Ever been bitten?

[Pompal 09.]

Hi. I have been considering taking a canine massage course locally that starts in the fall. I love animals and think this would be a great field to go in to. My only concern is being bitten. I know there are signs to look for but I'm just wondering how hazardous this career would be. I have a skin condition where my skin won't heal correctly if I get a puncture type wound which would be a dog bite. Even without this problem it would be a concern. Anyone ever have any problems? Thanks. Rose

 

[Pompal 09.]

hi, rose -

i don't have extensive experience with canine massage, but i can tell you that after working with 8-10 pups, i've never been bitten. i have, however, been scratched. not in a mean or defense way - one of the challenges with canine massage/reflexology is getting the pup to "give" you their paw. sometimes they pull back a few times, and i have, occasionally been lightly scratched. blood was never drawn, but to a more sensitive person it might have. that might be something to consider.

but also remember that animals pick up on your intention, and your spirit. and going in with that in mind, love and a gentle spirit will help tremendously. they just want to be loved.

and, this is a very rewarding career!
good luck,
amanda

 

[Pompal 09.]

Hi there...what a great question!

Some personal background: I started with canine massage professionally in 2000. I also have had dogs my whole life (42 years!). I was bit in the face as a kid when I was unsupervised and in a dog's space - this was a friend's Husky. I yanked my face back so fast that I ended up only with scratches but went to the hospital anyway just in case. That was a major lesson for me and if the Husky really wanted to have done some damage he/she could have - I was very lucky. I have never been bit since or with canine massage. I have been mouthed, however, while working with shelter dogs who needed to learn boundaries (apparently I did, too as a kid, lol).

One of the best things you can do is volunteer at rescues to get your hands on as many dogs with varying body types and personalities as possible. Sometimes these organizations have informal canine behavior classes. Get comfortable around them. Just because we love animals doesn't guarantee that they will love us. Learning as much as you can about canine and animal behavior will help you greatly with your concerns about being bit - be safe.

I also work with horses. As a practitioner my safety (and theirs) is very important. Sometimes I am asked to work with aggressive acting animals. These are the risks that I take and they are very real. I have a permanent shoulder injury from a misbehaved horse, and I've been stepped on - thankfully never kicked.

One thing that I believe is a great help is to know energy work along with massage therapy (Reiki, Polarity, Therapeutic Touch, etc). If the animal is very sore, they can misbehave out of shear pain. So I go in and do some energy work first, then usually I can get my hands on them with massage.

One of the very real risks of this profession is what actually draws me to it. I am fascinated by animal (and human) behavior. Massage has profound impacts on behavior. I see a lot of the behavioral issues as just part of the challenge of working with animals.

Being aware of my intentions and how I am feeling the day I am scheduled to work on an animal is key to my success. I leave all my baggage at the door and can happily pick it back up when I'm done. Animals are very sensitive to the energy we carry and our thoughts. If I am distracted, so are they. If I am afraid they know it and will act out.

The main difference between working with humans and animals is that communication is accomplished through highly-tuned observation skills. Watching subtle ear or eye movements for example. They can't verbally say what hurts and some show levels of pain differently, so observing their reactions to the massage is important. Learning biomechanics of the canine will help hone observation skills, as well as just spending time around them. Watch dogs interact with other dogs - watch their body language, posturing.

So, my advice is to volunteer at a dog shelter - pick up a canine massage book, practice some strokes and really connect with them, observe behavior/body language - before taking the canine massage course! Enjoy!

 

[sandra e]

Thanks

Thanks guys. I actually am already volunteering at a shelter though I am mainly working in the gift shop. There is a canine massage therapist that comes in and massages the dogs on a volunteer basis. We chatted ahwhile and I watched her do several dogs. I had an interest before, but was told that I needed to be a human massage therapist first, so I gave up on the idea. I now found out that was wrong, at least in my state. This therapist I spoke with told me she went through the local university. She has her own business mainly going to peoples houses. She said she has never been bitten but had a few scares. I just got some books to read before the class officially starts. I will do more research in the meantime. Thanks.

 

[qwerqwer]

You're welcome! Sounds like your moving forward nicely. Good luck wishes to you. And, please keep us posted!

 

[brendan y.]

What an interesting post....

before massage therapy, I trained harness horses and did a lot of bodywork on them too keep them in racing fit. Was bitten on the backside more times than I will admit to, plus a few "fangs" and "stump-sucking" on a shoulder now and again. Nothing to leave scars, just enough to say, "HEY!!! I don't like that...."

miss my 4 footed pals, but, humans are "easier" to ask where it hurts

 

[livelovebhappy]

I don't think I've ever been bitten by a dog but I HAVE been bitten by a cat and by a horse.

Angela

 

[Sophieeeeeee]

Was bitten on the backside more times than I will admit to...

OooOOoo, yah, forgot about that...me, too. Once, right in my belly roll...that HURT! t087