Gone To The Dogs

By Tania Costa

Oh to be a dog in this day and age, life is great. From Doggles to Cataract surgery, MRI’s to water therapy. Thank goodness there are so many ways to help keep our dogs happier and healthier. Additionally, these advances allow me to spend my days with dogs.

I am sure many of you have had the dream of working with dogs all day, being a vet or trainer, whatever the case, it is a dream job. In the reception area at Canine Wellness I have a letter that I wrote when I was 13 years old, asking for a summer job at a veterinarians’ office. The letter is riddled with spelling errors made on my “Corona” typewriter and is a reminder of the dream that I have had for 30 years which has finally come true.

In 1997 I was working in the corporate world, running around the city from meeting to meeting, dressing up in the usual corporate “gear” and working crazy hours, waiting for 5:00 p.m. to arrive so I could go home to my dogs. Dogs have always given me so much pleasure, even to the point of giving up the coffee table to allow more room for my dogs to rough house and play silly games.

My clients always knew that dogs came first. I remember cancelling an important meeting because there was a dog running down the middle of the road, with me in tow in high heel shoes and a skirt, but I wouldn’t let him get hurt. I have now given up the heels, bagged all my corporate “gear” and bought more comfortable clothes.

I spent many years prior to starting CWC travelling worldwide, learning about dog behavior, training in agility, flyball and sheep herding. Finally in 1999 I received an article from my aunt in England talking about hydrotherapy for dogs. Off I went to England to do a week training course in hydrotherapy. This inspired me to learn more, so I took a course in canine massage, basic aromatherapy and herbal remedies. I didn’t know what these were going to amount to, but I kept taking them, I found every bit of information fascinating.

Suddenly, in 2002 my mother passed away suddenly with a very aggressive cancer, and I remember her saying to me in her last days that I should “pursue my dreams, life is too short to be afraid of the ‘what ifs’”. That is when Canine Wellness centre became a reality. I then furthered my education at the university of Purdue’s Veterinary Technicians program, attended the University of Tennessee’s Animal rehab program and by January 2004 Canine Wellness was almost ready to open (not without its share of headaches getting pools built, the treadmill completed, and the handful of other issues that had to be resolved). The Vision of the centre follows the mission of “Assisting dogs with special needs”.

Each day brings a new challenge - helping to rehab a dog who has undergone surgery for a cruciate ligament tear or one who is suffering from the effects of aging- arthritis. Each client has the same concern - the desire to bring their dog back to its old self again. This involves an initial assessment based on a Veterinarians diagnosis, to determine function of joints and muscles as well as secondary pain related issues. I video tape each dog as he moves gingerly across the room, looking for compensations due to pain. From here the real work begins. Each client receives a tailored program that includes home exercises, stretching, as well as assisted water sessions in the pool utilizing the underwater treadmill.

Part of my goal is to ensure the dog is comfortable with me working with him, I stress to guardians that the dog must have a positive experience so that future sessions are stress free. On occasion I have owners who tell me their dog hates water, and after three years I have only had one dog not take to the water. The rest, motivated by a lavish supply of treats, and some cheers of encouragement, seem to enjoy the experience and always get out of the pool with a joyous bounce looking for someone to rub their wet fur on.

Not all clients come for rehab many come just to exercise their dogs or to lose weight by using the swimming pool. These clients are just as important and care must be taken by our “Head Swim Coach- Tara” to ensure dogs don’t overdo their session.

The best part of my job is watching a cautious dog lull quietly into a state of relaxation, cheeks puffing, fighting to keep his eyes open while I massage and stretch his sore limbs. Then almost in an instant the mention of “swim” or “beach” (as many clients seem to refer to it as) bring this quieted canine into full motion, up the ramp and into the pool. And here begins the work on the underwater treadmill, and if it happens to be a Lab, I don’t dare deny him a swim at the end. The rewards for me are endless and occur every day. Especially things like the tears of joy for an arthritic dog who is now able to go up and down stairs again (oh and back on the couch!) Or watching a paralyzed dog take his first step, no one can beat the absolute joy. I even revel in the moments of a paralyzed dog who is happy to be alive and busy chasing squirrels in her wheelchair, it really puts things in perspective- joie de vivre.

Not all are as successful as these. Part of the job entails assisting clients through end of life with their beloved dog. I find a particular bond with every dog that comes to the centre, and always find it heart wrenching watching guardians say good bye to their loved one. On occasion I have done massages prior to euthanasia, as well as enabling clients to have “one last swim” with their dog in the pool. The hardest part of my job is assisting them through this transition, however, each time a dog passes over to the rainbow bridge I feel each has given me a gift, reminding me why I made this journey.

So if someone were to ask me why I love my job, I would have to say that I feel honoured to be able to share both happy and sad moments, with each and every client that I work with.

Tania Costa has worked with dogs for over 10 years. She is owner of Canine Wellness Centre in Toronto, a centre devoted to assisting dogs with special needs. Her training includes canine massage therapy, Hydrotherapy training in the UK and animal rehab at the University of Tennessee. Tania, has also been featured on Animal House Calls, and written articles for several publications. She Travels worldwide to research and develop her skills in animal rehabaltation and is currently training in animal acupressure. Tania Can be contacted at 416-690-1077; www.caninewellness.com