The Right Way To Rub A Doggie's Tummy

WARNING!

Once you begin, it is imperative that you continue the tummy rubbing practice. Abrupt ends to tummy rubs may cause destructive behavior, uncontrollable barking, and aggressive attention getting conduct, such as sneaker chews, and deliberate indoor "accidents."

Little LuLu...My Bichon Frise Shih Tzu mix... (Zuchon or Shoshon) loves tummy rubs. Reach towards her and she flops over on her back, belly up, in ready position. It's really comical. She doesn't care where we are, if she thinks there's an opportunity to have her tummy rubbed, she's on her back. My gosh, I've created a little tummy rubbing glutton.

In an effort to maximize our tummy rubbing bonding sessions, I've developed a few technique that I wanted to share with you. Tummy rubbing can take place in a number of different locations, on the floor, in bed, on the couch while watching TV, or at the park. For a more intense bonding session, put on a massage and meditation CD such as "Lifescapes;" or music for balanced living such as "Feng Shui."

To begin, locate to your favorite place, settle in and try one or a combination of the following tummy touching techniques:

Gone To The Dogs Swedish Bow-Wow Rub
Is accomplished by rubbing the tummy with long gliding open palm strokes. Begin just below the neck line and continue slowly, and gently down past the heart towards the lower belly. You can use a one-handed glide technique or combine a two-hand rotation motion.

The Dog-Gone-Good Sport Rub
Taking the front legs one at a time and raising them gently as you scratch the flank or leg-pit (if you prefer "armpit", even though dogs don't really have arms). From there stroke down from the front legs along the tummy, and down the rear legs, rolling your hands gently down each leg to the paws. You can take both hands and run along one leg at a time, or gently stroke both front legs at the same time, then both hind legs.

Hair-of-the-Dog Cranial Noogie Scratch
Here you can begin with gentle scratching on the top of the head; then with your fingers, massage the top of your dogs neck, pressing gently behind and then below the ears. Combine rotating finger massage and scratching, gliding your hands down to the outer jaw area, continuing in a circular motion down below the neck. Repeat the combo massage scratch movements, as you continue down the chest and tummy line.

Spoiled rotten and cute as a bug, LuLu knows she's in doggie paradise when her tummy is being rubbed. RubADoggiesTummy

It's A Good Dog's Life! - JVon