Learn how you can calm your dog's anxiousness around frightening sounds (thunder, fireworks) or unsettling situations using the secrets of therapeutic massage.

Is your dog anxious around storms, fireworks & other scary triggers? Whether it's storms or fireworks or construction, when an unsettling sound starts, does your dog begin to whimper, whine, pace and pant.....maybe even dive under your bed?

Many dogs react that way to anxiety-causing sounds or other triggers. It's easy for dog parents to feel hopeless; thinking, is there anything I can do to relieve the fear and reduce stress on your dog?

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Gentle massage might be the answer for your dog

Learning canine massage techniques gives you the ability to perform massage regularly as well as spontaneously anytime your dog needs it, which can be extremely beneficial in bringing calm to an anxious dog.

The massage stroke canine massage therapists use

You can give your dog a massage with a technique massage therapists use with gentle motions (rather than a deep tissue massage) similar to gentle petting but more directed to relax the nervous system.

You can use this stroke to massage every part of your dog's body, including the head and ears. The stroking motion is used in a calming rhythm which leads to relaxation. This technique increases blood flow, releases tension and helps restore balance to the nervous system.

Here's how to have a massage session with your dog using canine massage techniques that reduce stress and calm your dog.

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Step 1: Take a breath & ground yourself

First, find a quiet area and take a deep breath to center and ground yourself -- you can use a drop or two of lavender on your palms, rub them together and inhale. (The left-over scent will be the perfect amount to start your full body massage).

Once you're settled and relaxed, make sure your dog is comfortable in a place where he/she won't be disturbed. Sit next to your dog and start breathing together (taking deep breaths) for several minutes.

Step 2: Start with gentle pressure in long, slow strokes

Lightly rest the flat palm of your hand on top of your dog’s head then gently to your dog's neck. Make long, sweeping passes down your dog's body along the length of the spine from your dog's shoulders and continue massaging down to the tail area.

You can add a light ear rub, gently massaging your dog's ear flaps, full of nerve endings that release endorphins (the feel-good, relaxation neurotransmitters). Repeat the full body sweep several times slowly.

Step 3: Close with the two points that rest & relax

You can slowly work to increase your pressure if your dog likes it. But do not apply too much pressure straight down on the lower part of the back. As you apply gentle pressure, you're gently reducing your dog's muscle tension from the stress of fear. To finish, allow one hand to rest at the base of your dog's head and the other hand to rest over the area of the pelvis/tail area (the high point over your dog’s hips).

In dog anatomy, these two areas correspond to the part of the spinal cord that controls the rest and relaxation responses of the body (for example, sleep, digestion, and tissue repair). This technique could be useful any time your dog is nervous or fearful, such as during nail trimming or vaccinations, or when he or she is hyperactive or restless.

Follow your dog's signs

Allow your dog to decide when the massage is over. In the beginning, your dog may move away after a few seconds or minutes. Slowly, most dogs learn to enjoy massages and will stick around longer though. Then, if your dog becomes a massage junkie, all to the good and don't blame me!

The magic of touch & deeper bonding

Massaging your dog is also a great bonding experience as massage helps bring the two of you closer together. Your dog learns to feel safe. He or she feels understood, valued and accepted. Touch works on a whole other level of bonding.

When you give your dog a massage, a silent communication happens, soul to soul if you’ll let it. Because of this, dog massage can actually help in training. It aids enormously with your interactions in terms that your dog can understand.

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And there's more... additional benefits of dog massage

Regular dog massage sessions are also a great way to do a weekly wellness check to assess any changes in your dog’s health.

Is there a new lump or bump? Is there a sore that won’t heal? Does your dog flinch when you touch a particular spot?

By detecting problems earlier, you can alert your veterinarian and thus nip a more serious problem in the bud.

You’re giving your dog a gift of something they cannot do for themselves, like when you treat their paws, rub their neck, or loosen the tension in muscle tissue in their chest and front legs. They can’t tell you when they have sore muscles or “it itches here, it hurts here.” But when you massage your dog, you can learn to read signals and notice changes with an educated eye.

Watch and listen and feel.

To less anxiety & more calm and confidence for your dog...

This type of massage can be done anytime as a regular massage session or at a moment's notice when it's needed.

I hope you and your dog find this helpful -- for anxiety and feeling well in general. Added benefit of dog massage, it's an anytime wellness boost and gives you a deeper bond with your dog.

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Next up in the Anxiety Channel on Dogly

Now that you know how to massage your dog during anxious moments, continue to other step-by-step guides in the Anxiety Channel like how to see your dog's stress or how to notice separation anxiety signs.

Or hop over to the Anxiety Channel if you'd like to ask a question in the Community discussion.

If you ever need more personalized wellness guidance, please reach out!