Canine Massage - A Complete Reference Manual

Learn to massage your dog from a professional
Use massage to help your dog relax, to condition the canine athlete, to assist in recovery from injuries or to ease chronic pain. Learn the techniques of a recognized expert in the field so that you can bring the well-known benefits of massage to your dog or become a canine massage professional. Canine Massage, A Complete Reference Manual, 2nd edition has dozens of photos and illustrations that will guide you every step of the way. It is the most complete book on the subject. New in this edition--detailed examinations of muscular stress points, diagnoses and treatments. Information you can't find anywhere else!

You will learn
The basics of canine anatomy and kinesiology.
Massage movements, pressures, techniques and systems.
Massage routines designed to address specific health problems.
Stretching and hydrotherapy techniques.
Use of massage to relax and bond with your dog.
Tips on how to run a canine massage business.

What dog professionals say about Canine Massage
With sensitive insight and simple language the author describes common muscular problems underlying gait irregularities. Jean-Pierre explains how hands skilled in massage can contribute to a dog's comfort and healing.
Rachel Page Elliott, author, Dogsteps. A New Look. A landmark book and video on canine gait and structure.

Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt has masterfully applied well-known, effective human massage techniques to dogs. Canine Massage is a well-organized, highly readable book that places those techniques at your fingertips.
Christine Zink, D.V.M., PhD., author of Peak Performance, Coaching the Canine Athlete, Jumping A-Z: Teach Your Dog To Soar and Dog Health & Nutrition for Dummies.

Author Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt, L.M.T. was born in the south of France and came to Canada in the early 1980s where he pursued a successful career as a Licensed Massage Therapist treating many well-known athletes and dignitaries from around the world. More recently he has used his empathy and compassion for animals to develop massage techniques especially designed for dogs and horses. Also by Jean-Pierre, Equine Massage: A Practical Guide.



What reviewers are saying...

NORTH SHORE NEWS
Those aches and pains are usually the result of overexertion and are more prone to occur as we get older. These same pains happen to our canine friends and they too can benefit from massage treatment. Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt has been a massage therapist for over 20 years. His compassion and empathy for animals has prompted him to develop massage techniques specifically designed for dogs. Beginning with an examination of canine anatomy and physiology, Hourdebaigt follows with dog kinesiology. Through these opening chapters the reader is offered a better understanding of how a dog moves and the muscles that make it possible. Then Hourdebaigt introduces the principles and techniques of massage and specifically how they apply to dogs. Massage routines, stretches and dealing with common problems are just some of the lessons provided. Detailed illustrations and accompanying photographs help to illustrate the methods. Hourdebaigt's approach is gentle and meant to establish a strong relationship between you and your dog. By starting slowly and building trust you will be able to greatly increase the quality of care you can provide for your dog. Terry Peters

APDT
This book provides a comprehensive and in-depth study of canine massage. It is designed to provide practical advice and information to professionals and non-professionals in an effort to assist with the healing of injuries, provide relaxation, improve general health and fitness, and become acquainted with your dog's overall anatomy and musculoskeletal system. The emphasis of this book is how to apply effective human massage techniques to canines. This includes general principals of massage, massage movements, specific massage techniques, and routines. As a canine of rehabilitation practitioner of seven years, I found his knowledge and expertise to be well founded with a basic, yet practical, approach. He provides an excellent chapter on common stress areas, how to identify them, signs and symptoms, and a logical and organized manner in which to treat them. This may be of particular interest to the canine athlete owner, as such great demands are placed on the canine bodies, and little is known regarding preventative or curative massage treatments. I found this chapter insightful and extremely valuable in providing a simple, yet systematic manner in which to identify and treat stress points. This will enable the owner to maximize the dog's physical performance and potentially prevent injury. In all my own coursework, no instructor has addressed this issue as comprehensively as Jeanne-Pierre. Therapeutic massage is not just a science, but an art as well. He provides an excellent knowledge base of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology of the canine; and his massage techniques appear to be based on successful clinical application. These techniques have proven to be true in the human world of massage and physical therapy as well. I would highly recommend this book to professionals as well as non-professionals. It provides a wealth of information that would benefit the owner in understanding and discovering their dog's anatomy and musculoskeletal system, and a systematic and practical approach to canine massage. Lillian Metteer PT, MTC

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Now in an updated second edition, Canine Massage: A Complete Reference Manual is for dog trainers, breeders, handlers, and ordinary pet owners alike. Author and licensed massage therapist Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt, who treated athletes and world dignitaries before he applied his animal empathy talents toward canine massage, offers clear information illustrated with practical black-and-white "how-to" diagrams. Chapters cover dog kinesiology, principles and concepts of massage, common stress areas, stretching, hydrotherapy, common problems such as inflammation and scar tissue, and much more. Canine Massage is a serious, in-depth guide written by an expert, for professionals, although it is comprehensible to lay people. A "must-have" for anyone charged with holistic therapeutic treatment of a stressed or sick dog. James A. Cox