Very Important Pooch Massage

Very Important Pooch Massage Certified, insured, in-home dog massages for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes in Portland, OR & the surrounding suburbs

16-year old Morty loves his dog massages. He does great with the traditional massage skills the NW School of Animal Mass...
06/12/2026

16-year old Morty loves his dog massages. He does great with the traditional massage skills the NW School of Animal Massage taught me, and his mom says that his hind foot dragging has been much less since getting massages. I showed her how to do skin rolling along his back between sessions, and have noticed that his muscle and skin spasms are greatly reduced as well. I'm always happy to teach basic techniques for upkeep between sessions, and even happier when pet parents follow-through. Enjoy your post-massage nap Morty!

Ollie can be a tricky one to get to settle, but once we're in the groove he melts right down into a relaxed lab puddle 😍...
06/10/2026

Ollie can be a tricky one to get to settle, but once we're in the groove he melts right down into a relaxed lab puddle 😍 This sensitive boy is my poster child for the power of static holds and light touch. He won't tolerate more than a few seconds of classic Swedish friction-based techniques, but hold the right places and draw gentle, warm attention to his sore spots, and his nervous system downshifts with heavy sighs and small muscle releases.

This is what I mean when I say each massage is tailored for the dog's current needs: Kaiya's massages have really shifte...
06/08/2026

This is what I mean when I say each massage is tailored for the dog's current needs: Kaiya's massages have really shifted from somatic-focused, trust-building, lighter touch/low-friction sessions to more vigorous, circulation-focused, muscle stimulating sessions as her nervous system has adapted to regular massage, and her age-related muscle loss has increased. I evaluate every dog I massage with both the knowledge of how past sessions have gone, and also with the new information I gather during the greeting and warm-up. That way I can provide the most comfort and benefit possible for your dog, every massage.

Thanks to Kaiya's mom for these photos of during and after her most recent session!

06/05/2026

As Elsa and I have gotten to know each other, she's relaxed into her massages for longer periods. This Efflurage stroke may look very simple (and it is), but it is also a powerful and versatile tool in dog massage.

Ulysses doesn't always fall asleep during his sessions, but sometimes the massage hits just right and he passes right ou...
06/03/2026

Ulysses doesn't always fall asleep during his sessions, but sometimes the massage hits just right and he passes right out! Not pictured: His dreaming spilling out into little snout twitches and rhythmic leg twitches like he was snuffling and running around at the park 😍

When I arrived for Lola's massage, she was napping on her front porch, enjoying a perfect sunny day. So we did her massa...
06/01/2026

When I arrived for Lola's massage, she was napping on her front porch, enjoying a perfect sunny day. So we did her massage outside right where she was already settled. The best dog massages are always peaceful and build a strong connection, but the VERY best dog massages are also done outside with sunshine, a soft breeze, and the quiet sounds of nature around us.

Mr. Milo had a pretty big vestibular episode and was left very wobbly and left-leaning for a bit, especially when attemp...
05/29/2026

Mr. Milo had a pretty big vestibular episode and was left very wobbly and left-leaning for a bit, especially when attempting stairs or trying to shake out. His guardians moved his appointment up and after an hour of gentle dog massage he was noticeably less dizzy and more confident walking around. The next time I saw him, he had continued to stabilize and I could feel it in his body. These days he's back to using the stairs on his own and enjoying full-length walks again. Yay Milo!

Active and playful Sophia hurt her shoulder a couple weeks ago and is still feeling stiff and tight in the area. She was...
05/27/2026

Active and playful Sophia hurt her shoulder a couple weeks ago and is still feeling stiff and tight in the area. She was feeling pretty avoidant about any interaction with her tender areas when I arrived. Luckily we already have a trusting relationship established from her monthly maintenance routine, so it didn't take long for Sophia's nervousness to melt into permission to gently work some tension out of her chest and shoulder.

Starting your dog on a regular massage routine before they are in pain makes getting help when they need it much easier. Even just 2-3 massages a year can help build their confidence with the experience, and build a positive relationship with the provider.

05/22/2026

Sam here, demonstrating the 3-step method for maximizing your enjoyment of a dog massage.
Step one: Make sure your provider is engaged and not f@%king around with her phone trying to get social media content recorded.
Step two: lay down and relax.
Step three: profit from increased circulation, muscle tension relief, stimulation for atrophied muscles, and gentle stretches for stiff joints.

Sweet and smart CeCe has learned to love her massages! Her first appointment she wasn't sure what was going on an moved ...
05/21/2026

Sweet and smart CeCe has learned to love her massages! Her first appointment she wasn't sure what was going on an moved around a lot, trying to play or appease me, to solve the puzzle of what I wanted from her. But by the third appointment she figured out all I needed was her permission to help her relax and release tension. Now she spends most of her sessions laying down and even changes sides when she's ready for me to work on a new area!

This pattern is super common with my clients. The first session is often about trust building and learning to communicate with each other. Then over another session or two they figure it out and the relaxation comes more easily.

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Portland, OR

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

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