Animal Massage Schools - New Zealand
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I have not been able to find a whole lot of holistic animal health schools in New Zealand, and none that focus solely on animal massage, but here are the ones I did find (in alphabetical order). If you know of a school that should be on this list, please let me know so I can add it.
Animal Reiki
Valee More
Oasis Clinic
Phone: 09 832 9273
Email: oasisclinic@slingshot.co.nz
Animal Reiki courses, Equine CranioSacral workshops
Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy
Head Office
PO Box 784 Tauranga
2 Edgecumbe Rd Tauranga
Phone: +64 7 578 1331
Fax: +64 7 578 1369
Email: bopcoh@homeopathycollege.com
Animal Homeopathy courses on site or distance learning. One Year Animal Foundation Courses (Certificate) and Four Year Animal Professional Courses (Diploma). Campuses in Tauranga, Auckland and Christchurch.
Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy
Auckland Center
P0 Box 77016 Mt Albert Auckland
874 New North Rd, Mt Albert, Auckland
Phone: +64 9 849 4436
Fax: +64 9 849 4438
Email: bopcohak@homeopathycollege.com
Bay of Plenty College of Homeopathy
Distance Learning
Julie Ross
Echoes Flexible Distance Learning
Email: bopcoh_ak@xtra.co.nz
Canterbury College of Natural Medicine
Westwood Terrace
PO Box 4529
Christchurch
Phone: +64 3 366 0373 ext 11
Fax: +64 3 366 5342
Email: ccnm@ccnm.ac.nz
Holistic Health for Animals. Course includes pet care, nutrition, first aid, vaccinations, homeopathy, acupuncture, acupressure, massage, Reiki, Bach flowers and essential oils for use in pet care.
The European School of Equine Bowen Therapy
The next Practitioner Course in New Zealand will be held January 22-25 2010 in the Waikato. Instructor: Beth Darrall from the UK. For an information pack and application form, email
equinebowen@xtra.co.nz
Hydropaws
523 Candy Road
R D 5
Te Awamutu
3875
Phone: 07 870 4285
Fax: 07 870 2444
Cell phone: 021 249 3767
E-mail: rachel@hydropaws.co.nz
One on One courses: “How to massage and stretch your performance dog” (3hrs). Consultancy on hydrotherapy, training in canine hydrotherapy or how to set up a canine hydrotherapy centre is available on an hourly basis.
St Francis’ College of Natural Animal Health Ltd.
PO Box 919
Tauranga 3140
Phone: +64 7 544 3000
Fax: +64 7 544 0001
Email: info@stfranciscollege.co.nz
Certificate and Diploma courses in natural animal health. Distance learning.
VISITING COURSES & WORKSHOPS
Caninology
Main Office USA:
PO Box 1192,
Gualala, CA, 95445 USA
Phone: (707) 884-9963
Fax: (707) 884-9983
E-mail: office@equinology.com
Canine massage, myofascial release and craniosacral techniques. Canine Body Worker® Certification courses. Classes and workshops held in Pahiatua.
Equine CranioSacral Workshops
Maureen Rogers, Equine Consultant
P.O. Box 696
Aptos, CA 95001, USA
Phone: (831) 642-2210
Email: info@equinecraniosacral.com
Based in the US. Offer Equine and Canine Craniosacral workshops in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Upcoming dates in NZ: November 19 - December 6, 2009 in Rotorua. Local contact: Tracey Ferguson, +64-2193-0486, or email equineenergy@ihug.co.nz
Equinology
Main Office USA:
PO Box 1192,
Gualala, CA, 95445 USA
Phone: (707) 884-9963
Fax: (707) 884-9983
E-mail: office@equinology.com
Based in the US. Equine sports massage, complementary modalities and health care. Equine Body Worker® certification courses. Classes and workshops held in Feilding, Pahiatua and Auckland.
Upcoming dates in NZ: January 16 - 24, 2010. Equine Body Worker® Certification Course held at “Only Fools and Horses” in Auckland.
Listening to Whispers - Tellington TTouch Training
Edie Jane Eaton
Phone: (819) 459-2110 (USA)
Email: ediejane@listeningtowhispers.com
Based in Canada. Offers Feldenkrais, TTEAM and TTouch workshops and certification classes in Europe, South Africa, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
Doing Animal Massage At An Event - Checklist For What To Bring
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Now that summer is here, there are lots of outdoor events where you could be offering your 
massage services to pet owners: rescue group gatherings, agility trials and competitions, conformation shows, local dog group events, and more. Here is a list of things to bring when you’re setting up at an outdoor event:
- Calculator (get one with battery AND solar power)
- Cash box (w small bills for change)
- Receipts
- Gift certificates (make sure you number your gift certificates and keep track of the ones you’ve sold. I made my own in Illustrator but you can find free templates online)
- Sign up list for your newsletter
- Sign/banner (even if you don’t order a custom banner, make sure you have a large sign with your business name that is visible from some distance away)
- Tent (with or without sides)
- Table (for displaying your marketing materials)
- Table cloth (so you can hide your crates of stuff under the table). Paper is ok, but I advise investing in one made of fabric. You’ll be glad you did when there is windswept rain on the day of the event.
- Weights to keep the table cloth in place in case it’s windy
- Outdoor rug (in case the ground/grass is wet)
- Exercise mat or massage table
- Disinfecting wipes (to clean the mat/table in between dogs)
- Disinfecting hand wipes (for yourself)
- Towel (always good to have)
- Paper towels
- Promo materials (business cards, brochures etc.)
- Basket of free treats for dogs
- Basket of free treats for humans (people tend to stop where there are goodies to be had. Take your chance to talk to them and tell them about your business while they’re chewing on that taffy. Make sure it’s something most people are not allergic to!)
- Water (both for yourself and in a bowl for visiting dogs)
- Something to munch on (it’ll be a long day)
- Pen and paper (to jot down ideas, etc.)
- 2 beach (outdoor) chairs (for you to sit on in between customers, and for the humans to sit on while you work on their dog(s)
- Paper and/or plastic bags. At some events, people hand out a lot of promotional materials and you will see people walk around with their arms full of brochures, samples, etc. Offer them a bag to put everything in (with your logo printed on it, and one of your business cards/brochures inside) and they will be very thankful and remember you.
