Dogs Archives · PetMassage™ Training and Research Institute

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…

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…

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…

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,…

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!…

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…

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…

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,…

We are our own seers.

Alyce Sorokie, the author of Gut Wisdom, Understanding and Improving Digestive Health, shared a powerful poem during a presentation I attended 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…

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…

Lateral breathing in dogs

Lateral breathing in dogs Lateral breathing is often not included when we talk about breathing. We think of mouth breathing and nose breathing; chest breathing and diaphragmatic – belly – breathing. I use palmar breathing; and that’s demonstrated at https://youtu.be/EQPlxRXx9bw Lateral breathing includes the functioning of the structures on the sides of the dog: the ribs,…

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…

Dogs Kids PetMassage Book

Dogs Kids PetMassage Book Dogs Kids PetMassage is for dogs, kids and their families. PetMassage is a fun and effective way to help your dog achieve optimal physical and emotional balance. This is an enjoyable, easy-to-follow, book that follows two children as they learn canine massage, and dog handling skills in a PetMassage for Dogs…

Speaking in Tongues In PetMassage; Internalized Sensations

Speaking in Tongues In PetMassage; Internalized Sensations Aromas are Conversational Dogs skin releases aromas during PetMassage. They are different when the dog is sick, healthy, tired, hungry, fearful, lonely, happy, stressed, anxious, holding back, and/or simply relaxing. This is how dogs know so much about each other … and us. Pheromones These aromas are not…

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.…

PetMassage Canine Aquatic Massage

This Helpful Hint blog is based on this YouTube video. Its intention is to describe canine aquatic massage and encourage you to learn and practice it. Canine aquatic massage is a fabulous variation of the dry PetMassage. Sessions are given in a heated (usually indoor) swimming pool. They both have the intention of creating balance, enhancing respiration…

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…

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…

PetMassage Vectoring can support your dog’s recovery after paralysis tick poisoning

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The PetMassage Foundation Level Workshop.

The PetMassage Foundation Level Workshop. New workshop model Increasing its breadth and depth Expanding the workshop experience Reducing the fees for repeating practitioners. New PetMassage workshop model Recently, Anastasia and I attended a body mechanics workshop. The stated intention of the people who were giving the workshop was that they were going to change the practice of…

Spirit Expressions of Lake and Dogs

Spirit Expressions of Lake and Dogs Messages From The Deep Sitting on the beach watching the waves, I’m drawn to the dark grey-blue horizon line defining the lake surface against the luminescent aquamarine sky. The sounds of waves envelop me. The lake is alive; breathing its waves onto the sand. Exhale on, inhale back. The…

Dogs At The Movies

Dogs At The Movies Anastasia and I recently spent a frustrating hour at Family Video, a neighborhood video rental. We were searching for some light entertainment for the evening. What we found was rack after rack after rack of energetically dark movies. We were not about to immerse ourselves for two hours in the throes…

Natural resource

Natural resource Dog Park Dogs have a “natural” way to help us rediscover OUR sense of balance, well-being, and happiness. Anastasia and I took Camille, our boxer, to a dog park. We, along with the other pet parents, watched in rapture as our dogs scrambled about on the meadow. We all had big smiles on…

Love and a dog

Love and a dog I’ve got my jacket on, Camille’s leash in my hand and the little wiggle butt is sitting as pretty as she can, gazing up at me, grinning. I lean over to clip the leash to her collar and I am overwhelmed with the connection that she is making with me. Her…