Kuri K9 Massage
  • Home
    • COVID-19 Safety
    • Blog Posts
    • Hydrotherapy Wraps for Dogs
    • Home Care
    • Freemiums
  • Why Pet Massage?
    • Types of Massage
    • Related Treatments
    • Precautions, Informed Consent
    • Massages for Cats, too!
    • Fitness Programs
  • Praise from Clients
    • More About Me
  • Reiki
  • Book Now!
    • Book your appointment
    • Services, Fees, and How it Works
Picture

Ziggy's First Massage!

3/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
I still hope to post Holly the Shih Tzu's first massage, pretty much from beginning, right to the end of her very first appointment...but in the mean time...

Check out Ziggy's first massage!
As I discussed in Parts 3 & 4 of my What's Involved in K9 Massage blog series, I first assessed Ziggy's stance by having him stand stacked on the floor on all fours…I reviewed his “posture” from the front, back and side at their level. Then I assessed his gait. I watched Ziggy walk, then jog away and towards me, and then from the side, again, at his level (on the floor). Then I palpated Ziggy - stroking down from the base of the skull (about an inch or so away from the spine) to the base of his tail, then raked (splayed fingers) down through his hips/haunches, then barrel, then shoulders/arms — all this first on one side, then the other. In doing this, I’m feeling for temperature, muscle tone, and sensitivity.
At last, Ziggy got to the massage part of his appointment (Ziggy's session is condensed in the video)!

I began with what’s called the effleurage stroke (pressure in the base of my palm, fingers together as much as possible and hovering slightly above) down either side of Ziggy's neck. This warms the muscle tissues and prepares the area for a deeper stroke — raking (fingers splayed, pressure in the tips), which I do down the neck with the lay of the fur. A stroke called petrissage follows (done with my thumbs, in a ‘punching bag’ kind of motion). I finish with at least three strokes of effleurage before moving on to the next region.

A similar routine follows, but also includes kneading after petrissage, down through the shoulders and arms (and hopefully all the way down to the digits of the paws — it depends on what each pet is willing to allow, and in this case, Ziggy doesn't like having his paws touched). The barrel region is next, with effleurage an inch down from the spine (followed by petrissage), raking between the ribs, followed by some petrissage between the ribs and in the abdominals. Some work in the pectorals will happen before or after this area, depending on how the animal is positioned (Ziggy ended up "asking" for work in his pectorals by showing me he wanted belly rubs). I finish with some strokes up from the sternum and through the abdominals towards the stifle/hip.

I also often do stimulating strokes (sometimes just tapotement, which is a piano playing like motion, other times including what’s called “cupping” and “hacking”, but not for Ziggy) across the shoulders and barrel. In Ziggy's case, tapotement just made him feel itchy, so I didn't do too much of this stroke at all (and no hacking).

Then I finish up in the hip area, working down past the stifles, down to the digits (not for Ziggy, though), with both the soothing and stimulating strokes previously mentioned (again, not for Ziggy).  I will sometimes do some soothing strokes, along with tapotement, in the facial and cranial regions right at the end, too, and since Ziggy loves facial massage, I did some soothing strokes in his superficial facial and cranial muscles.

As I go along, if I find a spot that is cold, stiff or knotted, I can also stop there and work on that area with acupressure (this happened once for Ziggy). This involves either direct pressure, pulsing pressure, or rotations (depending on your pet’s tolerance) with my thumb on the knotted/tight/cold spot to relieve the tension.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter and stay up to date on all things pet massage, along with other fascinating pet-related topics and pets available for adoption!

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Regan is a certified Canine Massage Therapist (CCMT), has certification in First Aid and CPR for Pets, and some beginner training in Herbal Remedies and Aromatherapy for personal use.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • COVID-19 Safety
    • Blog Posts
    • Hydrotherapy Wraps for Dogs
    • Home Care
    • Freemiums
  • Why Pet Massage?
    • Types of Massage
    • Related Treatments
    • Precautions, Informed Consent
    • Massages for Cats, too!
    • Fitness Programs
  • Praise from Clients
    • More About Me
  • Reiki
  • Book Now!
    • Book your appointment
    • Services, Fees, and How it Works