By KRISTIN DIZON
P-I REPORTER
Rather than tell his massage therapist he was pleased, Jake panted and smiled.
Nor did he lie still. He'd wiggle, squirm, walk around, sniff, look outside, then lie down again. And there would be no tip for this rubdown, unless you count several tongue swipes he landed during the session.
Jake, a yellow Labrador, was helping teach the art of dog massage to students at the Northwest School of Animal Massage.
For years, expensive race and show horses have benefited from massage, but now the field is expanding to the small animal set, which largely means dogs. In an age when people seek alternative therapies, many figure their pets also might enjoy such services.
Plenty of people scoff at this sort of pet pampering, but school founder Lola Michelin sees it as health maintenance and well-being for beloved companions.
The program, headquartered at Legacy Farm in Redmond, with satellite campuses and distance learning, is designed around Swedish massage techniques, but also offers courses in Reiki, aromatherapy and shiatsu.
Students have massaged cats, llamas, cows, miniature donkeys, ferrets, birds, rabbits and more.
Michelin says there's even a market in therapeutic touch for exotic animals. "I go to zoos. I've worked on everything from giraffes to primates, including howler monkeys, gibbons, lots of antelope species."
Michelin got her start 23 years ago with horses -- they're still the bulk her practice -- but she's also a licensed massage therapist for people.
Many of the 450 students a year who study at the Northwest School of Animal Massage come to work on dogs. That's where most of the demand is -- through vet offices, doggie day cares, dog walkers and groomers.
Equine massage therapists can earn more than $100 an hour, while those who practice on dogs can make between $45 and $75 an hour, according to the school.
The students come to Legacy Farm, a horse boarding and training facility, from all over the country as well as abroad. Only 10 percent to 15 percent are Washington residents.
For the complete newbie, it takes 300 hours of class work, plus a state Department of Health exam to become a certified animal massage practitioner. Those who are veterinary technicians or licensed human massage therapists need 100 hours of training.
In a recent beginning-level class, 12 of the 12 students were women. The course -- which costs $2,000 with materials, tuition and registration -- includes detailed anatomy and kinesiology. (Upper level classes focus on performance animals and rehabilitation.)
During each of the nine days of class -- spread over a three-week period -- the students massage dogs for about an hour and a half.
The oldest student this session is Donna Seaman, 66, of Lake Chelan. A human massage therapist for 19 years, Seaman hopes to expand her practice to dogs, which she said are easier to massage because the muscle groups are smaller.
Although she said pet massage is basically unheard of in north central Washington, she thinks people are open to the idea. "People are very into their pets. Animals are like people's children. Every dog -- just like every client -- is going to be different."
As Seaman touched a dog called Darci, lead instructor Cheryl Gordon talked her through stroking the whole body with effleurage, or assessing, strokes.
"Always remember to watch the dog and check in with them. They will let you know if it's not comfortable for them," said Gordon, who used to work in marketing at Microsoft. "Is there tightness? Are there adhesions? Am I feeling places that are smooth, or stuck, or almost sandpapery?"
For general health, the main goals are to separate the muscle fiber, move fluid, and warm the tissue, Gordon told her students.
Student Michelle Comazetto, 30, took over and before long, Darci's head was resting on her knee. Comazetto became interested in animal massage after the family dog had two torn ACLs and she wanted to ease the discomfort.
"I think working with animals -- it's unconditional love. They don't bring judgments," she said. "Dogs really don't bring their issues with them."
There are occupational hazards for the animal masseur, such as fur on one's clothes, or being bitten, but Michelin said incidents are rare. "They love the work. They're very grateful for the massage, so we don't see a lot of aggression."
Small animals are usually massaged for 30 to 45 minutes, a shorter period than for humans because they're smaller and have a shorter attention span. "We find that animals respond better to subtle, light techniques," Michelin said.
In class, after Jake settled down for the 10th time, he seemed to enjoy kneading strokes along his spine and hips from Wisconsin resident Amanda Heimerl, who had come the farthest for the class.
Nearby, Jake's sister Casey let her paw be bent and moved side to side by Tamara Lovett, a forestry worker from British Columbia, who then rubbed along the dog's spinal column before patting the crown of her head.
Lovett talked to the yellow Lab in a singsong voice. "Oh, so lucky. You're so sleepy. You just need to lie down. Lie down, Casey. Lie down," she said, her voice trailing off to a calming whisper.
