PetMassage, LTD.

Meeting your pet's every knead

Pet massage specialists say touch does more than just pamper

By Jessica Schrader
C & G Staff Writer

Madison Heights resident Jennifer Trombley has a way to help your companion animals feel great, just don't call it petting.

As a certified pet massage provider and instructor, Trombley is part of an ever-growing movement toward making pets part of the family. Now, along with health insurance, designer wardrobes and organic treats, proud pet parents can add in-home spa treatments to their list of ways to give Spot and Toonces the best of the best.

"It's not petting," said Trombley, 29, who recently started Gentle Paws Pet Massage, offering in-home massage services for dogs, cats, and other furry friends. "It is touch, with intention and purpose. You manipulate muscles and skin to increase circulation to improve wellness."

And Trombley said the benefits of pet massage reach far beyond the comfort of a half-hour of pampering. Massage offers the same types of benefits for animals as it does for humans, including increased flexibility, circulation, and emotional calming, in addition to pet-exclusive benefits like socialization and restoring enjoyment of touch to previously abused animals. It can also benefit animals with arthritis and other conditions.

"They just love it," said Trombley, who had considered going into veterinary medicine, but found that massage gave her the best of both worlds - working with animals in a way that doesn't make her seem like the enemy. "I'm still helping them, but they're actually excited to see me instead of terrified shaking on the table."

In fact, Trombley's two dogs, Hopkins and Bailey, "jump right up" on her massage table when it's their turn for a massage.

Trombley studied at the Pet Massage Institute in Toledo, Ohio, and also offers lessons for those who want to learn how to massage their pet. She points out that she does not offer veterinary medical advice, although she will report any unusual lumps to the pet's owner, and massage is not a replacement for necessary medical attention.

Pets with certain conditions may not be candidates for massage, and treatment should not be performed if the animal is clearly uncomfortable.

Warren resident Cheryl Conselyea, who hired Trombley to perform massage on her two great Danes, said massage has helped socialize her dogs and aided with the common growing pains that large breeds experience as they grow into adulthood.

"My youngest Dane suffered a broken leg and because of it she was kind of restricted. Having a 40-pound puppy who's not able to grow socially and explore kind of stunted her development as far as socializing with humans and dogs," Conselyea said. "I thought this would be a great positive experience for being with another human and touch."

And the results?

"They love her!" she laughed. "It was exactly what I wanted as far as socializing. When she first came to the home it was a stranger, now whenever Jennifer comes to the home they're there, wagging their tails, greeting her at the door."

Conselyea's dogs were resistant at first, naturally, but she said they quickly got the idea. "They understand and they thoroughly enjoy it," she said, adding that she also massaged her dogs on her own to help with their growing pains. "This is just a more professional version of what I've always done to them."

As for the naysayers, Conselyea said there are tangible results to pet massage and people should open their mind to the idea.

"My response is 'don't knock it till you try it.' If it's good enough for humans, why not for pets?" she said. "I hope more people can realize the benefits for their dogs. It's a positive thing."

Another local pet massage provider, Detroit resident Helen Denys, said she practiced massage on her own pets for years before becoming certified, and it worked wonders for one of her dogs who had just had hip surgery.

"It really helped get her back moving," said Denys, owner of Woof! It Works and a veterinary assistant at a Detroit animal clinic. "To me it was just immensely helpful. Basically you can relate it to anything that a human massage would do. It's really not much different, and they enjoy it."

For more information on Denys' services, visit www.woofitworks.com, call her at (313) 530-5260 or e-mail helen@woofitworks.com.

Rates for Trombley's massage service vary and packages are available. For more information, call Trombley at (248) 541-3426 or e-mail Gentle_Paws1@yahoo.com.

You can reach Jessica Schrader at jschrader@candgnews.com

Copyright © 2006 C&G Publishing

Read the original article online