Cherry tree needs light to flourish

Here’s another helpful tip to enhance your canine massage:
 
One of our neighbors has had a quiet, little cherry tree in her front yard for several years. Actually, I walk past her house every day and was not even aware that it was a tree that bared fruit.
 
The little cherry tree had been in the shade of a large maple tree close to the curb. Earlier in the year, the big tree was cut down. The little cherry tree exploded with life. It now had access to Sun energy.
 
Your PetMassage_TM

Your PetMassage_TM will prune the physical and emotional detritus that is restricting the quality of life of your dogs. Give them the opportunity to flourish, like the now-spectacular cherry tree.

Two framed photographs 

Reiki enhancement

Attended a show at an art gallery recently. Saw two identical framed photographs one was priced $50 more than the other. The only difference was that the more expensive one had a little sign under it stating it had been Reiki’d. Energetically charged. Aligned. Blessed. I thought to myself, and everyone who would listen to me, how absurd is this?

Energetically charged items

Then, as I thought about it, I recognized the power of all the emotionally charged items I surround myself with. Every object speaks to me with memories and a multiplicity of inchoate emotions. I look at the collection of artwork around me and remember where I acquired each piece, if and why I still appreciate it, how my interpretations of it have changed vis-à-vis my life situation. I think about the impact of each of their shapes, sizes, and colors individually, and their relationships with each other and the spaces they occupy on the walls, on tabletops, in niches, or displayed with their sculpture stands. I think of the conditions of the pieces such as the small Chinese print I inherited (another set of memories with tangents). The image is of butterflies delicately poised above the suggestion of a branch with leaves and blossoms. The print is elegant in its design and simplicity; however at one time in its past it had been hung on a wall exposed to direct sunlight and all the yellow pigment has bleached away. Extant is the harsh unnatural blue where there ought to be gradations of green, red, where there ought to be softly shaded orange, and bare space where there ought to be splashes of happy yellow. Each time I look, it is an exercise in creativity and visualization. I find myself correcting the colors, filling in with my imagination all the contributing yellows.

Cognitive choices

I look around at each knick-knack, each business card, a ballpoint pen with advertising printed on it, the collection of books I’ve chosen for my office credenza, and notice that each has a very special history with, and for me. Each mug I choose for my morning coffee is a conscious decision. This is the mug with its particular shape, and color, and heft, and associated pleasant feelings is the one that I am including in the beginning of my day. Each bowl I choose to use for popcorn or cereal or fruit, the particular knives I use for slicing bread or cutting melons, the 30 year old wooden spoon dedicated for brownie batter mixing, and every other utensil, is profuse with memories and connections. The t-shirt I selected to wear today, the second of a closely paired pair of socks, or the belt I put on, or the brand of golf ball I select from the assortment in my bag, are all very cognitive choices; based on very personal experiences. 

What if I had encouragement for some choices and discouragement for others? What if I had a set of personal coaches who knew better than I for each activity?

Oh, my guides

Last week I had a Healing Touch session. It began with meditative breathing and then the facilitator called on my spirit guides for healing. I started to chuckle because as she was calling them, I distinctly heard one of them calling “Marco.” They were pleasantly engaged, playing a children’s game. Oh, my guides. They are apparitionally wild and crazy spiritual masters.

Which suggests that my guides could have independent existences on their astro-level. They would have their own networks and forms of communication. They might confer with other masters at other astro-levels, ala Eckankar, when they aren’t that busy with their wards. They’d be like the professors who are available to students as resources; and who have their own paths on which they continue with their own research. They maintain their professional distance. I’d like to imagine that their discussions amongst themselves would be high toned. Their collective intention would be appropriate for wise, invisible, timeless, spaceless, odorless entities that tap in, turn on and tune in to each other; as would be their humor. And then again, maybe not, Snot. “Polo.”

If there is the possibility that someone’s external charging, blessing, will enhance any of the items in my life, how can I refuse it? This is a conceptual ritual that is part of the human psyche. Throughout our history, we have believed that external forces influence us. And, that we have some influence on the external forces. “Feel the Force, Luke.” “Be the ball, Danny Noonan.” Feng shui defines the energetic qualities of locations and movement very carefully. We, maybe not you or me specifically, but we, as a civilization, offer sacrifices, ask for blessings, forgiveness, luck, and more often than not, just five more minutes of sleep in the morning. We have our homes blessed when we move in and our bodies blessed when we move out. In between we leave change around with notes to pay it forward, send hopeful messages in bottles out to sea and hang biodegradable strips of paper charged with affirmations and wishes on low branches where the natural elements can sense them and include them in their manifestations.

