Doggone Etiquette —

Spa Treatment

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

When your toy is thrown out just because you chewed it to pieces, you dogs are good at forgetting about it. You put little things like that out of your mind almost right away. Ah, but when something bothers your body, you can spend loads of time rubbing it out. You stretch, roll over and over, rub your sides against the sofa, or your ears against a nice thick rug. Those are all ‘feel good’ body rubs, but sometimes you can’t get at the spots all by yourself that need a good rub. Hold on! Help is on the way!

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:

You must know how good physical therapy feels, or – if you’re lucky – the effects of an indulgent full spa treatment. There are lots of TV ads on the subject of how this touch, rub, and massage treatment makes us feel better all over. Well, dog owners, how about spreading some of that physical well-being to those faithful canine friends of yours.

There are specialists who perform this type of therapy on dogs suffering from specific ailments such as arthritis or hypertension, and even offer sessions at doggie day care centers, but you don’t need to be a trained spa specialist just to help your dog feel like the privileged pet he is. Rufus will let you know when what you’re doing makes him feel really super, and he’ll be back for more. Count on it!

It doesn’t have to be, nor should it be a major production, and it can be done almost anytime, anywhere. Start with a firm, but gentle, back rub. Use the palm of your hand and your fingers to gently massage (almost “knead”) slowly along the dog’s back from the top of his neck to the tail. Some dogs don’t like their tails touched and if that’s the case, skip the tail. For starters until you get the hang of it, using only one hand is perfectly okay. Just be sure to keep it slow, firm and gentle.

Go easy and, using the palm of your hand (so your fingers don’t poke) massage gently around the ears. That’s where you might get a “yip” or other sign of objection. It could mean the dog’s ears need to be cleaned, or there is something in the ear like a dead bug or other foreign object. (If you can’t deal with it, your vet can.) The same goes for any other part of the dog’s body where the reaction to your slow, gentle massage is one of obvious pain. For example, such a response around the cheeks or muzzle might indicate a tooth problem. Make a note of all such areas and if they continue to be painful, check with your veterinarian.

Many dogs are sensitive about having their feet touched. Rufus may not object to your gentle rub on the top of his feet, but will back off if you switch to the pads. While you’re at it, this is a good time to see if his nails need to be cut. Shoulders usually welcome a good massage. You’ll no doubt feel the dog’s satisfaction as he presses into your hands.

This spa massaging is definitely not done with Rufus on the grooming table. It can be done almost anywhere, at any time when and where the dog is relaxed and you are, too. A small dog might be on your lap, or a dog of any size just spread out next to you. You could be watching your favorite TV show, or just sitting watching the clouds go by. While it can help to calm a somewhat hyper dog, this hands-on massage actually transfers your peace and quiet attitude to any dog. Soon you will almost hear Rufus say, “More” when you get into areas that make him feel especially good. As you no doubt have guessed by now, this doggie spa treatment is one more excellent way of bonding with your pet.

Until next time – RELAX & BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained and showed Welsh Terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs, the latest being Rescue Me!, which received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.