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Canine Shiatsu
Jean Davidson
Shiatsu is a holistic touch therapy based on ancient oriental medicines and therapies
from China and Japan. Developed in Japan the word literally means finger (shi) pressure
(atsu). Shiatsu touch is very relaxing and gives feelings of wellbeing both to people and
dogs. How do I know this? People of course can tell you and I also love having a Shiatsu
session so know first-hand how great I feel afterwards. Dogs? – recently I had the
privilege to work on a very lovely Shitzu who had an unfortunate accident to her spine
the vet operated and although it was successful she was left paralysed in her back legs.
When Bonnie first came to me she had little control over her bladder and was quite
miserable carrying her head low and sad wee eyes. Her owner told me after her first
session she seemed more interested in what was going on and her bladder control was
improving. Her second session she came in and tried to wag her tail only the end tip
moved but it did. With each session she got happier and more interested in her food and
toys at home and also wanted to play with her pack mate (another Shitzu). Her whole tail
wags non-stop now and she is progressing building muscle with the help of
physiotherapy equipment. Without the Shiatsu her owner feels she wouldn’t have tried to
do any-more with her as she was such a sad dog had no spirit left after the trauma of her
injury.
This is one dog that Shiatsu has helped that has been quite dramatic. Elderly and
arthritic dogs have been helped using gentle joint rotations to maintain movement in stiff
joints. Shiatsu touch has also helped relieve bowel and stomach pains in dogs with diet
changes or those who have eaten what they thought was good possibly out on a walk.
How does Shiatsu work? Shiatsu uses the same meridians and points system as
acupuncture with-out the needles. It works by moving stuck energy (Ki) along the
meridian or pathway, also gentle palming releases the muscle fascia relaxing the area,
releasing the body’s own endorphins that create the ‘feel good factor’ and help our body
and the dogs to help itself. For the last ten years I have provided Shiatsu for dogs and
handlers around the agility circuit in Scotland. This has allowed me to watch the dogs
and handlers working and to see the problems that occur in this sport. There are many
dog sports now agility, flyball, canicross, water sports etc. Dog athletes like human
athletes need to be warmed up before runs and cooled down again after to move built
up lactic acid from the muscles. They too have similar issues with muscle strains,
tension, tendonitis, sprained ankles and wrists etc. Someone on the spot at the show
able to administer ‘first aid’ to them is really important
Hind leg extension helps maintain mobility in joints and relieves tension in the area of
lower back and groin
Working toe joints for mobility good for checking paws for foreign bodies and arthritis
just as it is for their human counterparts. Owners always want to know how I want the
dog to sit or lie. I always say it is up to the dog I like to introduce myself to the dog then
wait and see how the dog would like to be. After initial contact, we in Shiatsu call a ‘body
scan’, the dog often decides which area they want worked and will present that to me
maybe front leg, hind quarters or a sit with their back to me.
Dogs like people get shoulder tension, lower back issues, they worry and get stomach
tension, and some just need reassurance and support. Some of the problems may come
from the owner who without being aware is passing on their anxiety to the dog by their
tone of voice or tension on the lead. I often encourage owners to do a little massage on
their dog to help improve the connection they have together. When working with dogs I
am always mindful of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and ensure that I refer the owners to
their vet when needed. This works two ways with vets referring dogs to me for work on
soft tissue which I have found most vets do not work with. Shiatsu is ‘new’ to many
people; although it is based on thousands of year’s history in oriental medicine and
therapies and for people it has been in the UK since the 1960s. Canine Shiatsu is more
recent starting around the late 1990s and I have been developing it since 2000. Over the
years I have worked on many different breeds the small, medium and large of the dog
world e.g. Border Collies, Working Cockers, Jack Russell Terriers, German Shepherd
Dogs, Giant Schnauzers and even a Bouvier des Flandres to name a few. One of the
most important benefits of Shiatsu for me is that it enables people to become aware of
their body and how each part feels when balanced and not balanced. Encouraging dog
owners to work a little with their own dogs has a similar benefit they become more
connected with their pet and can identify small problems before they get out of hand e.g.
finding lumps and bumps, foreign bodies and skin or coat problems.
Before I came into Shiatsu I was a training and development consultant working in
senior management creating training departments and programmes for companies. I use
this experience now to provide training in Canine Shiatsu for Shiatsu Practitioners and
others who have completed a mini-mum of one year of Shiatsu with a Shiatsu Society
recognised Shiatsu School plus have experience of owning or working with dogs. It is
important to train first with people to get feedback about your touch and to ensure that
the touch is correct not too much or too little. Following this important step I lead the next
stage to cover what is needed ‘All about dogs’ to provide Shiatsu knowledgably and
safely with canine pals. This covers transferring Shiatsu knowledge of 5 elements, TCM
(Traditional Chinese Medicine), Zen Shiatsu, meridians and techniques plus canine
anatomy and physiology, pathology, safe practise and other relevant topics. I also run 4
hour workshops for dog owners to improve the connection with their own dogs using
Shiatsu touch. If any readers are interested in finding out more about Shiatsu courses
and sessions some further information can be read on my website www.shiatsufife.co.uk
or contact me with questions at [email protected]
Jean Davidson, MRSS, MIACE, Chartered MCIPD
(Working with people and dogs.)
My company is Ki’n’tail Shiatsu for people and dogs

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