Canine massage is a therapeutic discipline that involves directly working with all of the soft tissues of a dog’s body in order to assist the dog in achieving relief from a variety of physical and emotional challenges, including muscular soreness, chronic stress, and more. 

Human massage therapists work only on humans and canine massage therapists work only on canines. The education and licensing are different.  A canine massage also looks different than a massage for humans because dogs don't usually stay still and in one position during their massage. 

Everyone can take Canis Bodyworks courses! Our workshops are appropriate for beginners with no prior experience or training with dogs as well as for people who have a wide level of knowledge and hands-on experience. Pet parents, shelter staff and volunteers, veterinary and rehabilitation professionals, canine massage therapists seeking to continue learning in advanced techniques and applications, and anyone who works with dogs or in a dog-focused business will find a Canis Bodyworks workshop, or series of workshops, to meet their needs. 

Canis Bodyworks offers a combination of online coursework and hands-on workshops taught by leaders in the canine massage/bodywork, behavior, and vet rehabilitation communities. Hands-on experiences and personal, real-time attention and feedback are crucial when learning to communicate through touch and provide the correct application of techniques.  This work simply cannot be adequately or effectively taught in a fully online or distance format.

We schedule our hands-on classes in 2 or 3 day segments for several reasons:

When you add up the cost of all the classes we require for certification, you'll find that the total is comparable, and in many cases, less expensive, than the cost of other canine massage certification programs currently available.  Please take the opportunity to compare other programs to ours -- not only in terms of cost, but in terms of content delivery, hands-on learning, access to personalized feedback, and ongoing support. We are proud of our program and feel confident that it provides dedicated students with all the tools necessary to become knowledgeable, skilled, and thoughtful practitioners. Any questions? Reach out to us at info@CanisBodyworks.com.

Please note that all of our course fees are listed in US Dollars (USD).

The following Canis Bodyworks workshops make up our Canine Massage Therapy Certification program.

We require that Part 1 and 2 of Trust and Relationship-Building with Dogs be taken before most of our other workshops because it offers an essential foundation of skills required by anyone who works with dogs in any capacity. Many of our workshops also require that Canine Massage Fundamentals be taken as a prerequisite as well.  Specific prerequisite details can be found in the course descriptions.

Yes! You don't have to take our courses with the goal of getting certified. Several of our courses have no prerequisites and can be taken for personal enrichment.

Yes! The only requirements for working with dogs is that you have an empathetic heart, feel love and respect for all animals, and be willing to learn new skills.  

All of our courses, except our Case Studies Practicum, are approved by the National Board of Certification for Animal Acupressure and Massage (NBCAAM) for continuing education hours for animal bodyworkers.

The primary qualification is to be trained in all aspects of the discipline, such as animal behavior, anatomy and physiology, massage techniques, and more. You do not need any qualifications to start taking the Canis Bodyworks workshops.

Yes. Although some of the material in our courses may be familiar, most of the content will be different and have a different application.  

We are not able to allow student dogs to attend classes at our St. Louis location.  In special cases, we do allow student dogs to attend classes in Chicago, Virginia, and Canada, but we must be notified first to be sure it will be an appropriate situation.  

In all of our locations, participants will be provided with a wide variety of dogs to work with during the hands-on courses. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@canisbodyworks.com. 

Unless you are working on your own pets or practicing your techniques with shelter/rescue dogs, we recommend that you achieve national certification through NBCAAM before venturing out and providing canine massage therapy services professionally. Participants must have had 200 hours of coursework before they are eligible to take the national certification exam. 

Contact us at info@canisbodyworks.com.  We are happy to help with additional questions!