What is Effleurage? It’s French, and means “to touch lightly on”. It’s one of the principal strokes in massage, and because it’s so gentle, it can be performed on any part of the dog’s body, even over bony areas like joints, or the head. It’s a very versatile stroke, in fact, an entire massage can be done using just this one stroke. It’s a stroke that’s done with either one or both hands, following in the direction of your dog’s fur. It’s a soothing stroke that warms the body, increases blood flow, helps to remove fluids and toxins, and ultimately relaxes your dog. Plus it’s easy to do!

Have you ever had a massage? If so, I bet you felt wonderful afterward! Even if you haven’t had a massage, chances are you know what it is; the manipulation of skin, muscles and joints for the purpose of affecting physical or emotional changes in the body. While massage for humans has been around for millennia, canine massage as a practice is relatively new. The benefits of massage on humans are well documented, so why shouldn’t the same benefits apply to dogs as well?

Prior to 2005, I didn’t know there was such a thing as canine massage! But after a vivid dream, I researched it, and changed careers. As ridiculous as it may sound to some people, aqua therapy, massage, aromatherapy, acupressure, and other modalities are viable, proven, non-invasive, holistic options for maintaining health and treating a wide range of conditions both in humans and animals.

Although I think most people are familiar with dysplasia, I thought it might be of use to just review what it is. Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are the common terms used to describe the abnormal development of the respective joints. Both hip and elbow dysplasia are inherited conditions.

Oh just to have someone rub my ears, he thinks – the pleasured look on your dog’s face tells you how wonderful it feels. Why is this so enjoyable? It’s because there’s an entire network of nerves that extend to the internal organs sending impulses throughout the body. Acupuncture and acupressure practitioners have been targeting the ears for years for this reason.

I’ve been thinking recently about canine massage and why many people view it as a luxury rather than a necessity. In the human world, massage is routinely prescribed by doctors these days because the medical benefits are so clear and are growing daily.

A friend of ours was telling us a story about someone she knew who hired a canine massage practitioner to work on their dog. The dog was apparently older, had severe arthritis, didn’t want to move around, and the owner felt that massage would be a good way to help provide some pain relief so the dog would want to be more mobile.

Although I think most people are familiar with dysplasia, I thought it would be good to review what it is.  Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are the common terms used to describe the abnormal development of the respective joints. Both hip and elbow dysplasia are inherited conditions.  Hip dysplasia is due to abnormal looseness between…

Beginning May 5th ,we are hosting our Mommie and Me fundraiser for breast cancer research and support. You can get a massage or reflexology session and your dog (if you chose to bring him or her) can experience either a massage or swim session.

The effleurage massage stroke is very versatile, and it’s a great stroke to use to calm a dog.

We are the only Orlando dog boarding and Orlando doggie day care center that has an indoor heated pool for dogs. See it for yourself by scheduling a tour!

Rocky's Retreat | 2826 Shader Rd. Orlando FL 32808 | info@rockysretreat.com | (407) 295-3888