Marco Polo: An innate need for belief

We have an innate need for belief in something outside ourselves that can listen to us, assist us, reward us, hold us accountable, or punish us.

Would I pay an extra fifty bucks for the second print? Perhaps. After all, it is not just any ordinary framed print. It’s special. It has had its own Reiki attunement! If it were the artist’s best work, it could even be a Reiki Master-piece. It would be worth it for just the story I could tell about it.

The charge of a PetMassage_TM touch

Now, what does this have to do with canine massage and PetMassage_TM in particular?

The dogs, when you first receive them, are like the first print. Their bodies are operating with their own sets of biomechanical, kinesthetic, energy patterns. They have well defined sets of connections and relationships with things and thoughts. Think of the exuberant joy dogs experience, process, and share when you reach for their leash, or the treat jar, or the brush you use to groom them, or speak the words “walk” or “car.” When they can get out of the way of the physical issues that are distracting them, their thoughts and things can realign in ways that make their lives more comfortable. That’s the charge of a PetMassage_TM.

PetMassage_TM EnergyWork

In earlier blog posts, I’ve described the relationship between the movement and various qualities of presence. I’ve written about how PetMassage_TM touch charges the tissues, biomechanically, energetically, and by issuing responsible directives. The power of PetMassage_TM is to have a means to delve deep, harnessing the internal powers, plus tap the potential realignment powers of the etheric, to channel whatever is there for support. How Reiki-like! The elegantly simple, yet awesomely effective acts of actively observing to gently redirect tissue movement are in themselves blessings! Ben, Spiderman’s uncle was right when he intoned “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Now that’s definitely worth the extra half a C-note!

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

Alyce Sorokie, the author of Gut Wisdom, Understanding and Improving Digestive Health, shared a powerful poem during a recent presentation in Chicago. I’d like to share it with you.

Chapter 1

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter 2

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.

Chapter 3

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in. It’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.

Chapter 4

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter 5

I walk down another street.
― Portia Nelson, 1977, There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery

This is a description of noticing that we may not be aware of what we are doing. We may need to learn to notice, to become aware, and place a higher value on being completely present. We can become our own seers. We can understand that we are in control. We have choices. We are what we think about.

Five chapters and dogs.

This applies to our canine clients, as well as ourselves.

I believe that these are the kinds of things that dogs address and resolve during, after, and with consistent ongoing PetMassage_TM.

I believe that these are the kinds of things that dogs’ owners address and resolve during, after, and with consistent ongoing PetMassage_TM.

I believe that these are the kinds of things that we practitioners address and resolve as we become more proficient at providing PetMassage_TM.

So, the dog on your table is a drooler. When he shakes his head, you are drenched in spit. Should you be concerned, or just grossed out?

Just grossed out. Some dogs are natural droolers. There are always exceptions to every breed, depending on the lines in the dog.

Breeds that drool

Some breeds drool and slobber more than others. Most notable are bloodhounds, Newfoundlands, mastiffs, and Saint Bernards. These are breeds with loose upper lips or “flews,” causing them to drool more than others. We’ve also been slimed by Boxers, Basset Hounds, Coonhounds, Bloodhounds, Cane Corsos, Bulldogs, Dogues de Bordeaux, English Setters, Great Danes, Great Pyrenees’, Irish Water Spaniels, Kuvasz’, Plott Hounds, Saint Bernards, and Shar-Peis.

Keep a towel around. You may need it.

Historical benefits to getting licked

Are there any benefits to getting licked?

Historically, people relied on folk remedies, finding value in whatever was plentiful, such as dog drool. It was there. There must be a reason for it, value in it, and a use for it!

It has been long observed that the licking of their wounds by dogs might be beneficial. Dog saliva has been said by many cultures to have curative powers in people. “Langue de chien, langue de médecin” is a French saying meaning “A dog’s tongue is a doctor’s tongue“, and a Latin quote that “Lingua canis dum lingit vulnus curat” or “A dog’s tongue, licking a wound, heals it” appears in a thirteenth-century manuscript.

In Ancient Greece, dogs at the shrine of Aesculapius were trained to lick patients, and snake saliva was also applied to wounds. Saint Roch in the Middle Ages was said to have been cured of a plague of sores by licking from his dog. The Assyrian Queen Semiramis is supposed to have attempted to resurrect the slain Armenian king Ara the Beautiful by having the dog god Aralez lick his wounds. In the Scottish Highlands in the nineteenth century, dog lick was believed to be effective for treating wounds and sores. In the Gospel of Luke (16:19-31), Lazarus the Beggar’s sores are licked by dogs, although no curative effects are reported by the Evangelist.

