Isn’t this just the BEST subway ride?  This is a video of Larry the Bulldog enjoying a massage on a train ride.  This is what we call “luxury spa on the go”.  What a wonderful way to spend time for both Larry and his dad.  They both look so very relaxed.  Actually, massage lowers blood pressure and stress for both the receiver and the giver, according to Lola Michelin in Modern Dog Magazine.  She suggests adding a 10 minute daily massage to maintain your dog’s health.  And bonding time for both of you.

How to massage a dog

Use a flat palm to touch through all the layers—from the hair down to the fat and muscle and bone.  This actually helps you to know what is normal on your dog’s body.  Overtime, if you feel something different, you can provide the information quickly for your vet.

Here is a massage tip the next time your dog feels nervous or restless.  Maybe he is afraid of thunder, or getting a vaccination at the vet.  Or maybe he gets scared when getting his nail trimmed.  Lightly rest a flat palm on your dog’s head or neck.  Make a sweeping motion down his spine and down the tail.  Do this several times.  If he likes it, you can use a little more pressure.

When you finish, rest one hand on the base of his head, and the other hand on the high part of your dog’s hips.  This helps to relax the body.  Lola also suggests offering a warm-up massage for our active dogs before they go for a jog of heavy duty playing.  It’s similar to us warming up before we run.  She also walks us through how to massage our dogs with stiff joints to soothe them.  You can read the detailed instructions for those massages here.  If you like this video, you might also enjoy this one!

Article source:  Lola Michelin in Modern Dog Magazine