Massage – it’s good for your dog, too!

~ I asked my friend who is a fantastic, well-known masseuse to give me the low down on canine massage…

Canine Massage – good for you and good for your dog

If you have ever received a massage in a spa or other setting, you know how wonderful it makes you feel.  As time goes on, more and more dog owners are realizing and accepting that massage is beneficial for their dog too.  Not only does it calm nervous and timid dogs, but it also helps dogs with arthritis, elbow or hip dysplasia. The benefits, both psychological and physical, are enormous.   Canine massage is also especially beneficial for show dogs, agility dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, and other working dogs.

The following are just some of the effects massage can have on your dog:

Calm and relax
Energize
Counteract stress
Increase flexibility and range of motion
Restore natural gait and balance
Relieve muscle tension, adhesions and “knots”
Soothe sore muscles and joints
Prevent injury
Accustom your dog to all-over touch
Make your dog feel great!

Why Massage?

At this point, you may be thinking, “I pet my dog all the time; why do they really need a massage?” The answer is simple; while petting is soothing and relaxing for both you and your dog, it is rubbing rather than massage. Your dog’s body actively responds and participates during massage. Massage is the deliberate delivery of strokes using controlled pressure and intention. Massage is beneficial for both physical and emotional well-being.

Ocean Waves Massage is proud to offer Canine Massage for your beloved pet companion.  A full massage generally takes between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on temperament and size of your dog. We always perform a full body massage so that all the muscles of the body receive the benefit of massage, but of course we can always spend more time on a specific area as needed or requested. 

Remember – Canine Massage is not meant to replace normal veterinary care – we work in conjunction with veterinarians to provide your dog with the best health possible.

~ Sounds fantastic. I’m ready for one myself!

Saying Goodbye to one of our own

We’re back after a busy summer. It was also a sad one for our family as we lost of one of our own, Shiloh, my sister’s lovely, young yellow lab.

My husband wrote the announcement in July:

‘Sadly, we had news come through that we lost Shiloh, a lovely, lively yellow lab.  She had suffered with kidney issues for a time but recently things had gotten worse.   When she no longer wanted to chase after her beloved Mr. Bobo toy and refused to chase down the lawn mower, we knew something was seriously wrong. And when it was time, her mom and dad had no choice but to let her go. 

She now joins her step-sister, Trixie, somewhere in a large field chasing squirrels and rabbits and enjoying a long relaxing belly rub. She will be missed.’

Pet Expo 2009 – making friends and rubbing elbows with local anchor, Greg McQuade

Thanks to those who came to see us at the Henrico Humane Society’s Pet Expo 2009. It was a great event with over 3000 visitors and 75 booths. The disc dogs performed and we even rubbed elbows with CBS-6, WTVR’s morning newscaster, Greg McQuade.  He was lovely and stopped by after the show for a quick chat and to tell us of how he fell for a puppy from CBS-6′s Adopt-a-Pet program five years ago.

He even asked Henry’s Backyard for a recommendation to help keep his frisky pup off the furniture, so if you have any suggestions, please share them with us and we will test them out in Henry’s Lab – and send some recommendations to Greg.

We also met Pat Lacy, the inventor of a new type of training harness and the owner of Jackson Sage, a line of herbal skin care products currently available at Whole Foods and Ellwood Thompson’s. Both products will be tested in Henry’s Lab so be on the lookout for our results.

And stay tuned for information on where Henry’s Backyard will be next!

Mickey Rourke and his beloved dog, Loki

The glitter and glamour of the Oscars included one very special dedication. Mickey Rourke attended with a pin photo of his beloved dog, Loki, his 18 year old chihuahua terrier mix who passed away just six days before the show.

Rourke’s deep affection for his dogs is well documented since the Golden Globes six weeks ago when he thanked his dogs during his acceptance speech for winning the Best Actor award for his role in The Wrestler.

“She was the love of my life. She made it until six days ago so she left me at a time after almost 18 years when she knew I’d be alright. That’s Loki. It’s bittersweet because I’d rather have Loki another two years than an Oscar, and I told her that. But she stayed as long as she could. She just fell asleep in my arms. I think we all want to go that way.”

Mickey explained that stars including Bruce Springsteen, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins and director Jon Favreau have expressed their sympathy following Loki’s death.

He said that this Oscar morning he attended church and “lit a candle for Loki and for my grandmother and my brother.”

Rourke did not win the Oscar but did show his softer side and touch the hearts of many dog lovers. 

innovative turf for your local dog park

They call it K9 grass but it is now installed at a dog park in the Los Gatos Creek County Dog Park in Campbell, CA. In the past, the park was hardly used because the ordinary grass would get torn up and muddy in the rain. The park reopened this past December and is already a huge hit.