Recent research

There are contemporary reports of the healing properties of dog saliva. Fijian fishermen are reported to allow dogs to lick their wounds to promote healing, and a case of dog saliva promoting wound healing was reported in the Lancet medical journal. But, this could be a continuation of folk medicine; not that that is bad, or wrong; it would also be helpful if modern science shared its views.

In the Modern era, there is continuing investigation into the pros and cons of dog saliva. Recent research has indeed identified products in saliva that aid in healing.

Researchers in the Netherlands identified a chemical in pet saliva called histatins. Histatins speed wound healing by promoting the spread and migration of new skin cells. Dr. Nigel Benjamin of the London School of medicine has shown that when saliva contacts skin it creates nitric oxide. Nitric oxide inhibits bacterial growth and protects wounds from infection. Researchers at the University of Florida isolated a protein in saliva called Nerve Growth Factor that halves the time for wound healing.

Indeed, a dog’s saliva is bactericidal against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Streptococcus canis, although not against coagulase positive Staphylococcus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (Hart BL, Powell KL (September 1990). “Antibacterial properties of saliva: role in maternal periparturient grooming and in licking wounds”. Physiol. Behav. 48 (3): 383–6).

Wound licking

Wound licking is an instinctive response in humans and many other animals to lick an injury. Dogs, cats, small rodents and primates all lick wounds. Saliva contains tissue factor which promotes the blood clotting mechanism. The enzyme lysozyme is found in many tissues and is known to attack the cell walls of many gram-positive bacteria, aiding in defense against infection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wound_licking

There is the medical condition: Excessive drooling

Ptyalism in Dogs

Ptyalism is a condition characterized by the excessive flow of saliva, also referred to as hypersalivation. Pseudoptyalism (i.e., false ptyalism), on the other hand, is the release of excess saliva that has accumulated in the oral cavity. Saliva is constantly produced and secreted into the oral cavity from the salivary glands. Production of saliva increases because of excitation of the salivary nuclei in the brain stem. The stimuli that lead to this are taste and touch sensations involving the mouth and tongue. Higher centers in the central nervous system can also excite or inhibit the salivary nuclei. Lesions involving either the central nervous system or the oral cavity can cause excessive salivation as well.

Diseases that affect the pharynx, esophagus, and stomach can also stimulate excessive production of saliva. Conversely, normal saliva production may appear excessive in animals with an anatomic abnormality that allows saliva to dribble out of the mouth, or are affected with a condition that affects swallowing. Ingestion of a toxin, a caustic agent, or a foreign body can also lead to ptyalism. (http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/mouth/c_multi_ptyalism)

Poop eaters.

Dogs are our companions that give unqualified love. However, on occasion, they can share their germs and parasites. Diseases passed from animals to man are called zoonoses or zoonotic illnesses. Because of good hygiene and veterinary care, animal-transmitted diseases are rarer in the United States than they once were. Still, there is an extensive list of canine cooties that you can peruse at your displeasure at http://www.2ndchance.info/zoonoses.htm

So, bacterial diseases and infections can be transmitted, especially by poop eaters. -The Benefits of Pet Saliva (Dr Ken Tudor, http://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ktudor/2014/jan/are-dog-licks-unhealthy-for-people-31207 )

But, your clients, especially prior to receiving their PetMassages, would be unlikely to be able to stoop so low.

Every once in a while I am reminded of my curious place in our science-based culture, and self-doubt creeps in. My massage/bodywork practice is eerily “complementary” and “alternative.” It is very difficult to measure. I work with living, evolving, developing uniquely arcane physical and behavioral attributes and conditions. And, because each life and history is unique with its own set of variables, it is not only impossible to duplicate, duplication is irrelevant. What is important is that massage, PetMassage_TM is powerfully effective in helping to reshape the lives and times of all the dogs and people I massage.

A good and wise friend who shall go unnamed, but who’s initials are MaryKay, told me over a glass wine last weekend, that whenever she begins to doubt herself; when she questions what she believes, how her life has value, and whether prayers and thoughts have effects, she reminds herself of three things that she knows for sure.

1. We are all energy.

2. Everything is connected.

3. We are not alone.

I thought about my practice beginning way back in 1982 working with horses. I recalled my numerous experiences experimenting with controlled and observant body language. In my practice, I’ve learned to see the way dogs respond to my controlled heart rate. I’ve entrained and seen the dogs responding to my breath. I’ve felt in my heart how dogs complete connections at various pressure depths on their bodies. I’ve used pendulums and documented the different kinds of energetic and behavioral responses at various levels (chakras) away from dog and people bodies.

