The physical benefits of massage include:

• increased circulation,
• relief of muscle tension and spasms,
• improved skin health,
• relief of physical stress,
• increased range of motion
• a blissful, relaxed, and rejuvenated pooch!

Increased circulation

Blood is a fundamental ingredient to life. It carries and distributes essential nutrients throughout the body. Unfortunately, blood flow sometimes becomes restricted. Tightened muscles, accumulated scar tissue, and toxins can all inhibit blood flow. This can cause pain, stiffness, or even numbness. By massaging the muscles, we can relax them enough to allow the blood to circulate and do the job it was designed to do.

Relief of muscle tension

Whole-body massage can benefit dogs experiencing targeted symptoms. Like humans, dogs are masters at compensating for pain. In traditional Chinese medicine, they believe in treating the whole body, not only the symptom of an illness. By treating only the symptoms we are not healing the body, we are only concealing the symptoms. For example, a dog who has hip problems will try to avoid putting his weight on his hips because he is feeling pain in the hip area. Therefore he adjusts his body so that most of his weight is going forward onto the shoulders. This can cause muscle spasms in the shoulder area. The dog will develop too much muscle mass in his front end while compensating for the pain in his hips. Therefore, this dog will benefit from gentle hip massage, as well as massage for his front end, back, and the rest of his body.

Improved skin health

Certain strokes stimulate oil glands and promote hair growth for dogs experiencing skin problems.

Relief of physical stress

Through domestication we have dogs of all shapes and sizes. Some movements that are easy for a terrier may not be the same for a Great Dane. We have sloped hips in the German Shepherd's, elongated backs with the dachshunds, shortened backs with the terriers, and we made giants with the Great Danes. All this can result in physical stress. So even if you have a dog that is healthy you want to keep him that way, massage should be used as a preventive method to keep your dog happy and healthy. As massage is becoming more accepted by doctors and the general public as a legitimate practice we are also beginning to realize the importance of preventive medicine.