Montana Canine Wellness | Dog Massage Care - Bozeman, MT

Every dog deserves to feel good in their body! Montana Canine Wellness offers massage, acupressure, myofascial release and nervous system regulation throughout the greater Bozeman and Big Sky Montana area.

Below is a description of the kinds of dogs I work with:

~ Working dogs push through pain until they can't. Sessions for K9, search and rescue, ski patrol, hunting and cattle dogs target shoulders and forelimbs overworked by digging and scrambling, the cervical spine stressed by harness load and the iliopsoas and lumbar complex where chronic tension hides until it becomes injury. Nervous system regulation matters too — dogs are hardwired to ignore fatigue and need permission to rest.

~ Senior dogs age quietly — hiding stiff joints, muscle atrophy and chronic pain until they become impossible to ignore. Therapeutic massage improves circulation, releases the muscle tension that pain creates, helps maintain mobility and stimulates endorphins that medication alone cannot provide. It also finds what eyes may miss — new lumps, tender joints, spots that flinch when touched. Bodywork won't stop the clock but it will make your dog's golden years more comfortable, mobile and joyful.

~ Dogs who exhibit anxiety, excessive barking, reactivity and hyperactivity are often the result of a nervous system that never gets to relax. Sessions address the whole body — releasing the tension that stress locks into muscles, nerves and tissues — and giving the nervous system permission to genuinely rest. Every session also includes a full body assessment for underlying pain, because a dog that flinches, guards or reacts is often hurting. Calm the body and the mind tends to follow.

~ Adventure dogs exert themselves as much as you do. Post-adventure sessions target hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings overworked on the climb, shoulders hammered on the descent, and neck and shoulder tension that cold-water swimming creates. Regular bodywork speeds recovery, prevents repetitive stress injuries and gets your dog ready to play hard again tomorrow.

~ Healthy dogs just don't live with the absence of pain or illness — their bodies are working the way they should. Consistent sessions support healthy circulation, digestion, immune function, skin and coat health and natural mobility — catching small imbalances before they become real problems — so every walk, every run, every roll in the grass feels like it should.

~ Traveling dogs experience tight muscles, achy joints and a restless nervous system that needs to reset before it can relax. A session at your hotel or residence releases muscle tension, addresses the stiffness that comes from hours of confinement and gives your dog exactly what they need to make the most of every trail, swim and adventure Montana has to offer.

About me:

After a long and rewarding career designing and delivering healthcare programs in Asia, Africa and the United States, I landed exactly where I always knew I would — working with dogs. Having felt firsthand what bodywork can do for both the body and mind, I became a Certified Canine Massage Therapist through the Ojai School of Canine Massage.

Whether it's a high energy retriever, an old lab easing into their golden years, a feisty terrier or a locked-in shepherd, almost all dogs mask pain and discomfort somewhere in their body just like we do. Watching their eyes, the way they move, how they hold themselves and whether they brace or soften when touched informs my work to address tight muscles, stiff joints and the tension dogs carry.

My favorite part of this work is the moment a dog stops bracing and settles in under my hands — deep sighs, yawns, a visible softening of the body. That release signals trust and allows the real work to begin. Honestly, watching a dog end a session moving better and feeling more settled in their body never gets old.

I live in Bozeman with my husband, son and sweet old pup Obi-Wan Kenobi. When my hands aren't on a dog you can find me skiing, paddleboarding or dancing to live music.