If you are really interested in the holistic approach, then giving your pet massages in addition to nutrient rich premium dog food and cat food as well as nutritional supplements can help to keep your beloved animal in superb shape. Not only is massage a great way to spot situations on your pet that you would not have noticed otherwise, it is also a wonderful way to bond with your animal.

If you want to enhance your dog or cat's inner wellness, relax their muscles and stimulate various neurotransmitterstheir own natural healing mechanismsthen massage or acupressure is possibly the best possible area to get started. Here are a few of the basics.

Find a quiet, peaceful place and choose the right time. Start by brushing your hands gently from the head to the start of the tail. Continue this at a speed that permits your animal to relax. You will see and feel the relaxation fisthand.

There are acupressure points all over their bodies. They are between the muscle and the bone. There are books that tell you exactly where these points are. For basic massage, focus on the area that appears to be affecting your dog or cat. You may wish to massage that area for some time. Your animal will tell you how well you are doing by his/her level of relaxation.

Apply a steady rotating pressure with one fingertip to the particular acupressure point. To stimulate the point and give it additional energy, rub it in a clockwise fashion.

If you wish to calm them down or relax a sore muscle, massage in a counterclockwise fashion instead.

It is vital that you relax also. Breathe slowly as well as deeply, expanding your gut out as you breath out and pulling your tummy in while you breath in.

If you cannot get in a comfortable position or if your dog/cat is obviously unhappy, then the massage will obviously not be beneficial. Get up and plan a different time for it.

As your pets energy meets yours, you will see as well as feel the alignment between the two of you. The breathing may become closer to your rhythm or move so that your hands hit particular points more often. This is an example of the human-animal bond.

Towards the end of your massage session, your animal will be relaxed enough for you to gently rub his ears, rub softly around his eyes as well as on his muzzle. When done, make sure to rise slowly to give your pet the cue that the session is complete.

This is a very basic overview of some of the holistic methods that you may want to consider.