Chrissy 0:00
Chris, welcome to The Dogs of our lives Podcast. I'm Chrissy Messick, your host and owner of the nature of animals. My dog training and behavior consulting business, get ready to hear journeys from challenging behaviors to heartwarming successes and everything in between. Our episodes will feature personal stories from clients, colleagues and professionals, all centered around our favorite animal companion, friends. Each episode, you'll gain insights and valuable tools from those that have walked the path that you are on with your dog. We'll discuss mindset shifts, growth, training, tips, lessons, learned and so much more. By the end of each episode, you'll feel inspired have a deeper understanding of your dog and walk away with actionable steps to improve both of your lives. Today, I talk with Anja Zakelj, who is a certified canine massage therapist out of Slovenia, and we discuss the benefits of massage for you and your dog, and we talk about how it fosters a deeper connection. And we talk about Silent pain and how that affects behavior, which is super important. She goes over some practical skills and how to get started. We also talk about safety measures, because some dogs do not like to be touched, and they're in pain, and so we need to take safety measures so nobody gets hurt. And then she talks about her guide, and course, that she's starting for massage. So I hope you enjoy listening to this episode, and let's dig in. Oh, so Anja, welcome and thank you for joining us. Hi. My pleasure to be here. So we know each other from a boot camp course that we took together. So I thought it would be great to have you here and join us and talk about what you're most passionate about. You know, ways to connect with your dog on a deeper level, I would say Anja from Wiggle Beat. Is that right? That's correct. Okay, perfect. And so can you just tell us a little bit about yourself, where you live, just briefly, briefly, what you do in any dogs in your life right now?
Anja 2:00
Sure thing, I live in Ljubljana. It's the capital of Slovenia. It's a small European country on the sunny side of the Alps. So we have a very rich nature, lakes, rivers, mountains, seaside. So a lot of environment for a dog to sniff.
Anja 2:20
And I'm a dog massage therapist focused on holistic approach to dogs healing. I believe that the biggest change in dogs health will happen when dog owners will implement certain habits, and most importantly, when they will learn to help their dog at home. This is why I focused on dog massage workshops. So I teach dog owners how to massage their dogs. I also have group programs, and in November 11, I'm launching my dog massage beginners online course. I have two dogs at home. My sweet Pisa. She is a mixed breed. I took her from a shelter when she was still a puppy, but today is she is 14, and together with my partner, we welcome to our home. Also a sweet and gentle Mila. She is a five year old whip it, and I can say they're my official massage models, and I make sure they're living their best life.
Chrissy 3:20
Yeah, yeah. I mean, the dogs that we live with, they always are role models for us and teach us so much, and they seem to kind of put us on our path. Indeed, that is so true, yeah, man, yeah. I think canine massage is so important, and you're certified canine massage therapist, so do you want to tell us a little bit about your professional journey into canine massage therapy?
Anja 3:46
Absolutely, I have quite an interesting story. So when it came time to go to university, I was interested to become a vet, but after spending some time at a college and listening to the initial presentations about the university and the knowledge that I would gain something inside of me told told me that the classical veterinary service wasn't for me. I actually enrolled in a completely different environment back then, in a law school, and I have mastered the degree in law all those years I have, I have been actively involved in dogs, with dogs, and above all, with sports, where, first of all, I got a lot of knowledge about the human body movement and rehabilitation as well. First, I was dancing ballet for 11 years. Afterwards, I was running half marathons for 10 years, and most of those trainings Pisa did with me. So she was running with me all the time up until I got injured. That was actually when it all started, because I needed to go through various different physiotherapy, massages and so on. And for.
