I always consider it an added bonus when a dog lies still on their side when being massaged – and falls asleep! Most dogs do, but a small proportion don’t. If your dog is a very active soul and you are concerned that he/she won’t settle, so aren’t suitable for massage, think again! I work on areas that stimulate the parasympathetic system – this is the ‘rest and digest’ part of the nervous system that encourages a dog to relax. Yes it’s great if they lie on their side, but if they don’t, as long as I can instill calmness and relaxation, then they can still have a beneficial treatment to improve mobility, ability and quality of life.