Pack up all the small items in large Rubbermaid crates with lids so that all your belongings are protected if it’s raining. Keep the crates under your table.
Another good thing to bring if you have it is a digital camera. Take pictures of your setup, tent, dogs, etc. Post the photos on your website/blog and in your newsletter.
AMG Book Review - The Well-Connected Dog
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The Well-Connected Dog
by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis
Today, I would like to shine the spotlight on The Well-Connected Dog by Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis. We used The Well-Connected Dog as our course manual in the acupressure class at Bancroft, and I have found it to be both a great learning manual and a fabulous resource to have in your book collection, not only for treating my dog, but us humans as well.
As you saw in Amy’s guest post a few weeks ago, Amy and Nancy are the founders of Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute in Colorado, authors of several books on animal acupressure, and have been practicing what they teach for decades.
In The Well-Connected Dog, they explain the theory behind Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and how a diagnosis is made using the eight guiding principles. To those of us used to modern western medicine, this can be a bit difficult to wrap one’s head around, since it is such a completely different way to look at illness and its causes, but they do a great job of explaining it in ways that are easy to relate to.
Chapter four in the book describes each meridian in more depth: what it relates to (season, element, body parts, etc.), its function in the body, signs indicating that the energy in that particular meridian is blocked, the important acupressure points along it and how treating each point can help with a specific condition. There is also an illustration of each meridian and its points, so you easily can find them on your dog.
The next chapter talks about acupoints, places where the chi is closer to the surface of the body and can be treated. Each set of points is described in detail, again with illustrations to help you locate them on your dog.
Chapter six is about canine stretching, with photos and instructions for how to do a full-body stretch of your dog (which is as important for dogs as it is for us humans in order to maintain flexibility and enhance the flow of energy).
In Chapter seven, you learn how to treat specific conditions, such as Lower Back Soreness, Itchy Skin, Kennel Cough, Fear, and Shock. This chapter is set up similar to the ones above, with indicators showing an energy imbalance, how to perform each particular treatment, and which points to work (with illustrations).
Chapter three, which I would go back to after reading through the entire book, shows you, step by step, how to do an acupressure treatment on your dog, including selecting a location, preparing yourself by breathing and getting centered, observing your dog, introducing yourself and getting permission (from your dog) to do a treatment. Many of us tend to overlook such things, but they are great reminders to slow down and really connect with both yourself and your dog. I personally never work on my dog if I feel that my chi isn’t “up to par” or I’m upset or angry. I’m always afraid I will transfer bad energy to her.
As I mentioned earlier, I use this book as a reference again and again, and one thing I like in particular are the descriptions of what each point does for the dog/human being treated. It’s so helpful when you don’t have the time to perform an entire full-body treatment (which is difficult to do on yourself since many points are located on the back) to be able to zero in on one or a few points to work a little bit whenever you find the time.
I first realized the power of acupressure after I successfully treated my husband for a very persistent stomach bug with the help of The Well-Connected Dog. It sounds funny, I know, but it worked. My husband had been sick for a week, and wasn’t getting any better. I was in the middle of the acupressure course at Bancroft at the time, so I took out this book and with the help of the descriptions of what each point does, found a point I thought sounded like a good one to treat (I think it was St 36). I looked at the illustration of the dog, managed to find the point on my husband’s leg, and treated it for an hour. It definitely needed it - he almost screamed with pain when I first found it, but after that hour, he felt better, and the next day, his stomach was fine again.
In the past few weeks, I have had reason to re-visit this book to treat myself. I am going through a series of allergy treatments (using kinesiology and acupuncture) that leave me drained and zombie-esque at times. After one treatment in particular, my kidney chi was getting totally out of whack, and after looking in The Well-Connected Dog, I decided I needed to work on Ki3 and Ki7. I found the spots easily and treated them while I was sitting on the couch watching TV. I can’t tell you what a difference it made in getting through the days after that treatment. I still had a pounding headache, heaviness in my head and ringing in my ears, as well as very uncharacteristic insomnia, but after treating those points, my energy improved dramatically, and I could handle the symptoms.
I tell you all this to emphasize that anybody can use acupressure to improve both their own and their dog’s health. We did have that acupressure course at Bancroft, where I learned the basics, so I know what to look for and what an acupoint feels like, but I am in no way certified to perform acupressure on anybody. But you don’t need to be to work on yourself and your dog - once you learn the basics, you have the power in your own hands to relieve headaches, improve digestion, boost energy, etc.
I would highly recommend The Well-Connected Dog to anyone interested in giving this powerful healing technique a try. And if you have the chance to take part in one of the Tallgrass workshops (which are held all over the world, check out their current schedule here), don’t pass it up. I know that you, like me, will be amazed at how effective acupressure can be, and will find endless uses for it now and in the future.
Animal Massage Guide Guest Post Series: Tallgrass Animal Acupressure
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Today’s guest post comes to us from Amy Snow, founder (along with Nancy Zidonis) of Tallgrass
Animal Acupressure Institute and co-author of Equine Acupressure: A Working Manual, The Well-Connected Dog: A Guide to Canine Acupressure and, Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure. She is also the lead instructor for Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute Practitioner Certification Training Program, and one of the Co-Chairs of NBCAAM (I’ll be writing more about both The Well-Connected Dog and NBCAAM later this spring).
Tallgrass is acknowledged world wide as the premier educator when it comes to animal acupressure, and Amy and Nancy are true leaders in their field. I am thrilled that they agreed to be featured on AMG, so without further ado:
Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute:
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Over 20 years ago, Nancy Zidonis and Marie Soderberg began Equine Acupressure. They were offering acupressure to dressage riders and one day a rider asked if they could work on her horse since he needed it as much as she did. This was the beginning of research, study and the development of their first to handbook on equine acupressure and later another on canine acupressure.
