Fascia Archives · PetMassage™ Training and Research Institute

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…

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…

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…

Have you heard of the Dunning-Kruger Effect?

Have you heard of the Dunning-Kruger Effect? Do you know what you don’t know? What if you could find out what you don’t know? We can be confident about the things we have experienced with. Things we know. And there’s always another tier of experience just over the horizon that we are not sure how to…

What do Positional Releases feel like?

What do Positional Releases feel like? During positional release, we hold the dog’s body -in a position- and observe how in the tissues under our hands release tension. We describe these releases as shifts in the fascia. The movements can be obvious, like an inflated balloon releasing air, or very subtle, like your mood change…

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,…

YouTube Video Lesson: Massage for Dogs with Allergies.

Here’s our most recent video lesson on YouTube: Massage for Dogs who get Spring and Summer Allergies. A runny nose can be a big deal for a dog. Dogs have 220 million smell receptors in their noses compared to our 5 million. It is not in our Scope of Practice to treat concerns- massage can…

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…

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

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Break Dance

Play Patterns Watching our two dogs play, I see a pattern. They charge, engage, parry, peak to intense excitement, and break away to regroup. Then, they repeat, and each time they rejoin, it’s slightly different. Need For Variation That break away to regroup is essential for effective and interesting play. After all, doing the same…

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…