San Francisco massage therapist Shelah Barr worked on human clients for a decade then shifted her clientele to canines. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper profiled her recently.
“‘Massage won’t reverse the aging process, but what it can do is slow it down and help keep your pet active for a longer period of time,'” the newspaper quoted her as saying. “‘It makes them feel better.'”
“‘I also see a lot of younger, more active dogs with minor injuries like a strain or sprain,'” Barr added. “‘All animals are athletes in their own way. Dogs are the rugby players of the animal-athlete world, so they get the widest variety of injuries. But since not showing pain is a survival mechanism, dogs are especially guilty of hiding their pain and discomfort.'”