In 1998, Nancy Zidonis and Amy Snow joined forces with the intention of expanding Equine Acupressure and writing new books on equine, canine and feline acupressure. Within two years three books were written and published by Tallgrass Publishers, LLC, Nancy and Amy’s publishing company: Equine Acupressure: A Working Manual, The Well-Connected Dog: A Guide To Canine Acupressure and Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure. They went on to create new meridian charts and DVDs for horses, dogs, and which are now offered on their website: www.animalacupressure.com
The new books and articles in publications generated a lot of interest in animal acupressure. Nancy and Amy spent the next few years developing a comprehensive acupressure training program. Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute offers both online and hands-on courses worldwide. Participants begin with introductory courses and build their depth of knowledge moving through the 320 hour Practitioner Certification Program. This program delves deeply into Traditional Chinese Medicine and graduates are adept at utilizing eastern assessment tools, point selection, and the acupressure session protocol.
Rather than building a “brick and mortar” training facility, Amy and Nancy decided to invest in traveling to a geographically diverse market. Hands-on courses are offered throughout the United States, England, Australia, Canada, and Israel. There are Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Practitioners all over the world. Thankfully, animals are benefiting from this ancient healing modality and the pace of people joining in this life-long learning adventure is constantly increasing.
As the pioneers in the field of animal acupressure, Nancy and Amy felt a strong commitment to providing the most in depth education possible so that the Tallgrass practitioners would be recognized as skilled and knowledgeable. Both Nancy and Amy went to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) School and have built their training program on the Chinese model of acupressure/acupuncture, not on other forms of bodywork. They felt that going back to the basics to grasp the concepts underlying acupressure would yield a well educated practitioner. The 320-hour Tallgrass program is demanding, but all participants that become practitioners are grateful for truly understanding the work that they are performing.
It has taken years to develop the Tallgrass highly interactive program. From the first Introductory level courses through the advanced Acupoint Energetics and Landmark Anatomy, Tallgrass continuously strives to provide the highest level of education for our participants. As the demand for animal acupressure continues to increase, we continue to meet the needs by offering more advanced courses in Equine and Canine Pathology, Tui Na, Acupoint Combinations and other courses in the development stages.
The Tallgrass instructors in the US, Australia, and England are actively involved in continuous education by attending TCM schools or working directly with TCM Doctors. Our instructors all need to have a teaching background as well. Furthermore, we require that all instructors are fully trained by spending a year assisting in courses, participating in a training program for instructors. Once they have 
attended the Instructor Training course, they spend the following year serving as an instructor-in-training to be able to teach the introductory hands-on course and then another year to be able to teach the intermediate courses. It is a rigorous program, but there is so much to learn, and we would not be serving our participants nor the animals if we did not provide a firm grounding in teaching and acupressure.
The future calls for continuous learning tools, expansion of courses, and new instructors worldwide. The founders of Tallgrass, Amy and Nancy, look forward to seeing their legacy in offering health through acupressure for animals become the legacy of many people to come.
All of the Tallgrass courses are approved for Continuing Education (CE) by the National Certification Board of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB). The online courses are approved for CEs by the United States Dressage Federation University. Additionally, Tallgrass is an approved Higher Education Vocational School by the State of Colorado Department of Education.
Animal Massage Schools - Europe
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After hearing from many readers looking for schools in mainland Europe, I put together the list below. (For schools in the UK and Northern Ireland, click link). I realize this is far from complete (partly because there are many European languages I don’t speak or understand, and partly because not everyone has a website), so as usual, if you know of a school that belongs on this list, please contact me. I plan to build on this list as I hear about/discover unlisted schools, so if you don’t see one in your area right now, keep checking back.
| AUSTRIA |
Animal Center
Trausdorf 257
A-8323 St. Marein bei Graz
Phone: +43 (0)3119/31137
Cell: +43 (0)664/9471027
Email: admin@animalcenter.at
Equine and small animal massage courses.
Mensch & Tier
Doris Pirker
Dipl. Hundekrankengymnastin Salzachgasse 16
5500 Bischofshofen
Phone: +43 (0)676-4330277
Online contact form
Canine massage workshops
Studio Canis
Ilse Mayer
Vorderlebach 11, 5322 Hof bei Salzburg
Phone: +43 (0)664 / 1403538
Email: hundemassage@sbg.at
Canine massage workshops
TTEAM Büro Österreich
Martin Lasser
Spitalgasse 7 2540 Bad Vöslau
Phone: +43 (0)664 / 1 250 252
Email: office@tteam.at
Small Animal TTouch and Equine TTEAM courses.
| BELGIUM |
Woofs & Hoofs Animal Massage
3530 Helchteren, Belgium
Phone: +32 (0)478/21.22.08
Email: linda@woofsandhoofs.be
Canine and Equine massage workshops and distance learning programs.
| DENMARK |
BIO Dyreklinikken/ Danske Eksaminerede Hundemassører
Højdevej 14
3500 Værløse
Phone: +45 70 20 11 44
Email: biodyr@email.dk
Canine massage certification courses
Dyreuniversitetet
Anita Bakkegård Hansen
Nyrupvej 23
4350 Ugerløse
Phone: +45 5918 8031
Email: post@anitabakkegaardhansen.dk
Courses in animal kinesiology, acupressure and telepathy
Kibaji Hundemassage
Skovbrynet 5
4671 Strøby
Phone: +45 26 84 96 23
Email: kibaji@kibaji.dk
Canine massage, stretching and agility workshops
The Equine Academy
Gitte Andersen Søby
Thostrupvej 15
8881 Thorsø, Denmark
Phone: +45 2533 4284/+45 8696 7876
Email: gitte.soeby@mail.dk
Certified Horse Therapist and Certified Equine Massage Therapist courses
The Equine Touch
Eva Lønborg-Madsen
Ordrup Jagtvej 91, 1.tv.
2920 Charlottenlund
Cell: +45 2280 1203
Email: eva@equinetouch.dk
Equine Touch courses, also at clients’ stables
| GERMANY |
BackBone - Academy for Veterinary Chiropractic and Healing Arts
Dr. Ines Wecker
Lindenstrasse 4
D-27419 Kalbe
Phone: +49-4282-605410
Email: contact@backbone-academy.com
Veterinary chiropractic courses
Das Büro der TTEAM
c/o Bibi Degn
Hassel 4, D 57589 Pracht
Phone: +49 (0) 2682/8886
Email: Gilde@tteam.de
Small Animal TTouch and Equine TTEAM courses.
