Pet Masseur Elaine Chan
Elaine Chan introduced pet massages to Hong Kong. She talks to June Ng about essential oils, health benefits and the problems with putting hamsters in hot tubs.
HK Magazine: So what exactly are people paying you
to do?
Elaine Chan: Dog massage isn’t just about pampering. It’s a holistic massage based on reflexology and aromatherapy. It’s quite popular in United States and Japan. We massage your pet with specially blended aromatic oils. Dogs have sensitive noses so they’re very receptive to the treatment.
HK: It sounds like a marinade. How do you massage them?
EC: The whole procedure lasts about 15 minutes. We apply different types of essential oils, according to the dogs’ needs. Mostly we’ll use two types - lavender for relaxation and tea tree for treating skin diseases. The massage sequence itself is pretty similar to that of a person’s. The only difference is we start at the sides of the nose, and we also rub the ears and tail.
HK: Don’t the animals get upset when you shower them?
EC: To rinse the oil off, we put the pets in a hot tub with hot spring essence that we import from Japan. It’s really quite relaxing for them. For larger dogs, the tub might be too small for them and they have to be rinsed under the shower.
HK: Can you massage other furry animals? Such as hamsters or cats?
EC: I’ve tried. No one ever takes pets other than dogs for a massage. It might be hard to calm down a cat or hamster when a hot tub is involved.
HK: Do the dogs ever fight back?
EC: Some dogs are accustomed to pet grooming so they don’t get nervous. Otherwise, we let them run around and make them feel more secure. Then we start the treatment when they’re more relaxed. Most of the dogs that come are small, so they don’t usually cause many problems. If the dogs are too big and show aggression, I teach the owner how to massage them at home.
HK: Who are your clients?
EC: Most of them are regulars. They find their pets are more refreshed and healthy after they start coming for massage, just like people that go for a massage on a regular basis. There are also owners that want to “pump up” their dogs before a competition, because massage can improve the fur texture and muscle firmness. Some bring their pets here as a one-off treat on special occasions such as birthdays. But the remedial benefits are the most important for me. Many of my clients are aged dogs with chronicle diseases or bone problems.