Massage time for dogs: how to play
Slow strokes from head to tail while your dog lies on their bed. A calm bonding moment and a weekly lump-and-bump check.
- Time
- 10 min
- Energy
- Low
- Space
- Small room
You'll need
- a comfy spot
Set up
Pick a quiet time when your dog is already relaxed. Sit beside them on the floor.
How to play
Start with long, gentle hand-over-hand strokes from the head, down the neck and back, to the tail.
Pause every few strokes. If your dog leans in or nudges you, carry on. If they move away, stop.
Gently circle the fingertips at the base of the ears and along the shoulders.
Avoid pressing on bones, joints, the spine or the belly.
Note any lumps, heat or sore spots and tell your vet.
End with a few long strokes and let your dog rest.
House rules
- Your dog decides: leaning in means yes, moving away means stop.
- Light pressure only.
- Make it easier
- Just a few strokes along the back.
- Make it harder
- Take a canine massage class for more techniques.
Signs it's having fun
Heavy sighs, soft eyes, leaning in, rolling onto a side.
Stop if you see
Moving away, stiffening, lip licking, whale eye, or growling.
Safety
Safety- Not a treatment. If your dog is in pain, see your vet.
- Skip areas with wounds, swelling or recent surgery.
- Watch for a lip lick, turning the head away, or freezing: those mean stop.
Sources
Written from these sources and checked against vet and trainer guidance. General guidance, not veterinary advice.
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