I’ve enjoyed listening to animals as they share their images and memories. These were validated owner- specific stories and images I’ve felt and received from dogs while working with them.

I’ve seen dogs relax, dogs soften, and dogs slip into trance-like states and fall over. I’ve seen how dogs reboot and refresh. I’ve witnessed spontaneous changes in canine behavior. I’ve felt the warmth of affection and the energy of gratitude. I’ve seen the dogs responding to my levels of presence. It is all a big energy share!

1: We are all energy. When we talk about the condition of someone’s or something’s quality of life, we often use the phrase, body, mind and spirit. Each of these aspects of life-condition is a reflection of the quality of energy flow. Does the energy flow smoothly and easily? Is the energy restricted? Is the energy impeded?

Health is achieved when the three elements of body, mind, and spirit are in balance. Balance will improve health and enhance quality of life. This applies to the physical body. This applies to the mind. This applies to the spirit.

If the body is weak, the mind and spirit suffer. If the spirit is void, the body and mind suffer, and when the mind is not focused, the body and spirit are lost.

We know through experience that the above is true. We have even trained ourselves to be able to influence how we feel by shifting our filters. We can choose the energy of our world view and the type of experience we have.

We can redirect our minds. We can consciously make the shift from negativity and uncertainty to positivity and assuredness. We have learned to play mind-games with ourselves. We know that if we fake it till we make it, when we do fake it, the body follows. For example, when we are feeling overwhelmed, we can reestablish a sense of control when we redirect our thoughts to accomplishing and then completing one small task at a time. Another example is if we are sad, we can put on a happy face. Our bodies will read from the muscle memory feedback loop that we are happy. Our bodies then produce the hormone chemicals that support the happiness emotion and soon we are indeed (structurally) happier.

Let’s visualize a flower growing in your garden. The stem is strong, straight and tall; and the nutrients flow up to the flower head easily. Bloom! If the stem is bent in the middle; some of the nutrients can still move past the restriction. But barely, and aw, fading fleur.

Visualize a dog receiving a PetMassage_TM. The dog is experiencing and processing his session in his body, his mind, and his spirit. His body experiences and processes the touch. His mind is aware of and assimilating the experiences of his body responses. His spirit oversees and integrates whatever is happening into his full life and genomic experience.

Think about the rush of the movement of blood through the blood vessels. The muscles, with fresh abundant circulation, soften and release tension (spasms and continuous flexion). With the reduced stress-based discomfort, the mind relaxes. And there is a noticeable corrective blip on the spirit graph showing the quality of life for the dog’s entire existence, beginning several generations back and extending several generations into the future.

2. Everything is connected.

There is a cycle of life beautifully and poetically described in the Five Elements theory. This theory can be used to describe the workings, movements, and the functional relationship between different elements and phenomena in nature. Chinese five elements theory refers to the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. In the example of the flower with its stemmification variations, we now see that this is more than just its relationship between the flower and its source for nutrition. Of course the first thing we think of is the relationship with the ground. There are also relationships with wood, with water, with air, and with fire.

The Cycles

The Wu Xing (Chinese: 五行; pinyin: Wǔ Xíng) is a fivefold conceptual scheme that many traditional Chinese fields used to explain a wide array of phenomena, from cosmic cycles to the interaction between internal organs, and from the succession of political regimes to the properties of medicinal drugs. It includes the Five Elements, Five Phases, the Five Agents, the Five Movements, Five Processes, and the Five Steps/Stages. If you are interested in learning more about the Five Elements, et al, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_Xing

Basic five elements characteristics and classifications from http://www.orientalmedicine.com/five-element

Last week I shared the stories of how our attitudes and intentions with words and names, even when unintentional, can have powerful influences on people, dogs and horses. The week before, I described the amazing and profound connections that I had with all the dogs I PetMassaged at the May 9-K-9 event at the Toledo Museum of Art. Every one of the 75 dogs who got sessions shared a few precious minutes of his/her life with me and had a uniquely personal experience; one that would slightly reconfigure their –and my – world view…body, mind, and spirit. At the very least (or most), each of these dogs’ life experiences now includes the spirit energy blip of a PetMassage_TM from Jonathan Rudinger.

We are all connected. In past blogs, we’ve discussed how devastating it is for dogs when we withdraw our presence/connection. It is the equivalent of psychically/emotionally abandoning them. We’ve discussed how dogs, when they sense your absence, act out to reengage with you. We’ve discussed how this applies to all relationships. We’ve discussed how powerful and healthy—health-giving— being connected is for us and our animals.

We are all connected. Connection is a need, a necessity, as important as water, air, food, shelter, and massage. This extends to everything from molecules to the movements of galaxies.

