If you’ve got a dog that has arthritis or stiffness issues, a simple treatment that dogs typically love is massage. China, my lab, with her odd-ball bone growth issues, is often in pain. There are times where she can’t put her weight on all 4 feet. She has so much bone growth on her back paws that it’s painful for her. And yet, time and time again, if I massage her along the spine for 5 minutes, she’ll stand right up and begin moving around like a puppy. It’s miraculous and a wonderful thing to see.
A friend of mine is an acupuncturist who gave me this tip that works great!
Put your thumbs on either side of your dog’s spine and work your way down the spine from the neck to the tail making small circular motions with your thumbs. This massage stimulates all of the major energy points in the body. And it works really well! China will get so relaxed that she’ll actually fall asleep and start to snore. She just loves it.
There’s a great article with detailed instructions on general massages you can give you dog on dogs.suite101.com.
Try it on your dog – even (or especially) if it’s healthy. They love the feel of the massage and it goes a long way to keeping them healthy, active, and happy.
Here is a brief video on specific techniques for massaging your dog’s sides. Enjoy!