Anja 5:00
The whole year I couldn't do any sports, and I was devastated, but then I came across clinical somatics, and it brought me back on track. And at that time, I thought to myself, Okay, so it's easy for us humans, right? We can go to therapy, we can go for a massage, we can help ourselves. But what if it is out there. How can we help our dogs? And this is where I started to gain knowledge. I started researching the field, and I enrolled in dog massage program at the North pet School of animal massage in Washington, USA, also animal acupressure. And for the next two years, I worked closely with Shintaro Masami and their Labus garden Wellness Center in Japan, and also finished EMET certification. So I'm also an EMET therapist with its headquarters in Australia. So there are actually a lot of different fields on approach to dog's body, that even deepened my understanding, and, of course, most importantly, added layers to my massage practice. Yeah, that's pretty amazing, and it feels so familiar with my background in sports medicine, going from, you know, working with the human athletes for 20 years, doing all the Therapeutic Modalities massage and then going into dog training. But what I've found with dog training, like the behavior is just a symptom of everything that's going on. And so as I continue with my journey, you know, it's looking deeper and looking at the body, and if there's any medical issues, pain, just the energy work too. So you have a very rich background in many things, and dog body work, and you just have a plethora of knowledge of so many things. So I appreciate kind of everything that you are bringing to the table to help dogs. And so I can't wait to talk about that more. So we're going to go back a little in time. And I always ask everyone this question, because I feel like it's so important. But what did you learn about values and beliefs and how they shaped your thoughts, feelings and attitudes toward animals in your childhood, and then have they changed it all over the years. When you're a kid and you're dreaming about your profession of becoming a vet, a teacher or an architect, let's say, Well, wait for it, when I was two, I wanted to become a dog.
Unknown Speaker 7:39
That's actually
Anja 7:42
I was actually walking on all fours and carrying my dad's sleeper in my mouth. And my parents even have a photo of it. So it's a funny story, indeed, but it shows in a beautiful way just how connected I felt the dogs already back then. So I must say that somehow I brought this love with me. Of course, my environment helps. My whole family loves animals, and I could learn the affection firsthand. Also, my grandmother had a big farm. Whenever we visited her, I spent more time in a barn that in her living room, and my mom wasn't really amused, I must say, because afterwards, first I smell like a little barn myself. Yeah, and if you can just think about of hearing a smelly kid in your car for 30 kilometers, it's not really a pleasant thing.
Anja 8:31
Back to your question, what actually shaped my connection, or what was actually my first impression that stayed with me really strongly, is my connection to BIM. He was my grandmother's neighbor's dog. He had a really big influence on me. So he was a completely wild dog, but not dangerous. And as a child, I came to when I came to my grandmother, I also came to visit him every time. And not only that, I let him out of his cage. He was in a cage, and we walked through the village together for severe hours, and I can still remember just the two of us. I was actually a little kid, and we were walking through the metals. I still remember that time, and it was so beautiful. A wonderful bond was created between the two of us. I still remember how he used to protect me from aggressive village dogs, so I remember this forever. Despite the fact that he was not a trained dog, he understood everything with him. I learned a lot about how dogs work with the energy they feel, and this is still my guide today. Oh, that's really sweet. Can you share any personal or professional challenges with your work that you're doing that have changed how you approach anything? At the beginning of my journey as a massage therapist, you know you're all enthusiastic and you want to help with all the knowledge that you have in your hands. You come all enthusiastic in the first home.
Anja 10:00
I think this happens quite often with massage therapists. So one of my first clients was Psych. He was 16 year old by the time mix Shepherd. He had a very interesting background or history. He ate a rat poison and survived. He was hit by a car three times and survived. It was crazy. What? What an interesting story he had, and he was still alive. But at 16, he really showed severe abnormalities. So for example, no matter the activity he had during the day, he couldn't sleep at night. He had no somia. He was peeing all over, he was barking, and he his behavior and character changed. So I came there to start with massage therapy, and our first session, I couldn't even call it a session, so I barely touched him, and I was so devastated because I couldn't give everything that was inside of me, or I couldn't perform a proper session. So it was very interesting to for me to look now on that time, but I think it was a very good experience, because it taught me how many to go with the flow of the dog, right? We don't need to, or we shouldn't push things. So I allowed some time, and I also offered him the room and the space it needed, and we established such a beautiful connection. I came there two more times. On the third session, I could perform the whole the whole ritual, the whole therapy. I was happy myself, because already, with the therapy itself, just because we could, I could touch him, I could really perform the whole thing. I was amazed and touched only I mean already, by the way, how he led me in his space, how we gradually come to this, to this condition, right? And I think as a massage therapist, this is one of the most beautiful experiences that you have. Then as a side effect, of course, comes also the improvement. And when I saw, when I got these videos, I literally cried. I know how he was walking before he had a terrible gait, and I saw the videos of how he's hiking again. He wasn't hiking the next day, but already in the next day, he showed his puppy behavior again. He was cheerful, so it was like day and night, and after a month, he could start hiking again. Those are really stories that were my heart and psych story was at the core. Beginning of my journey is something that really influenced me as well in how we should approach the healing modalities and our body work. And not just the body work, but our relationship towards dogs. We are used to pushing things. We are usually used to move things in our lives
