Special Interest Courses
Classes for Pet Parents and Professionals
No need to be a professional animal bodyworker to take our courses!
All you need is curiosity, a love for animals, and the willingness to learn new skills.
Online Courses
Intro to Professional Canine Massage Therapy
Get a taste of our canine massage certification program with some valuable tidbits from our Foundations courses. This free course includes useful information and bodywork techniques you can use today with the dogs in your life.
Canine Massage 101: Techniques for Wellness
This online course goes beyond teaching you the most essential canine massage techniques that you can use with your dog. You'll also learn how to touch and handle your dog respectfully, which areas of your dog's body are extra sensitive and should be handled gently, how to recognize common signs of discomfort and pain, and how to read your dog's body language.
Sports Massage & Fitness
for the Active Dog
Learn the important components of canine fitness, including basic canine structure, how to gauge the ability level of each dog, and how to recognize pain and fatigue. Demonstration videos focus on essential core exercises for strength, endurance, and flexibility. You'll also learn the safe approach to stretching dogs as well as sports massage techniques appropriate for dogs of every ability.
Palliative/Hospice Care & Oncology Massage
A blend of theory and demonstration videos, this online course covers topics such as the unique needs of the palliative and hospice patient, cancer myths and types of canine cancer, and guidelines for working with cancer patients as well as with patients who have other health-related conditions. Also, learn safe and effective bodywork techniques that can be used by pet professionals and pet parents alike.
Canine First Aid Concepts & Pathology
This online course, loaded with helpful demo videos and easy-to-reference content, provides valuable insights into first aid and CPR strategies as well as foundational knowledge in pathology, zoonoses, the chain of infection, inflammatory response, biosecurity, and more. This is not a substitute for an in-person CPR and first aid course.
Trust & Relationship-Building with Dogs, Part 1
The first part of this two-part course can be taken by itself or in combination with Part 2 for personal enrichment. Understanding how to earn a dog's trust is vital to being able to make a meaningful connection. This course provides the background and information that prepare you to work with dogs who may be anxious, fearful, or stressed.
Canine Massage Fundamentals, Part 1
Follow TRB with this foundational course that prepares you for the hands-on workshop. If you've taken the Canine Massage 101 online course and want to know more about massage for your pets, this course is for you. Massage concepts, palpation theory, scope of practice, and an intro to canine anatomy are just a few of the topics covered.
Physical Dog,
Part 1
Understanding the dog fully means learning how things work under the surface. This online course provides organized, easy-to-follow information about the eleven canine body systems, their structures, functions, and how bodywork benefits each one. One supplemental text is required to get the most out of this course, but it's a fun resource.
Hands-On Workshops
Applied Acupressure Fundamentals
Learn the basics of this non-invasive approach to preventive care. Play an important role in the overall well-being of the dogs & cats in your life. Can be used alone or combined with other modalities and is ideal for any animal at any stage of life.
Trust & Relationship-Building with Dogs, Part 2
TRB Part 2 takes you into the classroom to build on the knowledge you gained in the online course. You'll fill your trust-building toolbox with new skills for working with stressed, fearful, or anxious dogs. Every dog needs trust-building!
Canine Massage Fundamentals, Part 2
Get ready to learn and practice the foundational massage techniques in this essential classroom experience. Practice palpation skills and Swedish massage techniques on live dogs. Hands-on work must be learned in a hands-on environment.
Physical Dog,
Part 2
Musculoskeletal anatomy, structure, and movement patterns are the focus of this hands-on workshop. Find and feel the structures on a variety of dogs. Watch gait in real time and learn how to detect what's "normal" and what's not.
Sports Massage & Fitness Follow-Up Workshop
Take your learning from screen to hands-on. This in-person workshop is the essential next step after our online course. Bring your techniques to life as we review, practice, and perfect canine sports massage and fitness exercises. Get feedback immediately on your form, ask questions in real-time, and learn advanced tips to enhance your practice for any dog's needs.
Canine Sports Massage Workshop
Sports massage can take place before an athletic event or vigorous activity (pre-event massage), after an event or activity (post-event massage), and in between events or activities (maintenance massage).
More details about sports massage, as well as the techniques and the most effective ways to apply them, will be covered in this 1-day hands-on workshop. Virginia-location only.
More Classes
on the Horizon...
- More canine-focused classes
- New feline-focused content!
Where We Teach
Chicagoland, IL
St. Louis, MO
Reston, Virginia
Ontario, Canada
We also teach in beautiful New Zealand!
Find out more on our Mentorship Program page.
Questions?
Visit our Contact page, or reach out to us at Info@CanisBodyworks.com.
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