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Canine Massage & Doggy Shiatsu in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area |
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PAWsitive Touch
SM Canine
Massage
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Frequently Asked Questions Is canine massage different from petting? Yes. Massage extends many benefits beyond those of simple petting. Massage is the manipulation of of muscles and skin to promote increased circulation to all the organs and tissues in your dog's body. In massage we use many different hand positions and strokes along the muscle and joint structure of the dog, and utilize controlled pressure. Why should my dog get a massage? There are a number of PAWsitive effects a massage can give to your dog, and to you. We believe canine massage provides many benefits for your dog's overall physical and emotional wellness. It is a great way to show your dog that you care, and massage can be a very calming and relaxing time for both of you. Please see this page for more information. What types of dogs should get a massage? All kinds of dogs, every dog in fact. Professional MLB players get sport massage, and so do race horses. Why not our canine athletes? Massage can be great for older dogs since it enhances blood circulation and tones muscles. Puppies are good candidates, too. They will learn to accept human touch on various parts of their body, and learn to calm down. Massage can help dogs with recuperation from injury or surgery by enhancing blood and lymph circulation and possibly shortening the recuperation time. Massage is also for our normal, healthy (or couch potato) dogs. Dogs with emotional issues might find massaging effective in finding their inner tranquility. How do we know if our dog likes to be massaged? Dogs who enjoy massage might lean onto your hands, close their eyes, burrow into your hands and arms, some even start to doze off. Every dog has her favorite spot to be massaged. After a while, they may start to come to you and push their favorite body parts to be massaged against you and demand that you massage them! Please check out our happy canine customers and the pictures from our massage classes. Are there any side-effects of the massage? Unlike medicine, there are no side-effects of massage, except the fact that your dog may learn to like it too much and demand that you massage her more often. PAWsitive Touch is a very gentle method of massage, and we do not apply excessive pressure or force to the animal's body. We are extra careful with some dogs including pregnant dogs, dogs with recent bone fractures, and dogs with cancer but we will make sure of your dog's health condition during the initial phone or e-mail consultation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding massage and your dog's health, we urge you to contact your veterinarian beforehand. How long does it take for a massage session? The length of the massage session depends on the individual dog. Since our program is customized according to your dog's health and condition, it's difficult to generalize. It takes some dogs longer to get accustomed to our instructor, and some take longer to get accustomed to the touch of massage. The first session with a shy or reluctant dog may take as little as 30 minutes, and some sessions may take up to an hour. It's very hard to generalize. Our group classes are about 90 minutes, and private in-home instruction classes are also about 90 minutes. How does this process work? If you are interested in PAWsitive Touch Massage, please call or e-mail us. We would like to talk with you to find out more about your dog, and will get back to you with a program proposal. A program consists of a series of three lessons. Then, if you decide to go ahead we will make an appointment and our instructor will visit you with a personalized instruction manual for you and your dog, a portable massage table, and perhaps a surprise for your dog! Which cities do you serve? We currently serve Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Arlington, Springfield, McLean, Vienna, Reston, and certain areas of Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland. We may be able to provide our services in other areas with a small travel fee. We have offered lessons in Prince Williams and Loudoun Counties, too! Can you give massage to my cat? We can show you some of the feline massage techniques, but since most cats don't like to be handled by strangers for a long period of time, massage lessons are difficult with cats. If your cat is one of the super friendly cats, you can contact me and we can discuss about the possibility. Do you massage people, too? No, I am not a people masseuse. There are a number of spas and salons where you can receive massage in Old Town Alexandria, and we'd be happy to refer you to some of the spas that we like. |
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Important Notice: Please note that while we believe canine massage can be greatly beneficial to enhancing the health of your dogs, it is by no means a substitute or replacement of veterinary medical care. PAWsitive Touch provides canine massage lessons to caring dog owners, but we do not offer massage therapy of any sort. If you are looking for a canine massage therapist, we recommend that you contact your vet for referrals. |
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CONTACT: Click here to e-mail or call us at 703-599-5330. All rights reserved. Copyright PAWsitive Touch 2003-2006. |
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