Chrissy 12:46
dealing with heavy energy, or you think that only energy, the high energy, will turn things. But this is not true. I think that the most beautiful thing that we can learn from our dogs is the gentleness and move mountains. What you said, is just super important about going at the dog's pace. I think with many humans want to fix their dog now, but I think such an important thing, you know, even as trainers or behavior consultants or behaviorists, we want to just give all of our knowledge. We want to vomit our knowledge everywhere. But the best thing that we can do is go at the human's pace and the dog's pace, and that's, you know, giving them time to absorb all the information and work on skills. The same thing with massage. I mean, there's dogs that are in pain, so they're gonna show these behaviors that say, Hey, I'm not comfortable with this. And so it was so good that you were able to process that information and listen to the dog and say, Hey, we're gonna go at your pace. And the session that you came there to do may not look like you thought it would, but stuff is getting done. I've had that with some of my other clients, where I've gone in and, you know, work with dogs that have bite histories and this kind of thing. It's funny because the humans like you didn't do anything like, what am I paying you for? What are you doing? And I said, I promise we're doing something. We're just going at your dog's pace. You know? It's just patience. So I think that is a great lesson that you learned straight away. And the benefit is that you were able to trust each other and connect with each other, and then the symptoms of everything that was going on, they went away, because you were able to to connect and trust on a deeper level and get that work done. I think that's great. Thank you for sharing that. So can you tell us? We're going to talk about massage now.
Chrissy 14:43
Can you tell us how massage therapy for dogs is beneficial for dogs humans and their relationship? I love to talk about that
Anja 14:53
massage per dogs is transformative on so many levels. I'm happy that you mentioned per dog.
Anja 15:00
Yes, and for humans and for their relationship, yes, physically, it helps to ease the pain. For dogs, even reset the muscle memory. It increases mobility, boosts immunity. On the emotional side, it deepens trust. It's helping dogs to feel safe, connected and for the human dog relationship, this is something that I wish for every dog owner to experience. It creates a beautiful space where we learn to read each other's cues and build deeper understanding. It's a beautiful and profound bonding experience that enhances not just the dog's quality of life, but the humans as well, creating a harmonious relationship. Why is that so? Because we oftentimes don't take time for ourselves in this fast pace of life. We kind of forget about ourselves, but we probably start to see that our dog is slowing down, or he actually we can see the pain, or we can say, see the change in his, his or her behavior, and this is when we stop and we try to find a solution. With dog massage, is what I usually see. Is first day, of course, dog owners, they come to the vet, maybe certain methods don't help their dog, and then dog owners are looking for some alternative solutions. And when they start working on their dog and with their dog in this way, they are first taking the time for themselves and for their dog. They're creating a calm environment, because you cannot work on a dog if you're anxious or in a worry or sad, because your dog will not allow you to work on them. They're like sponges, and they will soak all of our energy. So we first need to create and clear ourselves of the intense energy. So creating a dog massage ritual will actually benefit you as a dog owner, because you will need to clear your space. You will need to feel grounded, and when you'll start working on it, of course, we love to spend the time with our dogs, you will see how this connection grows and how this helps him or her. So I think it goes both ways. And what I also see is especially on the workshops, which I love the most, because I can get in touch with dog owners personally and meet their dogs. I oftentimes see that the condition that a certain dog have is actually a copy paste condition of their dog owner, but they are not aware of it. Of course, it's easier to see that from another perspective, not if you're influenced in it, but oftentimes I see when a dog owner starts to pay attention, it starts with dog massage. They start to the healing process on their selves as well. Yeah, I, I've seen that too. It's, it's kind of interesting, because it's like, sometimes it's okay, we have a dog who is struggling here, and then sometimes you'll see the dog and the human have similar things going on. And it's, it's fascinating. So it's like doing detective work and seeing what's really is the dogs and what's the humans? And, yeah, so that's fascinating. And, yeah, those are great benefits for the dog human and the relationship. Thanks for sharing what you've seen. You know, my main focus is training and behavior consulting and digging deeper to see what's causing behaviors, certain behaviors. So can you tell us what you've seen in regard to pain and behavior and how massage and body work has helped with that? That's a great question.