DIPO
(German Institute for Horse Osteopathy)
Hof Thier zum Berge
D 48249 Dülmen
Phone: +49 (0)2594/ 78 227 0
Email: info@osteopathiezentrum.de
Canine osteopathy courses. Equine osteotherapy and physiotherapy training (workshops and full courses).
Deutsche Ausbildungsstätten für Hundephysiotherapie – Nord
Katrin Vosswinkel
(geb.Blümchen)
Im Winkel 61
32278 Kirchlengern
Phone: +49 (0)5221-180744
Email: katrinbluemchen@t-online.de
Canine physiotherapy and osteopathy training. Dogslumber and Dogmotion courses.
Hundekrankengymnastik
Spöcker Weg 66
D-76351 Linkenheim-Hochstetten
Phone: +49 (0) 72 47 - 94 83 70
Fax: +49 (0) 72 47 - 20 78 88
Email: dahp1@wosslick.de
Canine massage, TTouch and therapeutic swimming workshops. Canine physiotherapy and osteopathy training. Dogslumber and Dogmotion courses.
| ITALY |
Tellington TTouch
Small Animals
Anne Bigi-Schuster
Phone: +39 0571-674237
Email: abs.tteam@libero.it
Valeria Boissier
Phone: +39 335 5438462
Email: bacchus29@gmail.com
Horses
Dr. Silvia Torresani e Dr. Massimo Da Re
Cell: +39 3357267675 or 3356640379
email: darevets@yahoo.it
TTouch and TTEAM courses for small animals and horses
| THE NETHERLANDS |
Vakgroep TTEAM®-TTouch® Nederland
c/o Angèle van Tilburg
Van ’t Hoffstraat 7A
4834 XD Breda
Phone: +31 (0)76 – 5714393
Cell: +31 (0)6 10498598
Email: info@tteam-ttouch.nl
TTouch and TTEAM courses for small animals and horses
| SWEDEN |
Axelsons Animal Massage School
c/o Axelsons Gymnastiska Institut
Box 6475
113 82 STOCKHOLM
Phone: +46 (0)8-591 441 75
Email: animal.massage.school@axelsons.se
Canine, Feline ad Equine massage workshops, Canine and Equine massage certification/diploma courses, Equine Wellness Consultant Diploma courses
Hundkuranten
Hantverkarv. 23
136 41 Haninge
Phone: +46 (0)8-771 50 30
Email: kurser@hundkuranten.se
Canine massage diploma courses, Canine hydrotherapy diploma courses, wellness consultant training as well as many shorter workshops (including such unusual ones as “chanterelle-tracing” and “blood-tracing” - the last one is aimed at participants who wish to bring their dog hunting).
Hundrådet
Email: kerstin@hundradet.se or gunilla@hundradet.se
Canine massage and stretching workshops at Storängsvägen 21 B, Ryttarstadion. Stockholm
Svensk Terapeut Utbildning
Björksäter, Norra Vånga
535 93 Kvänum
Phone: +46 (0)511-37 30 90
Fax: +46 (0)511-37 30 91
Cell: +46 (0)70-296 88 76 or (0)739 - 4333 72
Email:. info@stuab.com
Equine and Canine massage certification courses in a combination of distance learning and on-site training.
The Equine Touch, Sweden
Carola Grauers
Phone: +46 (0)411-850 20
Email: carola@equinetouch.se
Equine touch courses
| SWITZERLAND |
Reikischule Ylenya & Reikizentrum Schweiz
Obere Rebhalde 11
3268 Lobsigen (BE)
Phone +41 (0)32 396 39 54 or 079 522 53 64
Email: yllenya@bluewin.ch
All levels of Reiki for humans and animals. Canine Reiki-massage.
Loka AG
Kaspar Koppstrasse 19
6030 Ebikon
Phone: +41 (0)41 420 45 53
Email: info@loka.ch
Animal kinesiology and psychology certification courses.
Int. Tier - Shiatsu Schule
Seematt 1
CH-6314 Unterägeri
Phone: +41 (0)41 750 64 42
Email: info@tiershiatsu.ch
Animal shiatsu workshops and certification courses
TT.E.A.M. Gilde Schweiz
c/o Maya Conoci
Bruster 111
CH-8585 Eggethof
Phone: +41(0)71 6400175
Cell: +41(0)78 7480058
Email: gilde@tteam.ch
Small Animal TTouch and Equine TTEAM courses.
Featured School: Bancroft School of Massage
Filed Under Learn Animal Massage | 1 Comment
We are starting a new series here at Animal Massage Guide - Featured Schools. I have invited several schools to participate, and first out is my own alma mater, Bancroft School of Massage in Worcester, MA.
I was in one of the first classes to graduate from the small animal massage certification program,
and while these days animal massage is slowly becoming a more well known and widely accepted form of health care, when I was attending Bancroft, it was considered so unusual that the Today Show came and filmed us and did a piece on the school!
It was with great sadness that I parted with both Bancroft and my class mates. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and as someone who didn’t have any prior health care training (apart from a year in pre-med when I was much younger), felt that I got a thorough education and understanding for how the canine body works.
The 200-hour program, which I attended, not only included extensive massage training, but also anatomy, behavior, biomechanics and gait analysis, energy healing, First Aid/CPR, passive exercises, business and marketing and more. We also each did an internship while still attending Bancroft, which I thought was enormously helpful, since you got to experience firsthand what your post-graduation life would be like while you still had your teachers there to ask about any issues that came up.
I would absolutely recommend Bancroft to anyone considering a career in animal massage - you get a solid education taught by experienced teachers passionate about massage, class mates that become friends for life, and all the support you could wish for.
