Canine Massage Archives · PetMassage™ Training and Research Institute

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

The ebb and flow of waves inspire canine massage innovations.

Waves tracing patterns in the sand: what could be more inspirational! There’s an organic sensibility to water and wind flowing along a sandy shore. It aligns perfectly with the nonverbal flow of canine massage. Whenever I stroll along a beach I pause, and empathically experience the ebbs and flows of encroaching waves. Mysterious ancient salty…

When thoughts and feelings arise.

One minute of relaxed uncontrived sitting is better than an hour of forced “no thought” posturing. It is natural for thoughts and feelings to arise. Let them pass without feeling the need to follow. Clouds pass on their own. When we are massaging dogs, our ideal state is to be completely present and available for…

Best massage ever.

Bliss. You’ve heard the Joseph Campbell admonition to “follow your bliss.” That’s exactly what I get to do in every PetMassage. Just last week I described my excitement every time I get to massage a dog. I used the term “giddy happy.” The dogs and I share waves of endorphin rushes together. It’s addictive for…

Resolutions require resolve. Or, just who do you think you are?

Here we are. It’s the end of January. And you’re reading yet another blog about resolutions. Will they never end? Goals. Do you remember setting goals for yourself a few weeks ago? The first of the year we were all thinking about what we’d like to accomplish in the new year. We were bright-eyed and…

Pain Management.

As we drove past a healthcare clinic Anastasia pointed to a sign by the door and read aloud, “Pain Management.” Pain management!? What are they advertising? I would like to think that the goal would be pain elimination. Rid the patient of the degree of discomfort that it would take to get into the “pain”…

Pinecone offers insights into canine massage.

I was taking a walk with our two dogs. When we are in the park, I’m always scanning the trail for who knows what I might trip over: branches, tree roots, slippery blobs of processed dog food. When we paused for the dogs to get their sniffs on, my attention was drawn to a grayish…

The dog’s truth: Who he is in contrast with who he could be.

The dog’s truth: Who he is in contrast with who he could be. The only way we can sense something is if it is against a contrasting backdrop. Activity in stillness, stuckness within flow, moist against dry, hard against soft, sponginess against denseness, tangles in the smooth, threadiness in the midst of fullness. When you…

How The Dance reverses dogs brain and physical degeneration.

How The Dance reverses dogs brain and physical degeneration. As our dogs grow older, they suffer a decline in mental and physical fitness. Since our dogs age just like we do, we can base the way we address dogs age-related declines on human studies. One new study, published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human…

Sit on a stool while giving a canine massage.

Sit on a stool while giving a canine massage. Using a stool will make your canine massage practice easier and more enjoyable. You’ll experience less fatigue and discomfort. You’ll add longevity to your practice. You’ll have more options for positioning your body vis-a-vis the dog on the table. Every canine massage you give will be a far more effective therapeutic treatment.…

Lipomas, lumps and bumps

Lipomas, lumps and bumps, from the perspective of PetMassage canine massage. This discussion is part of the preparation for the continuing ed workshop I will be facilitating, at the IAAMB/ACWT – NBCAAM Conference this September, in Seattle. In the 4-hour workshop titled, “Canine Myofascial Release: Techniques to Discover and Track Movement,” we’ll be wrist-deep in…

Living the dream and including pets in Hospice care.

Living the dream and including pets in Hospice care. Living the dream. I recently overheard a fellow describing his job as “living the dream.” When he said it, he used air quotes. I sensed that he felt defeated. A meaningful vocation was beyond his imagination. I too describe my life as “living the dream.” And,…

When Did You Know You Were a Healer?

When Did You Know You Were a Healer? As canine massage practitioners we cannot claim to heal. Our manipulation of dogs bodies redistributes fluid to restore balance and function. Projecting a healing intention, infuses the entire procedure with the energy of health and wellness. Canine massage creates a friendly ecosystem within dogs bodies, which activates…

We just got the following request for information.

We just got the following request for information. Message: Good morning! My name is —-, I am seventeen and am an upcoming junior in high school. I was wondering what you could tell me about your Canine Aquatic Massage program. Can anyone attend the workshop, and if so, do they have to have a background…

Massaging dogs at the Humane Society “Bark in the Park” event.

