned that sacred geometry ascribes symbolic and sacred meanings to certain geometric shapes and certain geometric proportions. It is…

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Sumi-e PetMassage

Japanese Ink Painting I had an intriguing lesson last weekend. I attended a short workshop on Sumi-e painting. I rediscovered and reclaimed a freedom that I had nearly forgotten. I was so eager to take this class. This was something that I’d wanted to learn since my age was still in single digits. I knew…

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Hey Rocky, want to see me pull a rabbit out of my hat? Again Bullwinkle?

Last week I was massaging a sweet senior dog. I could not walk her during her PetMassage assessment because her hind legs kept crossing and getting tangled beneath her. She was unable to stand unassisted. Her eyes, still and dull, stared unfocusingly into space. Here and not here, she was Stuck in a dispirited, uninspiring…

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Gait Observation For PetMassage

We can only know for sure what effects our massage is having on the dogs if we’ve first established a baseline for their movement. Then, we can recognize changes from day to day, and over the span of several massages. Although throughout the massage, we are constantly evaluating and assessing, adjusting what we are doing…

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Canine massage enhances dogs quality of life. The word “ameliorate…

Does canine massage really enhance dogs quality of life? In a word, yes. The word “ameliorate” describes the intention, the purpose, the rationale, the function of massage for dogs. Speak it aloud. Ameliorate. It’s beautiful. Savor the syllables as if you were tasting wine. Roll them slowly around in your mouth. Feel your palette, your…

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What’s a PetMassage workshop?

At the beginning of our last Foundation Level workshop, I asked the 5 people who had traveled to study with me if any had ever taken a workshop like this before. No one had. This group included a vet tech, a physical therapist, 2 massage therapists, a registered nurse, and a dog agility trainer/groomer. For…

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Presence within Presence within Presence. Breakthrough Session.

A Graduate of the PetMassage Foundation Level Program writes: Fascia wonders I had the honor to administer some love on an absolutely gorgeous Doberman by the name of Jochen yesterday.  He was almost as tall as me (though that is not saying a lot).  He is 8 years old and has DCM and Arthritis.  As…

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Ear bone’s connected to the lip bone.

Ear bone’s connected to the lip bone. Massaging dogs is a kind of meditation for me. I’m aware of my breathing, my heart rate. I’m open to what’s going on in the dog’s body and her body language signals. My self-awareness is activated. I’m open to any unconscious cues that my own body might be…

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Protests for Canine Massage

Protests all over the planet are revealing a lot about us and our culture. We’re learning that there are disconcerting versions of our history, our education, our culture, even our unconscious narratives. This is a very different world from the one I knew when I was a History major in college. Our civilization is evolving.…

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Pandemic Insights and Opportunities

The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed a lot about us and our culture. One thing it has shown us is just how much we depend on our dogs for our basic human needs i.e., companionship, love, and protection. The pet care industry is more essential than you can imagine. All of us in it are busy,…

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PetMassage practices can grow in many directions

We are always interested in the progress of our students. Please indulge me as I share an email that we just received. It describes how she is applying the information from our workshops in veterinary context and also – and this is exciting— how learning PetMassage is still functioning as a pathway to another career!…

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Covid19 update

Hi, This is one more message that you’re getting because of the Covid19 pandemic. We affirm that you and your loved ones are healthy. We affirm that you are maintaining your emotional well-being. We’d like you to know that we are offering 6-month extensions for completion of PetMassage Foundation and Advanced Level Certification Programs and…

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Canine massage instruction with a PetMassage

Check out the new PetMassage home study course, “Senior Dog Massage for the Canine Massage Practitioner.”  This expands on the book “How to Massage My Senior Dog.” Or, if you are not interested in continuing ed, you can just get the book.  It’s an easy read. PetMassage books, DVDs, and charts are no longer available…

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When you’re stressed, massage therapy can help you.

Check out the new PetMassage home study course, “Senior Dog Massage for the Canine Massage Practitioner.”  This expands on the book “How to Massage My Senior Dog.” Or, if you are not interested in continuing ed, you can just get the book.  It’s an easy read. PetMassage books, DVDs, and charts are no longer available…

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When you’re stressed, massage therapy can help you.

I usually use this forum to share my thoughts on the importance of massage for our dogs. That is important; and, just like the preflight instructions when you fly, when putting on oxygen masks in the case of an emergency, you, the caregiver have to put yours on first. So this week, I’d like to…

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Your next career is helping animals.

I thought someone might identify with this Facebook request for help. This person was deciding whether or not Vet Tech school was the best venue for her to help animals. I offered advice and encouragement. Here’s the (edited) transcript: Help. I need advice…..so I was all about going to school and getting my degree to…

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Tending a meditation garden. Use a reik.

You’re massaging a dog and your attention is drawn to something unusual. It could be in the coat, like a burr, a matte, or a clump of organic matter. It could be on the skin: a rough patch, a bump, or a critter. It could be under the skin: a lump, a hot spot-heat, or…

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Dog massage for rigid top lines

The tension we see and feel in dogs is always protective. They may be self-restricting their movements for several reasons. They may be experiencing a pain that is at a tolerable level but any addition to what they are doing would be too uncomfortable. So, they’d act like they are stuck in quicksand. They’d breathe…

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