3. We are not alone.

Recently I wondered if prayer or sending positive energy really has an effect.

Prayer and the sending of energy: What does this mean? What is being sent? How does it get there? How is it received? What if no one’s home? Does the UPS guy leave it on the doorstep? Does someone have to sign for it?

The energy that I realize while I am in the PetMassage_TM process, is non-measurable, non-detectable; and, I see/sense it. The images I see are as soft glows, shadows, retrograde beams, or peripheral auras. I feel the edges of the boundaries of the energy bundles with the auras of my palms or chest.

The energy that I realize is apparently outside time and space. It knows no limitations, no boundaries. It moves at the speed of thought, to wherever it is intended. I can touch this screen. I can touch the sun. I can narrow the focus. I can open it to include a lake or the sky, or a population.

My touch does not heal. It does not mend. It does not fix. Its message is love, intention, and support. It is pure presence. It is connection. Wherever it is directed and whoever receives it, is simply and honestly, not alone. For those who send their thoughts to me, thank you. I may not sense your presence on a conscious level; and, I know that the little blip it makes on my spirit log is real and truly powerful.

There is a variable in a dog’s behavior that I feel a need to discuss: the influence of the dog’s name.

When I taught a master class in France, I learned that in Europe human names are not popular.

Whereas, here in the US, it is common to name our dogs Bob.

2014 may go down in history as the year that the line between people and puppy names blurred into oblivion. In 2014, 18 of the 20 most popular names are human names. According to Rover.com the most popular boy dog name was Max. For female pups? Bella. http://barkpost.com/hot-dog-names-2015/

The top male names are Max, Buddy, Charlie, Jack, Cooper, Rocky, Toby, Tucker, Jake and Bear. The top female names are Bella, Lucy, Daisy, Molly, Lola, Sophie, Sadie, Maggie, Chloe and Bailey. https://www.rover.com/blog/2014-popular-dog-names/ breaks the names down into categories. There are names from Food and Drink, like Coconut and Whiskey. There are names from the Great Outdoors, such as Lightning and Clover. There are names of other animals, like Moose and Panda. There are names from Pop Culture, like Chewbacca, Yoda and Vader. Tech names include Siri, Tesla, Pixel and Google. There are Royal Family names like Duke, Lady, Duchess and now, Charlotte.

The name you choose for your dog or your clients choose for theirs can have a powerful effect on canine behavior. The names we choose are rife with meanings. Whether you realize it or not, when you speak the word, you are processing the emotion that is embodied in it. Here is a short list of dogs that I have PetMassaged in the last year or so. Consider the intentionality with each name: Angel, Pedro (St. Peter), Jack (St. John), Diamond, Ruby, Gemmy, Goldie, Laddie, Pepper (spice), Dingo (wild dog), Brownie, Cookie, Sugar (confections), Rover (wanderer) and Toby (Toby Tyler was a popular children’s book character in the 1880’s and made into a Disney film in the 1960’s). What these all have in common are that each carries an underlying meaning; an intention.

When we adopted Lola, we added her “show biz” name, so we refer to her as Lola Ginabrigida after the beautiful Italian actress. We named our affectionate long-legged boxer Camille, after the beautiful and talented French sculptress who worked with Rodin. Cami, her nickname, is most appropriate since she blends in, chameleon-like, with the trees in our back yard.

Marty Becker, DVM tells the story of a dog whose name was Eleven Thirty. This dog was completely black with just a tiny spot of white on his chest. His owners wanted to call him Midnight but he wasn’t dark enough, so… I love that story. Thanks, Marty.

Think about the implications that someone projects whenever he calls, speaks, or thinks his dog name. If it is Killer, Trigger, Trouble, Dynamite, Thunder, Stormy, or Devil, he is sending the command to be, or behave like the definition. You want Trouble? I’ll show you trouble!

Linda Tellington-Jones, founder of T-Touch, describes how changing a horse’s name changed his behavior. A horse called Diablo (Devil) was obstinate, contrary, and hard to work with on the ground and very difficult to ride. His moniker was changed to Snowflake (or possibly Cloudy or Powder –I forget) and within a few weeks, he was easier to groom, walk, and ride. He was responding, Linda suggests, to the intentionality of the meaning of the word that his owner projected when she intoned it. I love that story. Thanks, Linda.

Wayne Dwyer contends that we manifest what we think about. Thanks, Wayne. That’s what Anastasia’s “Arf-irmations” are all about. Her affirmations are much more than pleasant phrases that you read once, smile, and forget. Affirmations work using repetition. By repeating them over and over their intentions eventually become part of your natural pattern of thinking about yourself.