Massaging dogs at the Humane Society “Bark in the Park” event. The above picture was pulled from this video. https://petmassage.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_4659.TRIM_.mov Last weekend the PetMassage School had a booth at a “Bark in the Park” summer fundraiser/ 5K race-walk for the Toledo Area Humane Society. The event was held in a grassy field adjacent to an…

Dog Bites, Part 2. Resolving PTSD from dog bites.

Dog Bites, Part 2. Resolving PTSD from dog bites. Dog bites happen. Car accidents happen too; and we don’t stop driving. We’ve got places to go. So, we get back in the drivers seat and move on. For people practicing canine massage, a dog bite need not end the journey – and a career you’ve trained for. Your commitment to helping…

The school you choose for training needs to fit your personality.

I just responded to an inquiry from a RVT about our school. You may have similar questions. If you do – even if you don’t – please read on. She writes: Hello, I am an RVT from California currently working as an instructor at a college. I am interested in your program thinking of starting…

What’s in Your Pet First Aid Kit?

What’s in Your Pet First Aid Kit? From the perspective of canine massage, first aid includes the gentle manipulation of the dog’s body, his environment and his activities. We use touch healing touch and /or Reiki acupressure and meridian rebalancing leadership through body language presence breath control anxiety control positioning for comfort and controlled blood…

A Walk in the Woods is open to interpretation.

A Walk in the Woods is open to interpretation. Last weekend I attended a concert at our local university. In this essay I work through understanding how to experience a new musical form and how it relates (as everything does) to canine massage. The concerts entire program was original compositions created by faculty, grad students,…

Every Moment is Life Defining.

Every Moment is Life Defining. Camille, our boxer slipped while we were walking around our neighborhood. She stepped on a patch of ice hidden under the snow. Her legs flew out from beneath her. She landed hard on her hip. Cami jumped back up, shook it off, and trotted on; but I could see she…

Feel secure with dogs, learn Dog Handling Skills

Feel secure with dogs, learn Dog Handling Skills In 1998, Jonathan and I adopted our first dog, Oskar. He was a 60 lb. boxer. I was clueless about caring for a dog. My entire pet experience had been with gerbils, hamsters and a cat that was mostly cared for by my daughter, Cheryl. We had…

Become a More Empowered PetMassage Practitioner with Advanced Training

Become a More Empowered PetMassage Practitioner with Advanced Training When I was in human massage school I loved the last six months. That’s where the magic appeared. I realized my calling, my gift, was in the realm of “energy healing”. My massage student friends described what they felt. They talked about the heat, the vibrations,…

Resource conservation. We all want to be as efficient with our resources…

Resource conservation. We all want to be as efficient with our resources as possible. Time and money, these are our scarcest resources. These are the reasons we get so many requests for home study programs. With online and home study courses you get to work from home at your own pace and save the money…

Listen to the guidance of your Divine self.

The first day of the PetMassage Foundation Level Program is filled with happiness, empowerment and wonder. Jonathan and I (Anastasia) greet our new students and welcome them into our PetMassage tribe of canine massage practitioners. Our students come from all walks of life and they have these things in common: they all love dogs and understand that…

PetMassage Programs and workshops

We talk a lot about PetMassage Programs and workshops. If you an experienced workshop attendee, you know what to expect. And, it’s all good! It is possible that you have never before signed up for a workshop; especially a vocational training workshop. “What are they?” “What can I expect?” “Am I comfortable taking 5 days…

That light in the tunnel.

That light in the tunnel. That light in the tunnel is not an oncoming train. It’s sunshine. Canine massage may very well be in your future. Register for the PetMassage Foundation Level Program and initiate the plan for your leave taking from your corporate nightmare. I had an uncomfortable conversation about life in the corporate world. Competent…

Motivation From Daily Hands-on Inspiration

Motivation From Daily Hands-on Inspiration You’ve heard or read about how I started PetMassage. I’ve described it in my books and it’s on our website. [https://petmassage.com/store/petmassage-dogs-art-essence-canine-massage-book/ ] It’s been a passion of mine for over 20 years. Every week of every year, I either teach a workshop, council students, write books and blogs, produce videos, manage…