Theresa Gagnon, Director of the Animal Program at Bancroft (and also one of the teachers), sent me this historical overview of the school:
Bancroft School of Massage - Then & Now
Bancroft School of Massage Therapy was established by Henry LaFleur in 1950. As proprietor of the Bancroft Health Center, a facility specializing in Swedish Massage and Sports Massage since 1938, Henry recognized the need to train students in massage therapy in order to meet public demand for professionals, as well as to ensure the consumer of qualified therapists. He purchased the George School of Massage (Boston, MA), moved it to Worcester, and changed the name to the Bancroft School of Massage. Henry taught evening classes at the health center for many years, and over time, both his students and his philosophy spread throughout the country.
In April 1980, Steven Tankanow, a student apprentice and friend of Henry’s, purchased the health center and the school, allowing Henry to devote all of his time to teaching. Under Steve’s guidance, the school was moved to modern quarters in the same building, and the name was changed to Bancroft School of Massage Therapy, incorporated in November 1981.
Steve then began work on achieving academic recognition for the school, and for the Massage Therapy profession as a whole. In November 1985, Bancroft School of Massage Therapy became the first massage therapy school to be licensed by the Department of Education–Commonwealth of Massachusetts as an allied health school offering training in Massage Therapy. Bancroft became nationally accredited in 1986 through NATTS, which became the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology that is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Bancroft maintains accreditation through the ACCSCT. In 1996, the school purchased its own building and designed a training facility specific to the needs of massage therapy training.
The school now occupies over 18,000 square feet of space comprising of offices, store, clinic, library, lecture rooms, massage training rooms, student lounge, student locker area, dressing rooms, shower areas and private student entrance.
In September of 2003, a groundbreaking even took place: Bancroft accepted the first class of Small Animal Massage Therapists. The school took what it already knew how to do, teach massage, and brought it to the animal world. Many dogs and cats, and even a pot bellied pig, have come through the doors of Doggone U, the animal training facility. Bancroft continues the tradition of providing first class massage therapy training to individuals that have a calling to work with animals.
In the fall of 2007, Bancroft opened its doors to even more animals,
this time horses. Right here in our Worcester, MA facility – in the heart of the city – there are now 4 horse stalls as well. All under one roof, Bancroft School of Massage Therapy offers top rate massage training to students that want to learn the art of massage – regardless of which species they want to work with. BSMT is an equal opportunity educational facility – humans, horses, dogs, cats. Only time will tell in what direction Bancroft will go next to spread the art of massage.
AMG Book Review - Stretch Your Dog Healthy by Raquel Wynn
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Stretch Your Dog Healthy
by Raquel Wynn
Personal trainer and holistic health specialist Raquel Wynn is a strong proponent of massage and stretching as preventative medicine for both humans and animals. In her latest book “Stretch Your Dog Healthy” Raquel not only teaches you how to stretch your dog from nose to tail, she also talks about massage, acupressure, aromatherapy, Reiki, detoxing, herbs, and more.
The book starts out with Raquel’s description of how she used stretching to rehabilitate both the minds and bodies of her two adopted dogs, Scottish Terrier Angus and Bichon Jake. Nothing is as compelling as a story with a happy ending, and these two little guys are truly lucky to have ended up in her care. It is also a great example of how alternative methods can work wonders where traditional medicine fails (or comes with very unpleasant side effects).
“Stretch Your Dog” is divided into three parts: I - Flexibility for Fido, II - Massage and Routines, and III - For the Health of Your Hound. There are also a few appendixes (chakra chart, herbs), a glossary and lists of resources and recommended reading.
Part I contains basic dog health information and a chart where you can record your dog’s current health to help keep track of improvements as you start your stretch and massage routine. It then moves on to detailed instructions and photos of how to perform each stretch, with advice on modifications to each (very useful for me - Sadie will not lie on her side or back unless she’s asleep).
Part II talks about massage and includes instructions and photos of how to perform massages on different areas of your pet. It also includes specific stretching and massage routines to help with a variety of issues (”Grounding”, “Stress buster”, “Balancing Yin/Yang”, “Shoulder issues”, “Arthritis”, etc.). The acupressure, aromatherapy, Reiki and Holds sections are shorter overviews, with a few specific key points on each.
In Part III, Raquel discuss what she calls “Dirty Dog Syndrome” - dogs suffering toxic overload from medications, chemicals, food preservatives, etc - and how you can help prevent this from happening (which includes stretching, exercise, food choices, herbs, etc.). She also covers common ailments and which natural remedies to use as alternatives to allopathic (i.e. conventional Western) medicine.
I would describe this book as a thorough instruction manual for stretching, a nice overview of massage, and a great source for learning a bit more about a variety of alternative therapies and techniques. I recommend it to any dog owner who is interested in playing an active role in improving and/or maintaining his/her dogs’ health and longevity. Sure, it does take a bit of time to go through and do a thorough stretching/massage routine, but it is a tremendous opportunity to bond with your pet, as well as assess his/her health and catch any issues early on. And if you’re short on time one day, just do a few stretches or massage strokes - every little bit helps.
Animal Massage Guide Guest Post Series: Yvette Eastman
Filed Under Guest Posts | 1 Comment
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all survived the holidays unscathed and had some time to relax and enjoy the season. With all that behind us, it’s time to get back to work! 
In today’s guest post, we will hear how Yvette Eastman used various alternative and complementary methods to help her friend’s lab Buddy regain his eyesight and health after being given a grim diagnosis of impending blindness from his vet.
Yvette has been practicing reflexology for 35 years and is the founder and Director of the Touchpoint Institute of Reflexology in Belcarra, Canada. She has a private practice for animals and people, teaches a variety of programs, and has written 9 books. Her specialties include Reflexology, Touch For Health, Quantum Touch, Reiki, Emotional Freedom Technique, Emotrance and several other therapies.
