Massage therapy has gone to the dogs - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

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WATERLOO — Once a month, the elderly cavachon leans into the healing hands of Carrie Ruhde.


At 15 years old, Chloe’s hips and rear legs are weak and stiff. Ruhde works to loosen and strengthen the tiny dog’s muscles and increase range of motion.


Ruhde’s fingers now do the walking over the Cedar Valley and beyond, courtesy of her new mobile canine massage therapy business. A physical therapy assistant at Western Home by day, Ruhde recently opened The Right Spot Canine Massage.


“With my PT background, I knew I could help my dog and other dogs,” she said.


She attended intense training at the Chicago School of Canine Massage last fall and began treating clients at canine agility shows across the country. Ruhde’s two Cardigan Welsh corgis hold top spots nationally in agility competition rankings.


Ruhde now has several canine clients locally, including a Papillon, Chihuahua, a couple of Belgian malinois and a Doberman pinscher. Ruhde also has begun volunteering her services for dogs at the Cedar Bend Humane Society.


On Monday, Ruhde’s afternoon appointment was Chloe, right in the comfort of Chloe’s Cedar Falls home. Sitting on the floor with the petite pup, Rhude went to work.


“She’s relaxing,” Ruhde said, her hands gently wrapping around Chloe’s withers and chest. “I can feel her body relaxing more.”

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Carrie Ruhde, owner of Right Spot Canine Massage, works with 15-year-old cavachon Chloe during a massage therapy appointment.

MATTHEW PUTNEY, COURIER PHOTO EDITOR

Canine massage therapy benefits include increased oxygenation of the blood to promote healing, pain relief, improved flexibility, and reduced discomfort from arthritis and hip dysplasia. It also boosts the immune system and reduces anxiety, according to Canine Journal.


“Natural calming spots are the ears, neck, forearms and the bridge of the nose,” Ruhde said.


Finding a dog’s trouble spots takes a keen eye and soft touch.


“You really have to gain their trust and read them. They’re not people. They can’t tell you where it hurts,” Ruhde noted.


For clues, Ruhde watches the animal’s gait and can feel when a dog tenses as she moves her hands over a tender spot. For Chloe, that spot is her back end.

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Chloe has stiffness and weakness in her hips. Massage therapy has helped her regain range of motion.

MATTHEW PUTNEY, COURIER PHOTO EDITOR

Aside from age-related arthritis, high blood pressure and a couple of small cataracts, Chloe is as sprightly as a pup. She even visits friends once a week at the K9 Playhouse, said her owner, Rachelle Yousefi.


“She’s the old lady there,” Yousefi joked.


For the past 13 years, the diminutive pooch has been a Pet Pals therapy dog. She still visits residents at NewAldaya Lifescapes in Cedar Falls, but has trouble navigating the slippery floors. Massage therapy, though, has improved her mobility.


“I can feel her spine is creaky,” Ruhde said. “So we want to help her stay mobile for as long as we can.”


“That’s the goal,” Yousefi said.


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