How Bowen Techniques Can Help Your Dog

If you’re a dog person, then I don’t need to tell you just how precious they can be. They are our furry best friends, by our sides through thick and thin. Many dog owners would sacrifice some of their own food budget just so that their dog didn’t go hungry, and go to great lengths to make sure their dog is happy and healthy, from a puppy to its last day on earth.

But did you know that canine Bowen therapy does exactly that? Whether your dog is one that is likely to suffer joint and muscle problems because of their breed, they have suffered an injury or they are just suffering anxiety or behavioural problems, Bowen therapy is a gentle way to bring them some balance, peace and comfort. My own dog Gizmo has seen the benefits of Bowen for her hip dysplasia, as have many other dogs like her. So today I wanted to share with you a few of the ways Bowen techniques can help your dog.

Injury Recovery

One of the wonderful things about dogs is that they very much live ‘in the moment’. This makes them very energetic animals, but also means they can overdo it sometimes. But they will only feel the pain when they really feel it – they don’t tend to worry about little niggles or slow down until the pain gets very bad. This leads of a lot of injuries that might take time and treatment to recover from. Even something as simple as a dog who pulls on the lead when he gets excited can lead to neck and shoulder strain, which is only felt later when he’s resting, when the full force of it hits him.

Bowen is a great thing to have in the toolkit when it comes to helping dogs recover from injuries quicker. While we are not vets (and animals with injuries should always be checked by a vet and signed off for Bowen), we can offer a complementary therapy, reminding the body to relax, promoting its natural healing ability and generally speeding up recovery time in a natural way.

Improve Joint Mobility

We can all feel a bit off when our joints ache, and dogs are no different. There are all sorts of reasons your dog might suffer from joint issues – from injury and breed disposition, to inactivity. This kind of pain tends to happen because the fibres of connective tissue (known as fascia) become stuck over time, or thicken, which can leave your dog feeling stiff and sore. Bowen therapy helps to rehydrate the fascia and loosen it, which in turn means your dog will be more mobile and able to start reversing some of the damage. Combined with any appropriate veterinary treatment, Bowen therapy can be an effective way to manage pain and joint mobility issues.

Digestive Issues

As much as we try to feed our dogs a healthy, balanced diet, they have a skill for sniffing out all the things they shouldn’t eat, and when they do they try to fill up on them! Or maybe you slip your furry friend some human food because you can’t resist their pleading eyes. Don’t worry, we’ve all done it. But while a little human food every once in a while is OK, you can’t really get away with this regularly, since processed human food isn’t good for their digestive system. This can make your dog feel a bit under the weather as they struggle with digestive discomfort. Bowen can help their body to process better, and doing a few moves to aid with digestion during a sessions might be just the thing your dog needs to get that spring back in their step.

Reduce Stress

Just like people, dogs can suffer from stress, anxiety and depression. In fact, the number of dogs showing symptoms of these issues has skyrocketed this year thanks to Covid-19. So much disruption to their normal routines, along with the emotions felt by their humans (which have an impact on them) can cause distress, and it’s important to look out for. While some dogs are more prone to stress and nervousness, it could also be brought on by outside events, like thunderstorms or fireworks, which tends to be more learned behaviour.

Bowen therapy is a gentle way to rebalance your dog’s nervous system and relieve some of the stress. For most dogs it’s almost like flicking a switch on their behaviour, and you often see a calmer, happier dog after just a few sessions. I’m finding that Bowen works best on dogs with that learned stress response, but you can also see amazing results with naturally nervous dogs, if you give them a bit more time.

If you would like to know more about Bowen therapy for dogs, or if it might be suitable for your dog, I would love to hear from you. Just get in touch with me today and book in your free, no-obligation consultation.