‘The new K9Grass was designed especially for dogs by ForeverLawn, which is based in Albuquerque, N.M. ForeverLawn says the grass drains well and can withstand wear and tear. It also has a knitted structure that helps wick away urine and odors .’

It’s not cheap but this park was able to install it with help from the city, county and donations. [ I'm thinking I would like it in my yard!]

But if you’re neighborhood needs a good dog park or your dog park needs some work, you may want to check it out.

portable pet feeding and watering system for your MP3 player

The Onion have done it again.

Just in time for the holidays, they have come up with a clever, yet non-existant product every dog owner should have…the iFeast. Here’s the description from their web store:

‘Let’s face it. You and your pet don’t share the same “taste” in music. That’s why TechnoPetz created iFeast, the portable pet feeding/watering system for your MP3 player. Mealtime will never be the same for your pet with iFeast.

No, the products aren’t real. But the empty boxes are. Wrap your otherwise forgettable gift in an Onion gift box, and watch their faces fall when they realize there is no such thing as a pet feeding/docking station for an overly pampered pet’s portable MP3 player—just a crappy bric-a-brac inside you waited until the last moment to buy. ‘

How fun is that? A great laugh for $7.99.

Give it this year for the holidays and let me know what they think!

Obama vs. McCain – which one does your dog look like?

I just couldn’t resist this…the Winners of the ‘My Dog looks like Obama or McCain photo contest.’!

Here’s a link to all the contestants.

So who get’s your vote?

what breed are you?

Did you know that you can find out what breed your “mutt” is? The Wisdom Panel™ MX test is a comprehensive DNA-based mixed breed test for dogs. It can identify more than 130 AKC-recognized breeds that may be present in mixed breed dogs and will answer that nagging question everyone asks you, “What breed is your dog?”

Visit The Mars Wisdom Panel for all the details and to purchase a testing kit for $125. You’ll need to go to your vet to get a blood sample and have them send it off for you but all that is included in the kit.

Knowing what breed your dog is could be helpful in training, behaviour issues and most importantly, health issues associated with the breed. Now some dogs are truly a ‘Heinz 57′ and I think the test will show just some of the breed history – but it’s would be worth a try if you need to know. It also does not detect ALL breeds but there is a pretty comprehensive list on the site.

If you do try it, please give us a shout and let us know how it goes…Here’s to the mutt!

train your dog like the dog whisperer – Cesar Millan

So you want to be a dog whisperer? well here’s your chance…sort of. For all you computer game fans, Ubisoft, the company which produces the Petz and Imagine game titles is coming out this Fall 2008 with a game based on Cesar Millan’s, the Dog Whisperer. 

In the game, you get to be Cesar and help rehabilitate dogs. You are confronted with 40 different common dog issues and, using Cesar Millan’s guidance, learn how to deal with each of them as a dog behavior expert.

“Ubisoft’s team has done an amazing job turning the ‘Power of the Pack’ methodology into an interactive experience,” said Cesar Millan. “The game is easy to play and offers many fun ways to learn rehabilitation techniques that can be applied to dogs in the real world.”

Sounds like great fun and an education. I’ll put out another post when the title has actually launched – I may even purchase a Nintendo DS just to try it out….

Get excited all you Cesar fans – and if you have a Nintendo DS and would like to try it out and provide feedback for Henry’s Backyard, go to the contact us page and shoot me a note and I’ll try to get you a copy.

Please note: the photo is not the actual game cover, just a representation.

is your child feeding your dog alphabet soup?

it’s not what you think…there is a good reason…Martha Speaks. It is a new, sweet animated series on PBS about a dog named Martha. The premise of the story is that Martha the dog has eaten some alphabet soup and can now talk. My little girls love it – and they can be a tough crowd to impress. I liked it too, but they could have cast a better voice for Martha. Just like Clifford, it’s just not right…but, I digress.

According to Susan Meddaugh (Martha’s creator), “Martha the dog is confident, honest, loving, talking and acting before thinking, sometimes wrong but seldom in doubt.” (sounds a lot like my husband). 

The show is meant to help build children’s vocabularies with complex words but also to teach good pet ownership behavior. They hope viewers will come away with an appreciation for the important role dogs play in our lives and to raise awareness for animal shelters and encourage more families to adopt.

The Real Martha
The “real” Martha was a rescue dog who was so out of control, they almost couldn’t keep her. But with training and patience, Martha’s true personality came through. The story premise came from Susan’s daughter who asked the all important question, “if I give Martha alphabet soup, will she talk?” …ahhh a story is born.

Martha Speaks was based on a book series which is being re-released in the fall with new editions and enhancements such as tips for families on building vocabulary. You can find fun and games with Martha at the PBS kids website. Two thumbs up for “Martha the puppy dog” which is what my girls call it.

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