During the course of attending massage school at A New Beginning School of Massage, students are given a number of assignments that requiring research and writing. Some of these assignments result in very insightful and  well thought out information and  decision-making outcomes. I am happy to share some of their assignments for you to enjoy.
Being an avid dog lover and student of massage therapy, I maintain  a strong interest in learning about how to combine my two passions. While massage therapy for dogs is till in the infancy stage as a profession, there is a lot to be discovered about it, as our canine companions deserve the same relaxation and therapeutic effects that massage has to offer. "Massage for Dongs: Legal & Marketing Considerations" by Jonathan Rudinger, L.M.T., in the March 2016 issue of Massage Magazine, gives insight into the business aspect of massage for dogs, and offers some helpful hints on how to get started in this industry and what this job entails.

This article is appealing to me as a reader because it goes into depth regarding legal limitations on the practice of animals, and how to carefully word your advertisements as to not infringe on any state laws. For example, all states have different laws regarding the physical manipulation of an animal for therapeutic purposes, and you should not use the words "therapy, therapist, healing," or any other medical term that suggests treatment or diagnosis of an animal without a Veterinary license.

I found this article significant and surprising in the sense that there is such a fear in the animal massage community because of these legal limitations, yet thousands of people who have completed training in the canine massage still go on to practice their passion. They know and understand the risks, yet continue to do what they love; helping dogs--especially sports dogs or geriatric dogs.

After reading this article, I now know that I have to carefully approach canine massage as a profession. I will have to be very selective in how I word any advertisements regarding my skills and what I can provide for the dog. Also, this article explains how the best way to be successful in this industry is to network and be patient while trying to gain exposure.

I would suggest to anybody who is interested in massage therapy for dogs to read this article and take note of all the tips. This article mentions valid insight to this industry and gives you the "do's and don'ts" on how to approach this as a career option. While this path can be incredibly rewarding and fun, you should be cautious of the legal limitations as to not have your practice shut down or massage therapy license revoked.