Anja 18:28
Dog owners may notice their dog is behaved differently, so he has changed his character or temperament, but they often do not realize that the reason for this is, in most cases, in pain that their dog feels, and because they walk on all fours, it's much easier for them to distribute the weight of their body, and this is why it can take years before we realize that something is wrong, like then it's oftentimes too late to make any radical changes. Of course, the dog becomes less playful, perhaps even sadder we see in their behavior, in stubbornness, even aggressiveness, squirrel moment. So I wanted to take a moment here to talk about some of the labels that we use, sometimes, such as stubborn or being spiteful. And it's usually labels that we give to dogs that we use as humans. The dogs aren't really being stubborn or being spiteful. What they're doing is communicating how they're feeling about something, or they're uncomfortable so they don't want to walk, or they don't want to go up the stairs or something like that. So it's not that they're being stubborn. They're just communicating that they don't feel good, and this is all because they try to protect its sore spots, the painful spots. When the pain is present, dogs often become defensive and easily triggered. They are protecting the painful area, and the massage can reduce muscle tension, joint stress, improve circulation of the blood, helping to elevate the pain and in turn, reduce the.
Anja 20:00
Aggression, not only that, so the physical touch has a calming effect. It releases endorphins, and it's helping the dog feel safer and more relaxed. The response decreases anxiety, helping aggressive dogs feel less dense and more trusting over time, which I think is the most beautiful thing. Yeah, some dogs become aggressive due to frustration as well, from what they feel and massage enhances body awareness and helping them reconnect with their own bodies and move more comfortably, reducing irritation, and again, behavior issues. I saw a lot of transformation, if I can say like that, when I was also working with dogs with a muzzle, and I think this is really encouraging for the dog owners to do, because if they have painful areas, you never know how they will react if you push on a button. Right? I also have a client which we remove the muzzle at the end. So those are also some amazing stories. But I'm very happy that you asked this, because it's very important, and it's the silent pain that our dogs feel. Oftentimes we are not aware of all the abnormalities, all the subtle signs that our dogs is suffering in silence. I explained about the wolf nature, but you as a dog owner who has your dog at home. 24/7 you know how your dog acts. You know how your dog a walks. And I even encourage dog owners to record the gate of their dog or record the run of their dog, because you're so used to looking at him that you don't even see those societal changes, but if you compare the recordings, you can see that, let's say he or she started hopping. Maybe some dog owners think this is cute, but this actually is far from that. It shows that there is certain abnormality in the body imbalance, and it should be addressed as soon as possible. And most importantly, I think that all those subtle changes can be addressed already at home. You as a dog owner, have all the power in your hands to help your dog already at home, with massage, with adapting the furniture, also with the diet, as if far too many overweight dogs. And of course, this puts another layer to the pressure to dogs joints. So yeah, this is a very important topic, and I think far too often ignored. Yeah, so many important points. The other idea of the silent pain is super important. A lot of you know veterinary behaviorists, you know, they see pretty significant behavior issues with dogs by the time they get to them, and they have found that, like, up to 80% of it is pain related. If your dog is showing any aggressive looking behaviors, or they're anxious or they can't settle, or, yeah, frustration type stuff, you know, look for pain. And that's what I'm doing more and more with clients, is looking at their dog's gait, kind of pointing out to the Guardians, like this is what I'm seeing. And the stiffness or the discomfort, you know, let's do some of these things, yeah, so so many important points that you bring up, but those are two that stick out in my head. Is that silent pain. The other thing too, that you had mentioned, that I think is really important, and then I was going to ask you is, you know, the dogs that come to you with, you know, they're very sensitive to touch, and they're showing those like, Get away from me, behaviors. How do you approach that in a way that is safe for everyone? There are actually certain tricks or certain methods that you can do, for example, which it's, maybe sounds funny, but with licking the palm of your hand, actually the front hand, because in the saliva, we actually have a lot of information that could be very informative for the dog. So oftentimes, if you do that, it's very important that you don't lick dirty hands. But in the dog's world, they get a lot of information about you. They're also sniffing themselves. In this way, they get a lot of information about the other dog, or also another human being. If I do this, they are focused on the smell, not on all the whole presence, right? You also shouldn't go in front, or, let's say putting your hand up to the dog, which I often also see on the streets. You should come from, from the left side. You should put yourself in the height of the dog is possible. He should come to you. You're not pushing into their space. There are a lot of little tricks, and when you start communicate their language, you oftentimes don't have any issues. I didn't have any bad experiences again, because you just learn to give them space. It also helps if you have good intentions, yeah, yeah, the intentions and giving them space. So people are probably like, what the heck licking your hand. So
Anja 24:58
I'm sure about that.
