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Senior care

Massage for senior muscles

An animated, step-by-step routine you can follow along with on the floor.

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Before you start

  • Check with the vet first if either dog has pain that isn’t controlled yet, a tumor or cancer, a skin infection or open wound, a recent injury or surgery, or a clotting problem. Massage should never go directly over infection, acute inflammation, tumors or incisions.6,2,7
  • Stop as soon as they fidget, try to leave, or tell you they’re done.7 A dog who dislikes massage may be sore — mention it to the vet.3
  • Find a new lump? Don’t massage it. Note it with a photo and have the vet check it: some cancers look just like harmless lumps, so vets recommend measuring and sampling new ones rather than waiting.8

The routine

your hand work here no pressure

shouldershipsbackmuscles spine: no pressure

Step 1

Know the map

Work the big muscles: neck and shoulders, the long muscles on either side of the spine, and the hips and thighs. Stay beside the spine, never on the bones themselves.1

Pressure should be light to medium2 — firm is fine, pinching is not.1 On dogs Henri and Mizzy’s size, two or three finger pads cover the ground a whole hand would on a big dog.

Step 2 · 1 min

Settle-in strokes

Run your whole hand slowly from the head toward the tail, in the direction the fur grows, on both sides of the back. This is effleurage, and vets suggest using it to open and close every session.2 Spend 30–60 seconds here before anything deeper.3

Watch for a relaxed body, soft eyes, a sigh. If they walk away, that’s the answer for today.

Step 3 · 2 min

Circles beside the spine

With finger pads (not fingertips), make slow circles in the muscle just to one side of the spine, working from the hips up toward the neck — then do the other side. Never press on the vertebrae.1

This is the move the video opens with: massaging along the spine “all the way up” to the neck.4

Watch for a flinch or a surprised look back at your hand — lighten your pressure or move to a nearby spot.5
neck & shoulders

Step 4 · 2.5 min

Neck & shoulders

Gently knead the muscle over the shoulder blade and the base of the neck — a slow compress-and-release, like kneading soft dough (petrissage).2 About 2–3 minutes per area, then switch sides.3

hips & thighs

Step 5 · 2.5 min

Hips & thighs

Knead the muscles around the hip, then finish with long, light strokes down the back of the thigh.3,2 Hind legs work hard in senior dogs, so go slowly and let them tell you what feels good.

Watch for any spot that makes them pull away every time. Note it in their observations — it’s useful for the vet.

Step 6 · 1 min

Closing strokes

Finish the way you started: long, slow strokes from head to tail.2 Massage can be part of every day if they enjoy it.3

What the evidence says

Honestly: not much yet. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that well-designed studies are limited.6 One large set of case notes from 527 dogs found lower pain scores after massage, but it had no control group.9 Reviews call for better trials.10 Think of massage as comfort, closeness and a chance to notice changes early — alongside, not instead of, the pain plan from the vet.

Sources

  1. Petrissage: Another Massage Technique for Your Dog — C. Sue Furman, PhD, anatomy faculty, Colorado State University — Whole Dog Journal
  2. Therapeutic Massage and Your Dog — Krista Williams, DVM, CCRP & Robin Downing, DVM, CCRP, DAAPM — VCA Animal Hospitals
  3. This vs. That: Massage vs. Stretching — Canine Arthritis Resources & Education (CARE)
  4. The dog-massage video that inspired this site — Social video (creator’s credentials unknown)
  5. Back Massage Techniques for Dogs — Diane Thompson — Whole Dog Journal
  6. Manual Therapy in Veterinary Patients — Narda G. Robinson, DVM, DO — Merck Veterinary Manual
  7. Dog Massage: Everything to Know — Jennifer Coates, DVM — PetMD
  8. 2023 AAHA Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (JAAHA 59:1) — Dhaliwal R, et al., American Animal Hospital Association
  9. Canine massage for chronic pain: case notes from 527 dogs (Vet Rec, 2021) — Riley LM, et al.
  10. Physiotherapy in dogs: techniques and evidence (Vet Sci, 2022) — Mille MA, et al.

Sources checked September 2026. This guide is general education, not veterinary advice for a specific dog.