Yesterday I wrote how I have been giving Delilah massages and it seems to be something she really enjoys.
I was inspired by a post at Peaceful Dog, in the post Kirsten had included a link to a previous post where she wrote about TTouch with her reactive dog Lamar.
If you haven’t heard of TTouch here is a brief explanation “TTouch can help you understand and influence your animal with your heart and hands in a way that develops trust, creates a harmonious relationship, and changes unwanted behavior.”
There is something in the TTouch that releases endorphins which we all know are what helps us with our moods.
While I was reading Kirsten’s post about TTouch I realized I have been doing this with Delilah without even realizing it!
I probably do this three to four times per day, Delilah will come up to me and I place one hand under each of her ears and rub in a circular motion. After 30 seconds or so I get a really deep sigh, like she is relaxed or content. Which is exactly what Kirsten described.
First thing in the morning as I am trying to get ready for work, she comes into the bathroom looking for attention. I rub her ears.
When I come home from work, before or after her massage. I rub her ears.
After we are settled in bed, I reach for Delilah and rub her ears. She stretches out across my feet and looks up at me. I drop a kiss on her head and rub some more and then the deep, contented sigh.
All is right in her world.
What do you do when your dog is amped up? Is there something special you do to help calm him/her down?
I do the ear rub with Leroy too, all the time and sometimes when I am doing it he does the sigh and sometimes he does this really weird gagging thing too, I think it is because he is so relaxed he chokes on his spit!
LOL maybe he’s so relaxed he forgets to swallow and then all of a sudden! This made me laugh. Thanks for stopping by.
The ear rub works magic on my dogs too, but they are little so I do a one-handed two dogs at once. Now I know a name for it.
One-handed? Show-off! LOL that’s awesome. I had no idea that is what I was doing, but I’m glad I’m not the only one. 🙂
Hey, maybe that’s why she sleeps straight through the night for you!
I wondered that myself!! Maybe I need someone to rub my ears…..LOL
Great question! I put on Lisa Spector’s Through a Dog’s Ear music and it works it’s wonder in them. I used to use it a lot when I boarded dogs in my home and it always lamed things down. I also give my dogs massages and that seems to help a lot too.
Thanks Mel, I was just reading about that CD and thinking it might be something good to put on the ipod play list and loop it to run while we were gone. Not that I think they are anxious or anything but just because I’m a “Nervous Nellie.” 🙂 I’m glad it works for you!
Massage only seems to work with Shiva when she is already quasi-relaxed. She does not like to be touched when she is amped up or when in different environments. The only time she seeks physical contact is when we are at home after a walk. I do think this kind of thing would help but I think she needs some sort of exercise first before we could ever get her to stay in one place and accept our touch.
Hmmmm so the only way you can calm her is to exercise her? What do you do if you can’t exercise her? Will a game of tug calm her down or working her?
I think you have to know your dog and know what works, and keep trying. You may be surprised and find something besides exercise that helps calm her. 🙂
A belly rub is my “deamper” – Works every time.
Awe Sandy!! Thanks for stopping by. Yesterday she let me give her a belly rub too!!
I rub Queenie’s ears too, but only because it makes ME feel better.
LOL Big Al, you are right, there is something soothing about petting your dog. 🙂
Hi Jodi,
My Mum does that for me too, but I don’t think she knows it’s got a special name – it makes me sigh too 🙂
I hope you’re having a fun day,
Your pal Snoopy 🙂
Hi Snoopy, I think a lot of us were doing similar things without knowing it had a name, but now that we do we can learn other ways to help you guys.
Thanks for stopping by!! I hope you are having a fun day too. 🙂
I like that too. Tall person always smiles when he hears my deep, contented sigh.
It is a wonderful thing to hear you puppy breath a contented sigh and know it is partly your doing.
Very interesting. Chessies do not really seek physical attention. It is just not in their nature. They like a quick pat on the head and then they usually move on. I remember when Thunder and Storm were young, it took a long time before they really came around for pets. Freighter on the other hand really likes the attention, (for now).
Yay! I’m so happy we were able to provide some inspiration. We try all kinds of things in our little house in insanity, and TTouch does seem to help.
The thing about TTouch is that we do it with a super light touch. The circles and the lightness seem to surprise the beasties, and put them in a different frame of mind.
Glad it seems to be relaxing to Delilah 🙂
jodi, remember a million billion years ago when you told me to read about TTouch for desmond? well, here i am, finally reading about it. oy vey.
in any case, i, too, realized that i’m already doing it with him unintentionally. that loud, long sigh is the best!