Chrissy 25:00
I totally get what you're saying, because, yeah, saliva has a lot of information. So when you're saying, lick your hand, and then what do you do after you lick your hand? Yeah? You let them come to you and sniff your palm if they want to, of course. Yeah, yeah. You also said that some dogs you are muzzled.
Anja 25:20
Yeah, some are muzzled. Usually it takes just a lot more time you meet outside of the room, so you're not entering the room as a complete stranger. I encourage people to meet outside a couple of times before I entered at home, so a dog knows me. I of course encourage them also with some treats outside, not during the massage session, because you don't want to engage them. You just would want to calm them down. So it takes much more time. In the end, it's very beneficial, and you can actually create a very beautiful bond, yeah?
Chrissy 25:53
And I think the main, the main point that I want to get across is nothing is forced. Nothing is forced with what you're doing, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. So do you have any thoughts or suggestions for anyone who's curious about doing massage with their dog, and what would be the best way to get started?
Anja 26:13
Of course, I'm very happy to hear this, for anybody who would love to start. So the best way is to lay your palms on your dog. You can start with gently patting on the neck and slowly getting to the base of your dog's tail. Set your intention. Don't forget to breathe and while going throughout the body, pay attention to what you feel underneath your hands are the muscle stands here. I would love to mention that a healthy muscle and the feeling we should have underneath our hands should be like a sponge. So it should be soft, not too soft, but our fingers should, should actually just fall into the muscle, right? So this is a healthy muscle. Check your dog's feedback is his, or she's squinting with his or her eyes? Does it feel nice to him. While you're doing it, you're also developing a whole new level of communication, because you're also getting certain feedbacks that you probably haven't seen before. You see what feels nice what doesn't, and you apply the pressure, of course, based on what you see. So if you start slow and in a calm manner, you'll talk, will start to trust you, he will, or she will know exactly what you're doing. So it she can be or he can be, also prepared for that. In this way you can gradually continue to learn also other techniques, yeah? And I think the important thing is, like, you don't need to press hard. It's a that's such an important topic, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a very gentle touch. So the touch on your dog shouldn't be more than a pressure on your eyeball. You start with that kind of pressure.
Chrissy 27:49
Oh, that's a good analogy, right there? Yeah, I like that.
Anja 27:53
It's really my part. This is how you start. Because people are again, oftentimes we are used to, if I go to a massage, of course, I like to be throughout the massage. I like the pressure. But of course, our dogs are usually they weigh much less than we do, so we shouldn't apply the same pressure. Please, keep in mind that if you apply more pressure, you can actually do more harm than good.
Chrissy 28:16
Yeah. So you said, what a what healthy tissue feels like? What does, I guess, unhealthy tissue feel like it's hard on a touch.
Anja 28:25
It's very hard. Your fingers cannot really go, yeah, go into the muscle. Go into the muscle. Yeah, yeah. Also, you can sense some hot areas, cold areas. So there are many different types of feedback that you can get from your dog, from his body. And this is again, connected to Silent pain that we spoke about. Right when you start to work on your dog's body, you can get a lot of different information that can help. Then later on your vet or yourself, if you'll start practicing dog massage, or if you're you, if you will search for any professional, yeah.
Chrissy 28:59
So I guess a couple of things that I want to talk about. So I have a couple clients that I'm doing this kind of neuro facial release right now. I
Chrissy 29:25
a squirrel moment. So I wanted to talk about neuro fascial release real quick, just to give you an idea of what it is. It's a gentle, non intrusive massage technique that can help with a variety of conditions, and it can help by releasing soft tissues, restoring communication between the brain and the spinal segment. It can relieve muscle stiffness and joint soreness. It can reduce pain and anxiety. It can increase mobility and flexibility. Can help break down scar tissue and adhesions, and it can help correct muscle imbalance. So it can do a lot of cool things. It's really simple to do, so I encourage you to learn a little bit.
