First Un Official Massage
I say unoffical because technically I am just pet sitting and thought it would be a good opportunity to do a couple of massages on dogs I didn't really know and in their home. I spent my holiday week with Brixie and Hitcher - two treeing walker coon hounds. Very houndy! You can hear the baying outside the house!
Brixie is 3 and Hitcher is 9. I was able to convince them that massages were great just after a few minutes. For Brixie I wanted to focus on her anxiety. When she's is worried she mouths Hitcher's ears until they are a slobbery mess! So I turned her away with some nice anxiety reducing rocking and calming strokes.
Hitcher got some attention on his hips and shoulders and tummy area since he has some digestion issues. And being a hound, he gives you this very serious - what are you doing, maybe I should bite you - type of look. But he relaxed into it and by evening number three, he was coming to me and sitting in the "massage me please" position. It's just a great thing for the pups and such fun to do!