Safety & Precautions:

Remember that the techniques recommended throughout this course are for healthy dogs with no disease or injuries.

If you have concerns regarding your dog, it is vital that you get them assessed by a professional.

If you’re unsure where to start, you can send me an e-mail at sarah@sitstaysquat.ca

For concerns relating to your dog’s structure/skeletal system/joints, I recommend an assessment with an orthopedic specialist.

For concerns regarding neurological function, I recommend an assessment with a board certified veterinary neurologist.

Compromised dogs should be working with a qualified canine rehabilitation specialist.  These are veterinarians or physiotherapists with additional credentials (CCRT or CCRP or CCAT or Sports Medicine Veterinarian) in canine rehabilitation.

 

Additional Precautions:

• Hydration is important!  Dehydration can cause the muscles and fascia to be stiffer, which may cause discomfort.
  
  
• Avoid feeding your dog heavy meals for a minimum of ~2 hours prior to massage
  
  
• Avoid your dog performing rigorous exercise for a minimum of ~2 hours prior to massage
  
  
• Dogs should be “naked” or wearing a well fitting collar during their session.  Please do not have any aversive training tools (choke chains, prongs, e-collars etc) on your dog while they are being massaged.
  
  
• Some owners may need to treat their dog’s massage sessions similarly to “cooperative care” sessions, either by rewarding their dog periodically for their participation, or by giving them a Kong, Lickimat, or Snufflemat to occupy the dog while being massaged.  Please be mindful of your own dog’s boundaries, and do not give them one of these items if they have a history of resource guarding or displaying “food aggressive” behavior.
  
  
• Massage sessions can be done frequently, but I recommend waiting a minimum of ~48hrs before massaging the same muscle.