Welcome to our Senior Dog Blog

This blog is dedicated to all the dogs out there that have a few great years under their fur! The dog who has seen you mature, seen you through hard times, seen you laugh and cry or may have been there through a relationship or two. The "old faithful" guy or girl in your life that you know would always be waiting for you to come home with open paws! The one who is always happy to see you and can't wait to get your love and attention but would always give you so much more in return. We know, in our hearts, that even without a spoken word, this dog has helped us through many hard times and has been there to rejoice in our good times. We thank you for always being there and for somehow just always knowing what we need to make us feel better.

Here's hoping, that through this blog, we can give back at least a portion of the joy that they have brought to our lives over the many years.

Run by Vicki Sutkowski, CMP of For The Love of Hope Canine Massage & Stretching

My Photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Doggy Zen Den was founded after years of working with dogs both in Canada and the U.S. I was driven from a young age by my compassion for animals and as I grew older I sought to provide a service to animals that would encompass personal touch, love and health benefits. I teach seminars & workshops to dozens of dog owners. While my practice is inclusive of all dogs, I have focused a majority of my efforts on working with senior and shelter dogs. I received my canine massage training from Midwest Natural Healing and have attended certification courses in Bach Flower Remedies, Pet First Aid and Canine Behavior. I currently run 2 blogs. I’ve registered over 400 hours of hands on experience working with dogs in a massage and stretching capacity and service clients from Oshawa to Burlington. I am also a certified Animal Reiki Practitioner. I was recently asked to become a resident Practitioner at Cherry Valley Retreat (http://cherryvalleyretreat.com/) and will be hosting a series of workshops on Holistic Stress & Anxiety Relief Methods for Dogs. Contact: 416-452-1588 or fortheloveofhope@ymail.com

The National Canine Cancer Foundation

National Canine Cancer Foundation

Sunday, February 21, 2010

What's all the Scruff about?

Many articles and books say that holding the dog by the scruff of the neck shows dominance. Others say it’s just a plain no no. More often than not, they say it’s a sign of aggression.

From a canine massage perspective, it’s one of the dog’s most favourite places to be worked on.

Think about it. You dog wears a collar 7/24 and is on a leash every time you take them out for a walk. Well, that’s a lot of strain on that neck!

At my house, my rescued Aussie Jazz is collar free when bedtime comes. I look at it this way, how would I like that thing around my neck when I’m trying to sleep? It’s noisy and sometimes the tags get in the way . If you decide to try this, please keep the collar close by in case of emergencies or if you have to leave the house quickly.

Although spot massage is not recommended, I have developed a simple and gentle technique that can be done solely on the scruff for relaxation and pain relief. Since this is not a deep tissue massage nor should it cause compensation issues due to its level of intensity, Neck Rolling ™ is ideal.

Neck Rolling ™ is a process by which I apply wringing techniques to the scruff of the neck to stimulate relaxation and relieve anxiety. It also works to relieve the stress from walking on leash and collars that are too tight.

See the picture for an example of Neck Rolling ™ which can be done anytime with your dog. For more information on Neck Rolling ™, please contact me. I can explain the how, when and why in more depth.

PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION AT:

416-452-1588 or

fortheloveofhope@ymail.com
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