We know that during each PetMassage_TM session our thoughts influence our dogs’ behaviors. We can be present with the dogs. We can abandon them, detaching our energy from the dog with wandering minds. We can define a dog by its symptom or disease. We can depress the dog’s immune system with negative thoughts. We can raise up the dog’s energy with our positivity.

Our dogs want to please us. They want us to be happy; and like any children, want us to approve of them. They strive to be what they think we want them to be. Think about how powerful a message the repetitive intoning of a meaningful name sends. –, here. –, sit. –, stay. –, want to go outside? –, want a treat? –, no! –, leave it. —-, where’s your toy? –, get your leash. –, let’s go for a walk. –, car. Notice that the name always precedes the command. Our dogs listen to us ramble all the time. They don’t understand or care about most of what they hear. We are the grownups in the Peanuts cartoon. When they recognize the familiar sound of their name, attention focuses, and they listen more intently.

You want Trouble? I’ll show you Trouble! That’s Trouble with a capital T, which rhymes with P, and stands for pool. On, my little – is such a Drama Queen. You want Drama Queen? Turn down the house lights, open the curtain and stand back!

Oh, my little – had such a hard life before we rescued him. Probably true; however, he’s moved on. Eckhart Tolle writes about how essential it is to be present in the Now. Your dog already knows this. He lives in the present moment. Thanks, Eckhart.

Your dog knows he has shelter, plenty of food, and a caring pet parent. Now, he no longer has to be obsessed with all the anti-social behaviors that he had needed to maintain for his self preservation. He can, living in his Now, show his pet parents how to let go of their past stories and with PetMassage_TM, live in the safe and delightful present.

Over the last two weekends, I had the opportunity to PetMassage over one hundred dogs. We were promoting the PetMassage_TM mini-workshop for dog owners that we will be giving this coming Saturday at the PetMassage_TM School in Toledo, OH. We spent a delightful Spring Saturday in a popular Metropark meeting dogs and their people. The following Saturday we participated in an event at our art museum. I had the pleasure of sharing my canine massage skills with over 75 dogs in a four-and-a-half hour PetMassage-a-thon.

Variety of pet dogs!

I got to meet such a wide variety of pet dogs! (Here comes the interactive part of this blog. When you read your dog’s breed, smile.) There were Great Danes, Dalmatians, Dachshunds, Corgis, Chihuahuas, Shitsus, Maltese, beagles, bassets, pugs, Cairn terriers (Toto dogs), Westies, German Shepherds, Pit bulls, Dobermans, Australian Shepherds, Border Collies, Shelties, Boxers (I’m grinning), Cane Corsos, St. Bernards, Newfies, Bernese Mountain dogs, Golden, Yellow, Black and Flat-coated retrievers, French bulldogs, Jack Russell Terriers, Huskies, Eskimo dogs, Miniature, Toy and Standard Poodles, a German Wirehaired Pointer, and an Airedale.

I PetMassaged mixed breeds, designer breeds, puppy mill rescues, and dogs that had been used as bait for fighting dogs. I PetMassaged puppies, seniors and dogs of every age in between (well, not every.). I PetMassaged dogs with only one remaining tooth, or one ear, one eye, or with one leg missing; most had one tail.

That reminds me of the false syllogism that I learned many years ago when I was learning about logic (overrated) that reasoned that if no dog has two tails, and one dog has one more tail than no dogs, then one dog must have two tails.

Back on topic: All of the dogs I touched were right on purpose, living the dream; filling the emotional holes in their owner’s lives.

No two dogs were the same.

There were variations from breed to breed. We expect that. There were also enormous variations within breeds.

Of course there were age differences. The needs (kneads) of a puppy will be very different from the needs (kneads) of a middle aged or senior dog.

What about the maturity and energy levels? We’ve known 8-year old children that are very young and innocent; and 8-year olds who are the old souls that draw upon lifetimes of wisdom. The same goes for dogs. There are young souls and old souls. Some puppies did not have the attention span to be able to receive still-holding for more than a few seconds. Others sit and process as much human contact as they can. There are chronologically older dogs who never mature, maintaining puppy in their heads. There are geriatric dogs who present with senior behaviors, like stumbling, drifting off, forgetting where they are and who they are with.

Pet parents often shared their dogs’ stories with me as they introduced their little darlings. I heard about rescues, about adoptions, about dogs surviving their owners, and about dogs being left in abandoned houses. I heard heroic tales of how dogs came to be united with their destination homes and families. I heard of difficult socializations, of separation anxieties, of health and wellness problems, of allergies, of pack acceptance. Every dog has a history. Some of the dogs I PetMassaged had horrific stories and others, I’d like to acknowledge, are living their lives in perpetual bliss.

