Amy Henry gives retired service dog, Viviane, an all over massage. Henry, the owner of Heart Song Canine Massage, comes over once a month do massage therapy on Viviane. Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
It's a special day each month when Amy Henry comes over.
Marcia Wick sets up a pillow for Viviane, who knows she's in for a treat. With a soothing touch, the 14-year-old retired guide dog Vivi, as Wick affectionately calls her, melts into her cushion.
"She earned it," Wick said. "If anyone deserves a massage, it's Vivi."
Canine massage therapy, or doggie massages as some (me) affectionately call it, is a form of therapy designed to improve dogs' physical and mental well-being. Similar to human massages, the practice can help with specific health issues or just promote general relaxation. The service has grown in popularity over the past few decades, with several practitioners here in the Springs.
"It's touch with intention and technique," said Henry, the owner of Heart Song Canine Massage in Colorado Springs.
Henry has been practicing canine massage therapy for almost a decade now. She started training in 2016 after the death of her beloved silky terrier rescue, Hermie. While she considered becoming a veterinary technician, she ultimately landed on studying massage therapy, since it's a bit more enjoyable for the animal.
"It was really tough passing for me, and as a way of dealing with my grief, I basically was trying to search ways out of that I could honor his life," the retired pilot said, adding with a laugh, "I always tell people this -- even though he inspired me to do this, he would not have been a great massage client. ... He was very picky about who he wanted to be touched by. He was very kind of an in-charge kind of guy."
There are a handful of schools that are accredited to teach canine massage therapy in Colorado, including the Lang Institute for Canine Massage and the Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupuncture and Massage, which is where Henry studied. The school offers certification levels, starting at a Level 1 introductory course and continuing to Level 2 for athletic dogs and Level 3 for seniors.
The program is extensive, requiring case studies and hands-on experience. That's actually how Henry started working with Viviane -- as a student, she needed hands-on experience with a working dog, and through a series of mutual connections, she found Marcia.
Human massage therapy has been practiced for hundreds of years. But the application to animals is fairly new, said Sasha Foster, the small animal rehabilitation coordinator at Colorado State University.
"The physiology of an animal is different than it is for a human. So understanding the difference in respiration rates, for example. Big dogs and little dogs have different respiration rates where most humans have very similar respiration rates. So for using respiration as a sign of relaxation, we need to understand the differences," said Foster, who's a human physical therapist certified in canine rehabilitation therapy.
Since the practice started to pick up in the mid-2000s, Foster said, there's been a host of studies showing the benefit. For one, massages can reduce pain and improve quality of life in dogs, Foster said, citing a 2021 study by U.K. researchers. Another study found that it can expand range of motion in dogs, helpful for athletic pups.
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Certain demographics can benefit uniquely from doggy massages, too. Large-breed puppies, for example, can benefit from massages because they grow so fast in their first couple of months and can be susceptible to injuries, Henry said. Also, massages help the bones receive the necessary nutrients to grow, like calcium and phosphorus.
Breeds with challenging respiratory passages like pugs and bulldogs can benefit from improved blood flow to their respiratory system, too, Henry said. But probably the most common patient that looks forward to these specialized pets are elderly canines.
"It's really good for older dogs, because it addresses all kinds of pain relief from arthritis, and it helps to maintain their muscle tone and the flexibility. It kind of prevents atrophying of the muscles. It helps with even their emotional well-being, because just like with older people, older dogs can get kind of depressed or anxious, so it can be really good for that," Henry said.
Gentle massages also can be done at home, said Colorado Springs veterinarian Laura Scott, who owns Happy Paws. Scott helps teach her clients techniques that they can use on their pets in between visits.
"When it's done well and effectively, it's always very gentle, so it's very soothing and it's very well received," said Scott, who worked as a general practice vet for 20 years before focusing her practice on acupuncture, medical massages and laser therapy.
There are several books that can help pet parents familiarize themselves with the practice, as well as YouTube videos that can demonstrate different techniques, she said. Some tips: Be gentle, keep it short (10-20 minutes) and if they're moving away, stop.
There are also times to avoid deep-tissue rubs, including areas where your pup might have pain and swelling, as it could potentially move an infection around the body. As for lumps and bumps, it's important to consult your vet before working with them, Foster said.
"You just have to figure out what feels good to them," Scott said.
People and pooches agree: a good massage is relaxing. But it's also proved to be life-saving, at least in Viviane's case. Wick credits Henry with detecting a lump on her pup's hind leg, which the therapist pointed out after a session.
Wick took Viviane to the vet to get it checked out and discovered it was cancerous. Fortunately, because they caught it so early, the vet was able to operate and remove the tumor without issue. Only 9 years old at the time, Vivi was able to continue working for three more years before retiring healthy.
"Having someone touch your dog and who knows dogs, and is alert and aware of every little part -- I feel like Amy saved her life," Wick said.
And because Henry was able to detect that strange lump, Vivi can continue to melt into her pillow each month.