Chrissy 30:00
More about it. We just started. They both show pretty reactive behaviors. They're kind of anxious a lot of the time. And so, you know, I've been working with them for a while, and we've made lots of progress, but I but I know, like there's some other issues going on that I think is the silent pain, and so with the humans, okay, I just said, I'm gonna, is it okay if I just start doing this neuro facial release type stuff? And they're like, Sure. And so literally, with both of them, the first time I did it, I just did three little reps, and they're like, Okay, I'm done. And they walked away.
Chrissy 30:39
And I just watched their behaviors to see how they responded to it like very gentle touch. As soon as I got to, I think, a sore part, they would kind of whip their head around, or they would mouth my hand, or they would start to get stiff. I was just very aware of their behaviors. Both times when they were done, they would just get up and walk away. And so I'm like, okay, perfect, you know? And I was hardly touching them at all, like, yeah, it was so sensitive. And so then the second time, I was able to do longer, like, I was able to do a little bit longer, and they were, yeah, and so just kind of more relaxed. So anyway, it's just so cool, you know, to be able to,
Anja 31:28
you know, especially with em technique, I'm not sure how much you're familiar with it. It's very similar to Bowen therapy. So it's a very subtle touch. It's such a subtle touch that most of the people that didn't experience the therapy on themselves wouldn't even believe that they can have it can have an effect on the body. Two years ago, I had a very interesting experience due to my bone therapy. I had the therapy, and we went through quite a lot of spots all over my body, quite a lot of areas. Also, I had a very difficult period in my life back then. So it was not only physical, it was also emotional. And of course, we locked inside our emotions in our body right the bone. Therapy helps to release this sorts of tensions. Two days after the therapy, I got such a blockage in my back that I was completely I couldn't move, and I actually called the ambulance. I didn't understand where this pain comes from, and I couldn't move, and I can bear the pain really well. I was so afraid, and yeah, I called an ambulance, and afterwards, also my therapist, and they actually took me to the urgency room. I just wanted to say it's the subtle touch that can really cause a big effect and a big release of certain emotions of your body after this therapy. And I had it many times, but this was actually the second time, and it has this major after effect, I started to expect all those therapies even more it's maybe better to first experience those therapies on yourself before working on a dog. I'm sure that not everybody have the same experience, but at the same time, I was very happy to experience something like that, because we also need to allow some time for our dogs to process the emotions that goes out with hand therapies and with Emmett, it's exactly the same. So it's a very similar technique. Whenever I have live workshops, it's so funny, because first, people just don't believe that it can make an effect. This is why we first do the corrections on ourselves we do, let's say a neck pain relief, and also the relief of pain on our hands, which are oftentimes stuff because we sit behind the computer right, we join the car, and we don't pay attention a lot to these areas. It's so interesting and so beautiful to see when people experience the release and also the ends on their body, and not only the physical effect, but also the emotional and how they how do they feel, especially after the therapy? After those corrections are done, they really see that the pressure shouldn't be hard. So they learn how to put their hands on their dog and how a gentle touch can really make a big affect. So I completely agree here with you. I would say again that when you start with dog massage, you should start slow and most importantly, gentle and let your dog lead the way.
Chrissy 34:37
So is there anything that's weighing on your mind, or any nugget of wisdom that you would like to share with our audience? Yes, a lot, actually,
Anja 34:46
but actually, the most important is for people to remember that every dog, like every human, has its own story. When we approach them with empathy and patience, we unlock the incredible path.