Pawspoint Reflexology to the Rescue
By Yvette Eastman
Recently, my friend called me in a panic. “My dog is bumping into things. I think he is going blind. It happened so suddenly. Buddy is only seven years old! He is grumpy and growls at other dogs and he never used to.” My immediate reaction was to do a body scan using muscle checking. The answers were indefinite. I got answers but they led nowhere. No, it was not a stroke, nor glaucoma, nor cataracts. It was not an allergy. My suggestion was to take him to an eye specialist for dogs, which she did. And found out that it was an inflammation and infection of the optic nerve. She was given medication to reduce the inflammation and the infection. Now that we knew the problem, it was time to use Reflexology and other complementary techniques. Even before he was diagnosed, I gave my friend a variety of things to do to help Buddy.
Little by little, over 4 days, Buddy’s eyes improved. He knocked into objects less and he once again reclaimed his good mood.
The first was Rescue Remedy, (a Bach Flower Remedy) which I had suggested from the beginning. “Put some in his water. Put some in a spray bottle and spray around him.” This is my suggestion for any trauma whether for an animal or a human. It helped his mood and his discomfort immediately. He relaxed.
“Now do the figure 8 energy, just using your hand along his eyes 
in a figure 8 that is “lying down” (called a Lazy 8). That will help with the inflammation, the swelling as well as starting the healing.”
Next I told her to work on his toe pads, gently and often. Work on the
dew-claw, I told her, just in case we are dealing with the brain and nerve damage. Work at the base of the dew-claw for his neck. It could be that he sustained an injury and that there is vertebral compression. Since you don’t know for sure, work it anyway. For dogs without dewclaws, either because they are missing or were removed, work on the little bump where the dewclaw would be if he had one. Since so much of our work deals with energy, the body/mind will understand!
Work on the Solar plexus, to release stress and improve his blood pressure. Work along the diaphragm to release it and induce deep breathing and therefore good
oxygenation to the eyes.
Pinch gently on both sides of the webbing, just below (and between) the toe pads. This is for the lymph vessels, to help clear any toxins. And work on the toes and between them, along the sides of each toe 
for the eyes and to assist the Eustachian tube in moving toxins away from the eyes.
Two more important areas. Work the reflex to the Liver to filter out toxins from the blood, and work the entire Large Intestine to improve elimination
Now do the quick meridian repair to insure that all the meridian energies are flowing as they should.
1. Stoke from cheeks over the back, to the outside of the hind feet.
2. Stroke from the inside back feet under the belly to the chest.
3. Stroke from the chest down the inside of the arms to the “hands”.
4. Stroke from the outside of the “hands” to the cheek.
5. Repeat 1-4 3 X.
6. Stroke from base of tail to upper lip over the back, and from under the tail up the centre of the belly to the lower lip. Repeat 3 X.
This story bespeaks the need for “blended medicine”. It is not a good idea to eliminate allopathic medicine. It gives you diagnoses and useful medication. And, once you have that, now you can go on your personal warpath against toxins and do what is needed to rebuild the terrain. The result? Buddy’s right eye is totally healed, the left eye is vastly improved and still healing. The original prognosis? “We are so sorry, but this is a grave situation and he may become totally blind in both eyes.” It really pays to use blended medicine – to use appropriate chemicals and to complement them with every bit of energy work and bodywork you know!
Animal Massage Schools - USA
Filed Under Learn Animal Massage | 10 Comments
Animal massage schools in the US (and one in Canada) listed by state. If you know of a school that belongs on this list, please contact me.
ALABAMA
Clayton College of Natural Health *New*
2140 11th Avenue South
Suite 305
Birmingham, AL 35205
Phone: (877) 782.8236
Fax: (205)323.8231
E-mail: programadvisor@ccnh.edu
Holistic Care for Companion Animals program (encompasses bodywork, herbs, aromatherapy, flower essences, TCM, nutrition)
CALIFORNIA
Animal Reiki Source *New*
369-B Third St., #156
San Rafael, CA 94901
Phone: (415) 420-9783
E-Mail: info@animalreikisource.com
Classes, workshops, seminars and internships in animal Reiki. On site training, teleclasses and correspondence courses.
Caninology
PO Box 1192
Gualala, CA, 95445
Phone: (707) 884-9963
Fax: (707) 884-9983
E-mail: office@equinology.com
Canine massage, myofascial release and craniosacral techniques. Canine Body Worker® Certification courses.
Equine CranioSacral Workshops *New*
Maureen Rogers, Equine Consultant
P.O. Box 696
Aptos, CA 95001
Phone: (831) 642-2210
Email: info@equinecraniosacral.com
Equine and Canine Craniosacral workshops in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Equinology
PO Box 1192
Gualala, CA, 95445
Phone: (707) 884-9963
Fax: (707) 884-9983
E-mail: office@equinology.com
Equine sports massage, complementary modalities and health care. Equine Body Worker® certification courses.
Ojai School of Massage
619 West El Roblar Drive
Ojai, CA 93023
Phone: (805) 640 9798
Fax: (805) 646 4612
Email: osom11@gmail.com
Equine and Canine certification courses
COLORADO
Aspen Equine Studies, Inc.
0019 Cliff View Circle
Parachute, CO 81635
Phone: (970) 285.5644
Email: thefithorse@kathyduncan.com
Equine massage certification programs
Boulder College of Massage Therapy
Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: (303) 530-2100
Toll Free: (800) 442-5131
Canine massage certification program on site
EquiTouch® equine massage therapy
Loveland, CO
Phone: (800) 483-0577
Equine massage therapy courses on site
Healing Touch for Animals®
P.O. Box 632171
Highlands Ranch, CO 80163-2171
Phone: (303) 470-6572
Toll Free: (866) 470-6572
Email: office@healingtouchforanimals.com
Weekend workshops teaching Healing Touch for Animals® and Komitor Healing Method, Inc. (HTA/KHM) throughout the United States, in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, The Netherlands and in parts of Europe.
The Lang Institute for Canine Massage
P.O. Box 2786
Loveland, CO 80539
Phone: (877) 669.3929
Email: lang@dogmassage.com
Canine massage courses
Prairie Winds Equine Massage Therapy College
16007 NCR 7
Wellington, CO 80549-2107
Phone: (970) 568-3986
Equine massage certification courses on site
Rocky Mountain School of Animal Acupressure and Massage
P.O. Box 1491
Carbondale, CO 81623
Phone: (303) 669-4227
Toll Free: (866) 903-6462
Fax: (303) 379-4494
Email: information@rmsaam.com
Canine and equine massage & acupressure certificate programs, on-site or distance learning. Campuses in Littleton, Longmont and Carbondale.
Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute
4559 Red Rock Drive
Larkspur, CO 80118
Phone: (303) 681-3033
Toll-Free: (888) 841-7211
E-mail: info@animalacupressure.com
Equine and small animal acupressure, Tui Na and aromatherapy courses and Practitioner Certification Program on line and on site in various locations in the US, Australia and the UK
FLORIDA
Animal Dynamics
9791 NW 160th Street
Reddick, FL 32686
Phone: (352) 591-6025
Toll Free (866)845-3387
Email: admin@animaldynamics.com
Equine massage clinics and programs on site
Chi Institute of Chinese Medicine, Inc. *New*
9700 West Hwy 318
Reddick, FL 32686
Phone: (800) 891-1986
Fax: (866) 700-8772
Email: barbara@tcvm.com
Animal acupuncture programs, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) diagnostics, TCVM for Vet Techs, Veterinary Tui-Na, Food Therapy, Herbology. Certification programs: Veterinary Aucpuncturist, Veterinary Herbologist, Veterinary Tui-Na Practitioner, Veterinary Herbalist. Master’s Degree in TCVM.
Massage Awareness, Inc.
Town Square at Wellington
11924 Forest Hill Blvd.
Suite 22-102
Wellington, FL 33414
Phone: (561) 383-8205
Fax: (561) 383-8206
Email: doginfo@massageawareness.com
Home study courses in equine and canine massage
GEORGIA
Options For Animals *New*
College of Animal Chiropractic
PO Box 3682
Cartersville, GA 30120
Phone: (309) 658-2920
Fax: (678) 721-2523
Email: Options4animals@aol.com
Basic and advanced animal chiropractic courses
ILLINOIS
Animal Spirit Healing & Education
P.O. Box 509
Plainfield, IL 60544
Phone: (815) 254-8325 or (815) 531.2850
E-mail: info@animalspiritnetwork.com
Classes and certificate programs in holistic animal care and intuitive healing arts.
Holistic Touch Therapy Dog Massage
C. Sue Furman, Ph.D.
6801 Meacham Road
Kinmundy, IL 62854
Phone: (618) 245-2153
On-line and on site canine massage courses
INDIANA
Midwest Natural Healing for Animals
4101 N. Old Mill Rd.
Milan, IN 47031
Canine and equine massage therapy courses on site
Motion For Life *New*
Cathy Cowell
6995N 750W
Orland, IN 46776
Phone: (260) 829-6363
Online contact form
Equine Myofascial Release seminars in various locations in the US.
MASSACHUSETTS
Bancroft School of Massage Therapy
333 Shrewsbury St.
Worcester, MA 01604
Phone: (508) 753-9757
Toll Free: (866) 352-9409
Small animal and equine massage certification courses. On site or distance learning
Wilson & Meagher Sports Therapy *New*
Jo-Ann Wilson
P.O.Box 1155
Concord, MA 01742
Phone: (978) 772-9702
Email: wmst4@yahoo.com
Equine massage courses, workshops, mentoring and apprenticeship programs
MISSOURI
Equine Myofascial Release *New*
Tamara Rapier, RPT
3176 Bradley Drive
New Bloomfield, MO 65063
Cell/Work: (573) 694-0350
Home: (573) 295-6897
E-mail: inquiry@equinemyofascialrelease.com
Equine Myofascial Release seminars in various locations in the US.
MONTANA
Western Montana School of Equine Massage
PO Box 989
Corvallis, MT 59828
Phone: (406) 961-5407
Toll Free: (800) 821-0014
Email: info@equinetouchmontana.com
Equine massage and Reiki/acupressure certification courses on site.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New England Academy of Therapeutic Sciences *New*
173 Goldmine Rd.
Dublin, NH 03444
Phone: (603) 563-7760
Fax:(603) 563-7760
Email: info@neats.com
600+ hour Equine Holistic certificate program consisting of a home study course interspersed with three, two week intensive training sessions at their equestrian center in southern New Hampshire.
NEW MEXICO
Tellington Touch Training
P.O. Box 3793
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 455-2945
Toll Free: (866) 488-6824
Email: info@TTouch.com
Courses in TTouch for horses, dogs, cats and other companion animals throughout the US, Canada and Europe
NORTH CAROLINA
Center for Massage & Natural Health
530 Upper Flat Creek Rd.
Weaverville, NC 28787
Education Center Telephone: (828) 658-0814
Retreat Center Telephone: (828) 658-8198
Therapy Center Telephone: (828) 252-0058
Education Center Fax: (828) 645-6799
Retreat Center Fax: (828) 658-1351
Email: info@centerformassage.com
Equine massage certification courses on site
OHIO
Integrated Touch Therapy, Inc.
P.O. Box 652
Circleville, OH 43113
Phone: (800) 251-0007
Fax: (740) 474-2625
Email: wshaw1@bright.net
Certification courses in large and small animal massage
PetMassage, Ltd.
3347 McGregor Lane
Toledo, OH 43623
Toll-Free (US only): 1-800-779-1001
Local phone: (419) 475-3539
Fax: (419) 475-3539
E-Mail: info@PetMassage.com
Canine massage training on site or through home study
OREGON
Animal Acupressure Massage Training Center
2040 W 18th Ave
Eugene, OR
Phone: (541) 513.5153
Canine, Feline, and Equine massage certification courses
Animal Natural Health Center *New*
Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD
Eugene, OR
Phone: (541) 520-1891
Email: richard@drpitcairn.com
Professional Course in Veterinary Homeopathy
Camelidynamics *New*
Marty McGee Bennett
18380 Pinehurst Rd.
Bend, OR 97701
Phone: (541) 318-5026
Online contact form
Workshops and clinics in TTEAM for camelids.
