Many people are unaware that dogs can even receive massages, so when they first find out that nugget of information, they usually have a few questions! Here are the answers to some of the most asked questions.

Booking Questions

How do I book?

Please contact us to make a booking. As we see clients from our base in Hampton as well as offer mobile services, we need to ensure we allow sufficient time for treatments and transport. You can contact us via the website contact form, email, phone or through social media.

How long is an appointment?

This varies from dog to dog. We always allow an hour for initial consultations and subsequent visits may only be 45 or 30 minutes. We discuss this with you at the first appointment when we develop a treatment plan for your dog.

Which suburbs do you service?

From our base in Hampton, we service approximately a 10 km radius, North up to the river, East to Warrigal Road and South as far as Centre Dandenong Road.

That would include - South Melbourne, South Yarra, Toorak, Kooyong, Prahran, Windsor, Armadale, Malvern, Malvern East, Port Melbourne, Middle Park, Albert Park, St Kilda, St Kilda West, St Kilda East , Balaclava, Ripponlea, Caulfield North, Caulfield South, Caulfield, Glen Huntley, Ormond, McKinnon , Carnegie, Murumbeena, Hughesdale, Elwood, Gardenvale, Brighton, Brighton East, Bentleigh, Bentleigh East, Hampton, Hampton East, Sandringham, Highett, Moorabbin, Cheltenham.

Please see our pricing page for further details.

Where are you located?

Our base is in Ludstone Street, Hampton, near South Road and Bluff Road and we offer mobile services within a 10km radius.

Can I bring my dog to you?

Yes. We see clients from our base in Hampton.

Can you see my dog at home?

Yes. Quite often your dog is more comfortable in their own space and treatments may be more beneficial when he or she is more relaxed.

Other than my dog, do I need to bring anything to the appointments?

Please have a collar or preferably a harness with lead for your dog and if possible, make sure she has had a walk before her treatment.

We sometimes might need a few treats to keep your dog still and happy to begin with, so if she is on a special diet or has something in particular that she really likes, please bring some along.

Any relevant vet history that will help us to devise the appropriate treatment will be useful.

If your dog needs a canine support buddy, that's fine, they can come too.

If my dog has a massage at home, where is the best place for them to be during their massage?

A warm, comfortable spot is best, where your dog is happy to rest for a little while. This might be on their bed, the sofa, the floor or even your bed! It doesn’t really matter too much but we will need to have easy enough access to them - a bed in the corner of the room might be a bit squishy for us but we can always make it work - and we want your dog to be comfortable, that’s the main aim. If we are using laser in our treatments, we need access to a powerpoint within a few metres.

Do I need to be present for my dog’s massage?

Yes please. We need to take a history from you to make sure we are giving the right treatment and to see how your dog is responding to previous treatments.

We may also need you to stay with your dog to help keep them calm and still as getting a massage is a new experience for them and they might need a little reassurance or a few treats.

Once your dog has had several treatments from us there may be no need for you to be present, but most parents prefer to stick around.

What happens in an appointment?

We will take an initial history, watch your dog move, feel them all over for areas of atrophy or tightness, discuss the treatment and perform the massage and/or laser treatments as indicated. We may feed treats! We will discuss a suitable treatment plan.

At subsequent appointments we will check in to see how they responded and if there are any new developments. We will then perform the appropriate treatment and discuss any changes to the treatment plan.

We may feed more treats!

N.B Please let us know if your dog has any dietary requirements. You may need to supply your own treats if there are dietary allergies or particular requirements.

Pricing Questions

How much does it cost?

Please see our Pricing page for further details.

Do you have any discounts for canine remedial massage or canine laser therapy?

Possibly! Please contact us to discuss.

We may be able to offer a discount when we're seeing more than one dog from the same family and we always provide discounts for fostered greyhounds and members of Gumtree Greys.

Laser appointments are often booked as a block to ensure the correct treatment protocol is followed. More frequent visits are necessary to effectively treat both chronic and acute conditions. We offer discounts for bookings of 6+ sessions and 12+ sessions.

Please see our Pricing page for further details.

Veterinary Indicators/Contraindications

Do I need a vet referral?

You do not need a vet referral in order to make a booking but we would always recommend checking in with your vet first. In some instances your vet will refer you to a canine massage therapist or other allied health professional. We do not diagnose and may refuse treatment in instances when a veterinary work up is indicated prior to the commencement of any treatment.

If my dog is on medications, can they still have a massage?

Usually, yes but please check with your vet to ensure there are no contraindications to canine massage before commencing treatments. Laser and massage treatments can often help to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical pain relief your dog is on.

Treatment Questions

How do I know if massage will help?

Canine remedial massage and laser treatments are designed to reduce pain, increase blood flow, ease tight muscles, restore tissue health and decrease inflammation. There are no real side effects to treatments and it's always worthwhile to give your dog the best chance to be comfortable. We will devise a plan for treatment at the initial session and regularly reassess as we see how your dog is responding.

If your dog is not responding as we would expect, we may refer on to other veterinary providers or other canine health providers from our fantastic network.

Will my dog like it?

Hopefully! Many do and are very receptive to their treatments but if your dog doesn't seem to be benefiting for some reason we can discuss alternative treatments and refer you to someone else in our network. Massage isn’t suitable for dogs who aren’t comfortable with being handled by strangers

Do you treat other animals as well?

DogsBody Health only treats dogs at this stage. Saying that, we do treat humans too. Contact us to find out more.

Can you show me treatment to do at home between visits?

Yes, we will always give some advice to help your dog achieve their wellness needs. This might be advice on changes to flooring around the home for example, areas to give massage to between visits or recommend a return visit to your vet.

Why do dogs need massage?

Because like humans, they have the same soft tissues and body systems which respond to massage techniques and which can provide benefits to their health and wellness.

Can any dog have a massage?

Yes, usually. Some dogs who are distrustful of strangers or do not like being touched may not be suitable candidates for canine remedial massage but please contact us to discuss your dog's specific needs. Sometimes dogs who do not deal well with physical touch can still manage to tolerate laser treatments as the laser is not in direct contact.

Does canine remedial massage work?

Yes! As with any treatment, different dogs respond best to certain treatments and even the same dog may respond best to different treatments for different issues. Canine remedial massage is a very safe treatment that is both cost effective and usually well received by your dog, so always worth giving it a go.

Does laser therapy hurt?

No. The laser will only create a small amount of warmth when used to treat canine musculoskeletal issues. The laser device is not in contact with the dogs directly, but is moved over the surface of the dog in a grid-like pattern. There are no side effects to canine laser therapy treatments.

What type of laser do you use?

We use a JRay 30 watt class 4 laser. It features a dual wavelength of 810nm and 980nm.

About Us

How long have you been doing this for?

I graduated as a certified canine therapist in 2021 but have been massaging humans since 2010. Physiologically there are lots of similarities which many people find surprising! Being an experienced human therapist has made a significant contribution to learning canine anatomy and giving canine remedial massage treatments. I have used laser treatments on humans since 2012 and incorporated laser treatments into my canine work in 2022.

Why do you like greyhounds so much?

We had a beautiful greyhound named Pearl as a family dog and she was one of those special, 'once-in-your-life-do-you-ever-get-to-meet', type dogs. She made my whole family become a bit potty about the breed. We had a labrador and a border collie whilst I was growing up and that suited us well - we had walking holidays in the Lake District and owned horses, so we were always active and outdoors. Getting a greyhound was initially very different but Pearl just had that special something and that was that. And besides, just look at them, how can anyone resist a greyhound? They are truly beautiful and deserving animals.