The confirmation of the dog, the size, height, thick or thinness, body type, type of coat, and color of coat all affect how the dog’s body interacts with his environment.

Predictable emotional patterns

We know there are predictable emotional patterns for children who are the only child, or a middle child, or the youngest. Is it the same with dogs? Within litters, there are distinct personalities. Some puppies are willful, some are compliant, some are shy, some are more resourceful than their siblings, some play rougher, some are highly focused, and some are random. Ones with the motivation to nurse more, become the larger, stronger, confident puppies.

I spoke with one owner who described how he had been very firm and consistent in training his first dog and eased up with the second. The second dog felt less pressure to perform and was happier and go-luckier. He was even more loving and obedient. Just like parents of children, this pet parent stated that he figured the older dog would do most of the training to teach the younger dog how to behave. Does this sound familiar?

Nature and a bit of nurture

So, that’s nature and a bit of nurture. Many of the dogs had to learn from the resident dogs how to play nice. They had to learn the rules of the pack. They had to discover their place in the family hierarchy.

Every dog had been adopted. Some of the dogs had been fostered; some had been in numerous homes. Some of the dogs were substitutes for human children.

Dogs, like humans, have moods. They will not always want or accept the same value of touch and presence. There will be times when they want to be held, times when they prefer to be aloof, and times when they just need to cave.

As I reflect on PetMassaging these one hundred dogs, I am reminded that each is multifaceted. Each is a unique composite of all the aforementioned variations. PetMassage_TM anticipates, validates, and honors each dog’s diversity.

Each dog will receive, experience, and process PetMassage_TM in his/her own way and in her own time.

What I learned

What did I learn with these one hundred dogs?

While enhancing each dog’s circulation, flexibility, and body-mind balance, PetMassaging dogs

1. Honors their diversity
2. Meets the dogs where they are
3. Offers/delivers care appropriate to the dog’s condition which includes their breed, personal history, lifestyle, mental and emotional awareness, and health conditions
4. Stays in the moment with the dog
5. Shares the presence
6. Shares the gentle thoughts
7. Shares the releases
8. Feels the relief and appreciation that each dog offers
9. Enjoys the validation each of the dogs owners who express appreciation for the skills of PetMassage

The time has come for another high school reunion. How time flies when we are having fun! The class reunion committee asked us to complete a questionnaire for the event; and one of the questions was “What advice would you give yourself as a high school senior, knowing what you know, now?”

I came up with a number of responses, most of which could not possibly be effective with a 17 year old. I, like most kids at this age saw myself as immortal; invincible. I imagined the world was just like, although slightly larger than, my neighborhood. I was completing the first stage of my education and getting ready to jump into the university life, whatever that meant. I had no clue what I was going to “do” as a profession. I didn’t need to; I knew that I would somehow stumble, or be lead to a means of doing something significant. I would figure out a niche to make a difference in the world, which was just like, and just a bit larger than my neighborhood.

What could I say to this kid? How could I make this proud and sublimely confident child listen?

I would first of all share with him the twists and turns, successes and setbacks that made up my journey. And, while the rollercoaster ride was educational, it was also fraught with disappointments that I could have easily lived without. How could I have avoided some of the more significant ones? The answer comes back to either I didn’t ask the right questions or I thought I already knew the answers and didn’t ask for advice that would have steered me in a different direction.

So, ask for and get help. You can find someone who you can trust to guide you. You can find a mentor. You can find someone who will support you, and believe in you. You can find your agent.

The first topic is: what do you want to do and be when you grow up? This was difficult for me. I hadn’t found anything that I didn’t like to do, or that I couldn’t do. I was standing at a multifaceted quantum crossroad. So, without guidance, I started taking courses in Liberal Arts. History. I vaguely believed the phrase, “Those who ignore, forget, never learn, or don’t understand history, are condemned to repeat it.”

Looking back, with the benefit of creatively accurate hindsight, I can see that one needs to know more than history. One needs to know that “history” is not permanent. History is a chronology of stories that have been spun to present various points of view. It is constantly being rewritten in new context or to create a spin to support a current point of view. So, I learned history. More importantly, I learned to think. I learned the importance of questioning what I read and was told.

And I digress: It is important to be able to identify what your natural talents and tendencies are and then choose a course that would expand on these skills. If you are naturally coordinated and athletic, you would be happiest doing something that allowed you to utilize these talents. If you are musical, you would be happiest playing with music. If you love selling stuff, go into business. If you love creating order in the midst of chaos, go into accounting. If you believe in justice and fairness, go into law. If you love animals, do something and includes animals. If your passion is figuring out how things work, engineering is for you. If you like driving people around, there are several ways you can fulfill yourself. If you like controlling, be a passenger of the one driving people around. If you have a type A personality, do a lot, really fast, without stopping.