PENNSYLVANIA
Postural Rehabilitation Seminars *New*
Fincastle Farm
305 Nottingham Road
Nottingham, PA 19362
Phone: (717) 529-0526
Email: equinesportsmed@mac.com
Equine and Canine Postural Rehabilitation seminars (for licensed vets, chiropractors and PTs only).
SOUTH CAROLINA
Equine Massage and Saddlefit School
809 Kirkwood Circle
Camden, SC 29020
Phone: (803) 424-1887
E-mail: mscott@equinemmt.com
Equine and canine massage intro classes, equine and canine massage/muscle therapy certificate programs, advanced muscle therapy courses, equine massage/muscle therapy post graduate mentorship
VIRGINIA
Equissage
P.O. Box 447
Round Hill, VA 20142
Phone: (540) 338-1917
Toll Free: (800) 843-0224
Fax: (540) 338-5569
Courses in Equine and Canine massage therapy. On site or home study.
WASHINGTON
Northwest School of Animal Massage
PO Box 670
Fall City, WA 98024
Phone: (425) 222-3703
Toll free: (877) 836-3703
Fax: (425) 222-4573
Certification courses in small and large animal massage. On-site or distance learning.
WISCONSIN
The Healing Oasis Wellness Center, LLC *New*
2555 Wisconsin St.
Sturtevant, WI 53177-1825
Phone: (262) 898-1680;
US Toll free: (866) 203-7584
Fax: (262) 886-6460
Email: contact@healingoasis.edu
Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapy program, Veterinary Massage and Rehabilitation Therapy program, Advance Neurology Program
VARIOUS
Animal Connection Network™
Phone: (970)259-4629
Animal Bowen courses in various locations in the US
The Equine Touch
Equine touch courses in various locations throughout the US and Canada
Treetops
New Brunswick and Ontario Canada
Phone: (866) 919-8733
Email: info@treetopsweb.com
Canine and equine massage certification programs. On site or distance learning.
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Animal Massage Schools - Canada
Filed Under Learn Animal Massage | 3 Comments
The time has come for Canada to get its own list of schools (The Equine Touch, the one Canadian school on the list for the US is now in both places). They are listed by province, and alphabetically within each province. As always, if you know of a school that should be on this list, please contact me.
ALBERTA
Equine BodyWorks
Tracy Starr
91 Royal Ridge Manor NW
Calgary, AB T3G-0A2
Phone: (403)862-4204
Email: office@horsestudies.com
Equinology Certification Program and courses offered in Calgary, Alberta
BRITISH COLUMBIA
HJW Equine Studies
Box 1430
Barriere, BC, V0E 1E0
Tel: 250-672-9891
Fax: 250.671.9831
Email: helenjwoods@canada.com
Equine Therapy and Massage courses
Tellington TTouch Training Canada
Robyn Hood
5435 Rochdell Road
Vernon, B.C. V1B 3E8
Phone: 250-545-2336 or 800-255-2336
Fax: 250-545-9116
Email: ttouch@shaw.ca
Courses in TTouch for horses, dogs, cats and other companion animals throughout the US, Canada and Europe
Touchpoint Institute of Reflexology and Kinesthetics
3186 Bedwell Bay Road
Belcarra, B.C. V3H 4S1
Phone: 604-936-3227 in Greater Vancouver area
Toll Free: 1-800-211-3533
Email: yvette@touchpointreflexology.com
Pawspoint Reflexology For Animals, the class and the book. Yvette practises and teaches all forms of Reflexology, Touch For Health, EmoTrance & Emotional Freedom Technique, Reiki, and Quantum Touch.
ONTARIO
Cedar Lane Farm *New*
Cheryl Gibson
Flamborough, ON
Phone: (905) 659-7223
E -mail: info@cedarlanefarm.ca
Workshops in Feldenkrais for Riders, Emotional Freedom Technique, Balanced Foot, and Animal Communication
The Darcy Lane Institute
627 Maitland Street
London, Ontario N5Y 2V7
Phone: (519) 673-4420
Phone: (519) 673-3965
Toll Free: (877) dar-cylane
Toll Free: (877) 327-2952
Email: info@darcylane.com
Equine massage therapy program
Equi-Bow Canada *New*
c/o BCL, 489 Guelph Line
Burlington, ON L7R 3M2
E-mail: info@equi-bowcanada.com
Equine Bowen Practitioner Certification Programs, workshops for horse owners,
The Equine Touch
Treetops
New Brunswick and Ontario Canada
Phone: (866) 919-8733
Email: info@treetopsweb.com
Equine touch courses in various locations throughout the US and Canada. Canine and equine massage certification programs. On site or distance learning.
Hahnemann Center for Heilkunst *New*
1143 Mill St.
PO Box 219
Manotick ON K4M 1A3
Canada
Phone (school): (613) 692-1700
Toll Free: 1-800-579-HEAL (in Canada)
Phone (clinic): (613) 692-6950
Fax (school): (613) 692-0183
Fax (clinic): (613) 692-0183
Email: info@homeopathy.com
Diploma in Veterinary Homeopathy and Heilkunst - DVHH
The Healing Oasis Wellness Centre of Canada *New*
124 Charing Cross St.
Brantford, ONT Canada
Phone: (519) 448-1306
Fax: (519) 756-1597
Online contact form
Basic animal chiropractic program, Continuing Education seminars
QUEBEC
Tellington TTouch Training Canada
Edie Jane Eaton
229 Lake Bernard Road
Alcove, Q.C. J0X 1A0
Phone: 819-459-2110
Fax: 819-459-2110
Email: ejrett@earthlink.net
Offers Feldenkrais, TTEAM and TTouch workshops and certification classes in Europe, South Africa, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand
VISITING
Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute *New*
4559 Red Rock Dr.
Larkspur, CO 80118, USA
Phone: 303-681-3033
Toll-free: 1-888-841-7211
Fax: 303-681-2999
Email: info@animalacupressure.com
Equine and Small Animal Acupressure course offered at Canine Wellness Centre, Inc 45 Cranfield Rd, Unit 5, Toronto, Ontario M4B 3H6. Local host: Tania Costa - 416-690-1077.
July 24-26: Introduction to Small Animal Acupressure - Toronto, Canada
