Frequently Asked Questions

Our Traditional Massage & Bodywork is $45 for a 30 minute session and $60 for a 60 minute session. Reiki is $40 for a 30 minute session.

Session durations (and therefore, costs) depend on numerous factors including your dog’s size, weight, health, etc.

We only accept cash and checks at this time. We will accept all major credit cards and bank transfers in the near future.

Our current service area includes the following cities: Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Shores, Grosse Pointe Park, St. Clair Shores.

Partially, yes.

We will travel up to 20 miles outside our normal service area, but we will add a reasonable surcharge. Beyond this area, we may be able to recommend a different Massage Practitioner.

Make sure your dog has had sufficient water for the day and it has been at least 30 minutes since their last meal. They should have a bathroom break prior to the session. There should be a quiet comfortable space to do the massage, free of other pets, noises, aromas and other distractions.

Massage provides a safe, natural, non-invasive method of maintaining your dog’s optimal health and quality of life. Regular massage sessions can reduce the frequency of veterinary visits or the need for medication or more invasive, painful and expensive treatments. Massage therapy combined with regular vet visits can be an important part of the overall healthcare plan for your pet.

Any dog can benefit from the positive healing touch of massage. Whether your dog is an older dog with arthritis, a serious canine athlete, is recovering from injury or surgery, has anxiety, is shy, or is a rescue dog who needs to experience positive touch and build trust, massage therapy can provide benefits.

An animal with hip pain will have tense, stiff muscles. The tension in the muscles compresses the joint, making inflamed surfaces rub together, causing further pain. Massage not only helps the muscles to relax, but it also stimulates the release of endorphins – a natural painkiller. Massage improves joint mobility and flexibility, reduces pain, swelling and stiffness to aid arthritic joints.

The techniques used are the same as Swedish massage techniques used in human massage. They are just modified to work with the differences in a dog’s anatomy and on what the dog allows.

Before beginning the massage I will seek permission from your dog and gain their trust and confidence. Unlike humans, dogs don’t always calmly lay in one spot while you work on them. That means adapting to what they will allow and building trust which eventually lets you perform deeper work. It may take a couple of sessions for a dog to fully relax and be comfortable. More often though the initial apprehension wears off after they realize how good it feels.

Each animal is different and has their own unique set of conditions and circumstances. All of these factors help determine the appropriate schedule for your massage plan. A pet with chronic pain or mobility issues might benefit from a massage once or twice a week while a healthy dog may only require a session once, twice a month or more. I will work with you to put together a custom tailored combination of massage techniques to promote the total health and wellness needs of your pet.

Noticeable results may occur after only one session. Sometimes it may take several. Pet owners tell me that their dogs sleep more soundly and eat better, their older dogs are more active and comfortable, their puppies are calm and their anxious dogs learn to relax.

The name Reiki, pronounced “Ray-key”, comes from the Japanese words “rei” meaning spirit, and “ki” meaning energy. It is usually translated as “universal life energy.”

Reiki is a Japanese holistic energy healing system that is gentle and noninvasive and yet yields powerful results for the body, mind and spirit. Reiki is healing energy that releases energetic blockages, whether physical, mental or emotional and safely complements all holistic and traditional healing modalities.

Reiki works by bringing about a deep relaxation response which allows the body to release toxins on all levels of the animal’s being. Releases blocked energy that leads to imbalances and balances the body’s energy:

• Speeds recovery from surgery, injury and illness.
• Helps with stress, fear, anxiety, aggression, depression.
• Helps with other behaviorally-based issues such as nervousness or hyperactivity.
• Helps animals in transition to pass on with peace and dignity.
• Heals past and present traumas.