“So,” I would have told my young self, “name three things you do that make you happy. Then, learn as much as you can to do those things better.”

“Young self,” I would say, “you know how to do this at this level. To get to the next level, you must dedicate yourself to practice and following instructions from people who know more than you.”

I not only didn’t know the questions to ask, I didn’t know to ask the questions.

After graduating from university, with a degree in fine arts, I decided to work in the art gallery industry. I was a painter/sculptor. I soon learned that the most financially prosperous artists were the ones who had been picked up by major galleries in world art centers such as New York, Paris, London, or Tokyo. In other words, there was a system set up to promote this fortunate group of artists. They were no more talented than I or many of my artist friends; they were simply being efficiently promoted. Articles were written and published in the influential art journals. Advertisements were placed in these same “peer reviewed” publications that promoted group and private shows. Museums were contacted and people who knew people, worked things out. The only artists who got this scale of promotion were the ones with agents.

Consider the actors and musicians you see on TV, at the movies, and in the theater. How did they get the roles? They have agents who sell them, who promote them, and who do the tedious work of being persistently present on their behalf.

Can we take a lesson from this for our lives? You bet we can. While it may appear unseemly to persistently self promote; it is however essential to have some way of projecting a positive second person opinion about you and what you do. These are the rai·son d’ê·tre for your website and social marketing campaign. Keep your website fresh and current. Make sure that it represents the you that you are now; as opposed to the person you were five years ago or last month. Remember the history lesson!

Having your own website and Facebook page may not be enough. You still need to find someone who you can trust to guide you. You can ask for and get help. You can find a mentor. If you are entering into the animal massage and bodywork path, there are people who have paved the road for you.

PetMassage_TM is one of the early pioneers and continues to be one of our industry’s leaders. PetMassage_TM has, as one of its tenets, to grow the profession. We are mentors to our graduates. We offer continuing educational support, guidance, and encouragement. PetMassage_TM provides opportunities for extraordinarily talented people to develop and lead their own workshops. PetMassage_TM Media was created to promote and publish the works that will expand our industry’s scope of knowledge and credibility. PetMassage_TM provides listings on its website of graduates with their locations and contact information. We know that it is our best interests and the best interests of the dogs of the world and their families, for our graduates to be successful.

You can find someone who will support you, and believe in you. You can find your agent. PetMassage_TM fulfills that agency, young self.

Hawk m.

Ask PetMassage: Help for dog owners and dog massage practitioners

I often receive email requests for help. The scenarios are similar to this one that I got recently. When our dogs are hurting, we often feel helpless and unsure who we can ask for a first or second opinion. If you have questions about massage and your dog, you are welcome to contact me, as well.

Subject: Arthritic Dog

Hi Jonathan,
I am wanting to massage a 14yr lab who has severe arthritis.  I am unable to get her on the table.  When she stands, she needs to keep walking, I think because of pain.  Do you have any suggestions as to how I can massage her?

I would really like to do what I can for her.  I tried today but she could not keep still.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, S. P.

Hi S.,-

If she cannot be on a table, you’ll have to work on the floor. I don’t like it; but if that’s the only way to get to her without her getting anxious, that’s what you do.

Her instability is one of the things she needs to have addressed. Have her lying on her side for her massage. She won’t move about if she’s not standing. An image just came to me of her receiving her massage in her dog bed cushion. It already has her scent on it and she associates it with relaxation and safety.

If that is not possible, can you have someone steady her dog’s hips while you work the head and shoulders, and hold the head and shoulders while you massage the hind end?  As long as your helper stays silent and keeps her fingers still so they are not wriggling about, drawing the dog’s attention, it should be okay.

During the session do a lot of slow, gentle pumping with compression on the stifles and hips, and elbows and shoulders. Avoid joint mobilization.

Also apply finger tip kneading to the areas above and below the most compromised joints. Slide your fingers toward the heart. Work the area above the joint first, and then the area below the joint. This opens the passageways that may be blocked first, before increasing circulation through the compromised joint.

I hope this helps. Please let me know.

Staying in “touch,”
Jonathan

Do you have questions or concerns about how to help your dog with canine massage? Find answers to common and very specific questions relating to physical conditions, behavioral issues and careers in canine massage. Jonathan Rudinger, the founder of PetMassage, regularly checks the PetMassage email log for new questions to answer.
Send your questions to: info@petmassage.com