PetMassage Private Sessions

PetMassage Private Sessions Canine PetMassage™ Dogs at all stages of life, just like humans, derive tremendous benefits with PetMassage™. All breeds, sizes, ages, and conditions benefit. Jonathan has worked with lap dogs, hunting dogs, show dogs, agility dogs, service dogs, security dogs, search and rescue dogs, and hundreds of family pets. For active dogs, PetMassage™ helps…

PetMassage Kid’s Guide to Massaging Dogs [DVD] and Kids Doggie Songs CD

PetMassage Kid’s Guide to Massaging Dogs [DVD] and Kids Doggie Songs CD PetMassage™ A Kid’s Guide to Massaging Dogs [DVD] Everybody loves massage…especially dogs. Everybody can learn to give PetMassage™ …especially kids. This DVD is a great complement to the book Dogs Kids PetMassage™! This video, for the first time, introduces children to the skills of…

PetMassage Energy Work for Dogs: Accessing the Magnificent Body Language and Body Wisdom of the Dog, Audio CD Download

PetMassage Energy Work for Dogs: Accessing the Magnificent Body Language and Body Wisdom of the Dog, Audio CD Download 6-hour audio program This is the perfect way to learn the complex and loving components that make up “PetMassage Energy Work for Dogs.” The subtitle tells it all. You are “Accessing the Magnificent Body Language and…

Transitions Canine Massage: Sacred Rite

Transitions Canine Massage: Sacred Rite A transition is any shift from one life -energetic – experience to another. Massage assists dogs in any transition. When dogs are experiencing a change in their lives that is stressing them, they get tremendous benefit with massage. Examples of lifestyle changes could be moving to a new city or neighborhood…

Duplication, redundancy, sympathetic, and empathetic functions in the dog

Duplication, redundancy, sympathetic, and empathetic functions in the dog Our dogs bodies are wise and mysterious. In their wisdom, they have several types of backups, backing up each other in case one element malfunctions. I often stimulate synergistic referral points when I cannot access or am not sure precisely where assistance is needed. There…

TRANSITIONS: PetMassage Energy Work for the Aging & Dying Dog [PetMassage Home Study Course]

TRANSITIONS: PetMassage Energy Work for the Aging & Dying Dog [PetMassage Home Study Course] TRANSITIONS: PetMassage Energy Work for the Aging & Dying Dog is a means of empowering pet care professionals and individual caregivers to help their dogs and pet owners during any transition in their dogs lives and life-styles. This is especially helpful…

PetMassage Energy Work with Dogs [Home Study Course]

PetMassage Energy Work with Dogs [Home Study Course] Summary: Everything is energy. There is no separation between your dog’s energy-body and her physical-body. Energy can be influenced. Rechanneled. Excited. Calmed. In this course, you learn to enhance the energetic quality of your life, the lives of your dogs, the lives of your canine / dog…

Creating & Marketing Your Animal Massage Business [PetMassage Home Study Course]

Creating & Marketing Your Animal Massage Business [PetMassage Home Study Course] Your business is not only a reflection of who you are; it is a manifestation of what you believe. You develop your business as your business develops you. Create and launch your uniquely personal business plan for near and long-term success and personal growth.…

Support Systems

Support Systems Most mornings I sit for several minutes on the sofa, sipping my coffee, flanked by our two dogs. We settle into the quiet and practice detachment, as thoughts appear and dissolve. Memories, narratives of memories, goals, plans, all randomly float on by. Between the thoughts I experience the present. I feel my breath.…

Prepare your hands before giving PetMassage

Prepare your hands before giving PetMassage Before you begin any exercise, you need to warm up. Stretch your body. Before beginning any project, you need to clean and prepare your tools. In canine massage, our tools are our hands. I’d like to share some ways to prepare your hands so that you can give your…

Core Stability for You and Your Dog

Core Stability for You and Your Dog Stability It’s essential to feel stable during PetMassage. During the massage session, you must radiate stability. When you are off-balance, or can be easily pushed off-center by dogs you cannot be modeling the stability of leadership. And that can happen during sessions when dogs paw at you, nudge…

Canine Massage on Table vs Floor

Canine Massage on Table vs Floor This week we released a new video on our YouTube channel. In it I share my views on practicing canine massage on a table compared to working on the floor. Both have their place. Whenever and however possible though, we need to maintain mindful and ergonomic body mechanics. It is essential…

