This workshop is ideal for dogs who participate in sports such as agility, hoopers, gundog work, canicross, obedience, flyball, showing, working trials—or for any dog that leads an active lifestyle.

During this one-day workshop, you will learn how to support your dog’s performance, promote long-term soundness, and reduce the risk of injury through the safe and effective use of massage.

Alongside learning about your dog’s anatomy, you will also learn how to:

• Perform a pre-event warm-up massage to prepare muscles for activity, improve range of motion (ROM), and reduce the risk of injury and early fatigue

• Apply a post-event cool-down massage to support recovery, reduce stiffness, and help minimise delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

• Recognise subtle signs of muscular or performance-related injury, allowing you to address issues before they become problematic

 Please visit the shop to find out more about the venue and dates.

These workshops are for self-interest only. They do not qualify you to treat other people’s dogs.

Who is the workshop suitable for?

• All active dogs

• Dogs that participate in agility, hoopers, showing, working trials, obedience, Flyball, Canicross, and all types of sports.

• Gun Dogs

• Sled Dogs

What you will learn:

The Science Behind Pre- and Post-Event Massage

• How pre- and post-event massage enhances performance and supports longevity in sporting dogs

• How massage helps reduce the likelihood of injury

• The scientific principles behind massage and its application in canine sport

Tutorial 1 – Canine Anatomy Fundamentals

How to locate key bony landmarks and why this is essential before starting any massage routine

• How to identify your dog’s main muscle groups (working hands-on with your own dog)

• How to recognise subtle signs of muscular injury

• How to spot early indicators of performance-related injury

Tutorial 2 – Applied Massage techniques

You will learn how to massage confidently and correctly using a carefully selected range of techniques that work across different muscle layers and fibre directions. These techniques are designed to improve muscular flexibility, contraction, and overall function.

Tutorial 3 – Pre & Post Event Massage Routine 

• Pre-event massage: Learn how to apply a 5–10 minute full-body massage to prepare your dog for activity and reduce the risk of injury

• Post-event massage: Learn how to apply a 5–10 minute full-body cool-down massage to support recovery

• Maintain & Gain at Home: An additional relaxation-focused massage routine combining techniques learned during the day, designed to benefit both physical comfort and mental wellbeing

More about pre- and post-event massage for dogs:

Pre-event massage does not replace a physical warm-up but works alongside it. Its purpose is to prepare the body for high-intensity or prolonged activity.

Unlike remedial sports massage, pre-event massage is not designed to treat injured tissue. Instead, it involves the skilled application of specific massage techniques to areas that commonly accumulate stress and fatigue. These techniques help increase warmth, flexibility, and tissue elasticity, promoting more efficient muscle lengthening and contraction. This significantly reduces the risk of muscular strains—one of the most common causes of lameness and early retirement from sport.

Every dog attending the workshop will be offered a complimentary muscular health check. This allows us to identify areas of tension or discomfort that may influence performance or determine which techniques are appropriate. Massage routines are always adapted to suit the individual dog, and techniques are never forced.

We will also explore which muscle groups are most commonly stressed in different sports, enabling you to tailor your massage routine to your dog’s specific activity and demands.

Post-event massage is typically performed anywhere from 30 minutes up to 24 hours after activity. It supports recovery by improving circulation, reducing muscular tension, and encouraging the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) response. A key benefit is helping the body clear metabolic waste products produced during exercise, which contribute to inflammation, soreness, and stiffness 24–48 hours after activity. When applied correctly, post-event massage can significantly reduce discomfort and support more effective recovery.