Kaskaskia College asked me to teach a community service canine massage class for pet owners. The class was called "Petting with a Purpose". The college was concerned about having a live dog in a classroom so the students practiced the massage moves on stuffed animals. The college has decided they will allow one of my Irish Wolfhounds to attend the class next time it is offered.
The students were very pleased and gave the class high marks. I was so inspired working with the students who were concerned with helping their own pets that had problems. The inspiration resulted in two new HTT online classes especially designed for folks who want to learn canine massage for their own pets. These new classes, Petting with a Purpose I and Petting with a Purpose II will be available on line in October 2013.
Petting with a Purpose I – is especially designed for those interested in learning massage to add a new level of care for the pet that shares their life. Students learn why the touch of massage is so powerful and how it benefits the health of the eleven organ systems of a dog. Several basic Swedish massage strokes from the passive touch, effleurage, compression, and petrissage categories are taught and their specific beneficial effects are discussed. Students practice each of the strokes on several appropriate areas of a dog. Performed on their pets, the moves will maintain muscle tone and flexibility in a healthy dog and comfort or encourage healing in a dog with an acute or chronic condition. Learn to pet your dog with a purpose. You will both enjoy it and your human-canine bond will become stronger. A certificate of completion is awarded to signify mastery of Petting with a Purpose I material.
Petting with a Purpose II – is a continuation of Petting with a Purpose I. Several new techniques from the friction, percussion and stretch categories are demonstrated and their specific beneficial effects are discussed. When to massage and when not to massage a dog is discussed, and a simple method of record keeping shows how to track the success of massage sessions is taught. Students learn to choreograph a full body massage from their pet's nose to the tip of his tail using the strokes learned in Petting with a Purpose I and II. Pet your dog with a purpose or massage to relax, soothe and comfort pain from chronic conditions. You will both feel better. A certificate of completion is awarded to signify mastery of Petting with a Purpose II material.
Watch www.HolisticTouchTherapy.com for more information and availability of these two new classes.
C. Sue Furman, Ph.D.
c.suefurman@gmail.com
www.HolisticTouchTherapy.com
This article originally appeared in the October 2012 edition of the Holistic Touch Therapy Newsletter.