PetMassage Original DVDs and Books

PetMassage Original DVDs and Books It was just brought to our attention that somehow, someway, Amazon is having “technical issues” with several of our canine massage instructional books and DVDs. How could such a thing happen? PetMassage books and DVD’s show as being unavailable or with prices that are outrageously high. We are working to…

Moving Like a Potted Palm

Moving Like a Potted Palm Did you see it? We are posting new YouTube videos every Tuesday at 2 pm. The most recent is “Moving Like a Potted Palm” Feng Shui/Tai Qi This is one of the body mechanics exercises that we practice during our PetMassage Foundation Level workshop. It’s a variation of a Feng…

Greatest Love of All

Greatest Love of All Woke up this morning with the lines of a Whitney Huston song* on loop-repeat in my head. This has never happened before. At least not with this song. It’s amazing what floats up to consciousness in the last moments of a dream. It’s special when dreams continue into waking state. “I…

Video Tour of PetMassage Classroom

Video Tour of PetMassage Classroom We just posted a new video on our new YouTube channel. It’s the Tour of the PetMassage classroom. I invite you to view the video. Here is its transcript: Intro Hi. I’m Jonathan and I’m here with Camille and Ilaria. We’re going to give you a tour of the PetMassage…

Muscle testing

Muscle testing Muscle testing is a technique used in PetMassage. It’s a visual way of asking your higher consciousness for advice when your regular consciousness isn’t sure. The theory is: that there is another level of communication, of understanding, of recognition that some things are right, some wrong; some things are better for us than…

Some Scholarships Awarded

Some Scholarships Awarded We were thrilled to be able to award $300 Colvin scholarships to Advanced PetMassage workshop students. Their essays showed their appreciation for their training and passion for continuing their practice of Canine Massage. More Scholarships Available We have two more scholarships available for people who would like some financial support to attend their PetMassage…

Celiac Disease in Dogs

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Nutrition and Nature

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Canine Obesity The Effect On the Joints, Prevention, and Management Strategies

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The Life of a Canine Massage Practitioner

The Life of a Canine Massage Practitioner Wake up. Think about massaging dogs. Massage dogs. Do something that supports your dog massage practice. Go to sleep. Repeat. All dogs love and appreciate whatever massage you give them. Your best efforts are good enough for them. Fortunately for them, your best, when you practice, can be…

HOW TO KEEP YOUR DOG SAFE AND HAPPY IN HOT AND HUMID WEATHER

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Crisis At The Dog Park

Socializing At the Dog Park The Park District in Toledo OH just opened its first dog park. Toledo has finally joined the rest of the cities in the country in its dog-friendliness. Going to an off-leash park is a new experience for us. We have a new puppy. We reasoned that if we took her…

Massaging Dogs on The Floor

Quality Control Sometimes it is impossible to get a dog up on a table because they are too heavy to lift, or if they are in so much pain you feel in danger of being bitten. In these rare situations, by all means, do what you can to massage them, even if it’s on the…

No One Told Me About Rescue Dogs.

No One Told Me About Rescue Dogs. There are some significant things that we didn’t know when we set about adopting a rescue dog. The learning curve has been going on for a couple of weeks. Every day we have new insights. New questions. Some are answerable; some, we’ll never know. Some, we didn’t know…

Touch Breathing

Touch Breathing Animal Shelter Pitbull Visiting a dog shelter recently, I watched a young woman bring a young pitbull outside for some fresh air and exercise. She brought him into the gated play area, tossed a ball across the yard, and sat down on a bench to watch him play. The dog showed no interest…

In Uncertainty Lies All Possibility

In uncertainty lies all possibility It is winter and the roads are slick with invisible ice. My tires cannot grip. My car starts its sideward slide. I do what I can. I take my foot off the brake pedal. I steer into the skid. The car keeps sliding. There is a car parked on the…

Raw Bone Chewing PetMassage™

PetMassage™ Foundation Workshop

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PetMassage™ Workshops

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PetMassage™ Demo 2

PetMassage™ Advanced Workshop

PetMassage™ Foundation Workshop