Anja 35:00
Essential for healing and most importantly, for the connection that we spoke a lot about today. So we're not just massaging muscles. We are boosting trust. We are easing the pain and improving their overall quality of life. So we should really approach this in with this in mind, because, like I mentioned, it's not just working on their muscles. Even before we approach our dog, they will feel with what kind of intention we are approaching them, intention. And course, our state of mind is one of the most important thing, and it's the guiding line of hairy massage therapy. Yeah. So important. Our intention and and seeing you know each dog and each human has their own story and how they respond to things. Guy always like to say, see who your dog was truly meant to be. I know it sounds a little cheesy, but
Anja 35:54
no, it's true. Yeah, yeah. I really feel that underneath all of the behaviors that you're seeing, see who your dog was truly meant to be. I'll also like to point out that usually when we see a certain difference in our dog's behavior or character, or if we see that he or she is in pain, we take them to the vet, right? But of course, I encourage that, and I think that the vet check should be regularly on your schedule, but there are so many things that a dog owner can do already at home. So if you keep your dog's weight optimal, you can go away from so many issues that I see in dogs, so many joint problems. Also, if you exercise together, if you massage your dog and stretch, you can contribute to their health, to their well being, so much. And also, if you pay attention to your dog's movement, like I mentioned before, if you do the recordings of your dog's gait, you can detect any signs of silent pain or any discomfort before they come into full swing. Those three things I would really encourage you to do, and I think they're free. They are easy to do. And most importantly, you can do that at home. So it's something that you can do today to improve your your dog's health and well being Yeah, yeah, definitely, prevention is huge. And if you were doing all these things and really paying attention to your dog when you do go to the vet, you can give them so much good information that they could work with, and you guys can work together be an advocate for your dog as well, exactly because they look up to you with their whole life, right? You are the one who is choosing the right diet for them, the right habits for them. Do you take them to sniff around, or he's just going through the same circles, right? This contributes to their brain health, to their social life. I mean, we're also the social beings, and just think about, how would you feel if you would eat the same, if you would exercise? Right? It's very similar in the dog's world, with that difference that you choose the habits yourself, but you are choosing the habits for your dog.
Chrissy 38:13
So this is very important to keep in mind, yeah, and I think it a lot of it starts with the human habits too, really looking inward and looking at your habits and your behaviors and what you're working on with yourself. Like, if you can do this with yourself, you can do this with your dog, but if you're having a hard time doing it with yourself, it's going to be hard to do it with your dog. So a lot of this, you know, really starts with the human, and then being able to do this with your dog, and I'm not saying, like, it's, you know, it's all on the human. There are some dogs where there's just things going on that need to be dealt with, and there's, like, chemical imbalances, and there's literal pain issues that you know need support. So I think it's a combination of of both, of course. Yeah. So what's the best way for people to reach you?
Anja 39:07
If they have any questions, or they want to learn more about what you're doing right now, or if they want to work with you, you can reach out to me over wigglebeat.com, that's W, I, G, G, L, E, B, E, A, t.com or we do it on Instagram, and I'm happy to get in touch and answer any questions you may have, yeah, and you have this course coming up November. What was this 11th? Yes, November the 11th, I really encourage dog owners to start massaging their dogs at home to do a preventive work. I combine all the most important massage strokes, also, prom exercises, stretches with which you can start so you can actually create a routine specifically designed for your dog. Also, I have different group programs, herbal ball technique.
Anja 39:59
It's cyclical pressure, traditional Chinese medicine technique. I also teach Emmet, like mentioned before, so yes, a lot of stuff in the basket, but you can start with the dog beginners, with dog massage, beginners online course, and then continue with everything that you're interested in or your documents
Chrissy 40:21
Perfect. And we'll put the the link for that in the show notes so people can check that out. Thank you,
Chrissy 40:27
all right. Well, thank you so much for joining us. It's been great talking with you and learning. You know, we learned a lot today about massage and how it can benefit everyone involved. So thank you. Thank you so much for having me. Oh, well, there you go. Thanks for listening. I hope you learned something new about your dog today. I hope you put some skills into practice with looking at their gait or maybe starting some massage, just developing a deeper bond. And if they are having some different behavior issues, maybe they are having silent pain. So if you want to learn more, go ahead and click on the links in the show notes, and you can get started. Dogs truly are special beings and can change lives if we're open to what they have to teach us, this not only impacts you and your dog, but can also make a positive impact on the world. If you're finding value in this podcast, the best way to support us is by leaving a review up to five stars and sharing it with your family, friends and fellow dog lovers around the world. Lastly, I'd love to connect with you. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook at the nature of animals, and visit my website at www dot theanimal nature.com,
Chrissy 41:36
until next time, be curious. Show compassion and have courage. And.
