Let your dog sit, lie or stand in a comfortable position. Have a calm, relaxed demeanor and speak to your dog in soft tones to help him destress.
If you have a small dog, use smaller motions. For a larger dog, use larger motions. Don’t press your dog’s body so hard that he flinches. Remember, you’re not trying to do a deep tissue massage. You just want to rub his body to help him feel calm and bond with him.
You can stretch the dog’s back legs to help alleviate the dog’s joint stiffness.
Don’t massage your dog when he’s worked up for some reason or another; it’s better to wait until he’s already pretty calm. Don’t massage right after an exercise session; give him a half hour or so to rest first. Don’t massage your dog if he’s not feeling well; simple petting will do, but he might not be up for getting massaged.
Stiffening when you move from simple petting to massage Flinching Growling Biting at your hand Running away
Brush your dog’s fur from head to tail Trim his nails if they’re getting long Trim hair that’s getting long around the dog’s face, legs or tail
You can also gently bend and stretch your dog’s legs to help ease the pain. Some dogs enjoy this, while others do not. If your dog flinches, don’t continue massaging. Forcing it could cause your dog to feel worse instead of better.
The best way to feel for lumps is to run your hands over your dog’s body in a smooth, long stroke. Feel the stomach, legs, chest, and back. Make sure you don’t miss any spots.
