If you’ve had a reiki session, you know how beneficial it can be for your body and mind. And as a pet owner, you want your dog to have a similar experience. If you already know how to do Reiki, you can apply those skills to your furry friend.
To Reiki on a dog, focus on its midsection and lower back. Those spots are excellent for helping a dog relax. A dog’s head, back, and chest also make great focal points. Doing Reiki there is perfect for assisting dogs emotionally. Consider using different hand positions when performing this on them.
Whether you’re new to Reiki or have practiced it for years, there’s no reason why you can’t do it on your dog. If you notice your dog is in pain, it can help them relax and gain some balance. Keep reading to learn how to do Reiki on your dog.
Why Do Reiki on Dogs
Reiki can help people feel better and have similar effects on dogs. You can use a reiki session to help your dog calm down or help them heal from a recent injury or illness.
While Reiki shouldn’t replace regular visits to the vet, it can be a great thing to do at home. You can use similar hand positions on your dog as you would on a human. You don’t have to worry about getting special reiki training.
Dogs can enjoy many of the same benefits of Reiki. So if you’re considering doing it on your dog, consider how it can help your pet.
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Physical Healing
If your dog recently got sick or hurt, Reiki can help them recover from that. You can use energy to transfer to your dog to help them get better. Reiki can be beneficial in relieving pain and fatigue, so it may even make your dog less tired.
And if your dog has nausea or is experiencing tension, Reiki can also improve those symptoms. The same is true if your dog has pain in other areas.
Reiki can also help with insomnia in people, so it may help if your dog can’t sleep. If your dog has a severe condition, you should supplement Reiki with traditional medicine. That way, you can give your dog the best treatment plan available.
Psychological Help
While you can’t always know how your dog feels, Reiki can help improve its psychological well-being. Reiki can help with everything from treating depression to boosting your mood. It can also help with your overall well-being and quality of life.
Reiki can also help patients with anxiety, so it may be a good tool if your dog gets anxious. You can use reiki sessions to calm your dog, which may help prevent future bouts of anxiety in your dog.
It may take time for your dog’s mood to change completely. And a significant change may not happen. But doing Reiki on your dog can be a good option if your dog has some psychological issues.
General Wellness
Even if your dog doesn’t have any diagnosed conditions or other problems, Reiki can help their general wellness. You can do Reiki on your dog whenever you think your dog needs it. Then, you may be able to keep your dog from getting ill or stressed.
However, your dog should be open to Reiki. Don’t force it on your dog; don’t be afraid to stop if your dog doesn’t like it.
Reiki can be a valuable tool for people and dogs, but you need to know how to do it. You can transfer those skills to your pet if you already know how to do Reiki on people. But you must work with your dog to feel comfortable and benefit from Reiki.
From learning what points to focus on with your dog to where to do Reiki, you shouldn’t do Reiki on your dog like a friend.
Know the Chakra Points
Consider your dog’s chakra points when deciding where to start with the reiki sessions. While many points overlap with those of people, your dog’s body’s position isn’t the same. Here are the chakra points on your dog, working backward:
- Root
- Sacral
- Solar plexus
- Heart
- Throat
- Brow
- Crown
You can use these chakra points to transfer energy to your dog. If one point makes your dog uncomfortable, you can move to a different chakra point. That way, you can continue the reiki session on your dog.
Consider Your Dog’s Needs
Next, you should consider what your dog needs or how it can benefit the most from Reiki. If your dog has arthritis or other pain, you can focus your sessions on that. But if your dog has a lot of anxiety, you can target your dog’s emotions.
You can also use Reiki if your dog has no specific issues. Reiki on your dog can help your dog’s immune system and improve your dog’s overall well-being.
If you know what your dog may need from Reiki, you can focus on the right areas of the body. That way, you and your dog can get the most from the time you spend. Whether you do Reiki to help your dog with a specific problem or not, it can be an excellent way for you two to bond.
Sit on the Floor
One significant difference between doing Reiki on a person versus on a dog is where you’ll perform Reiki. When doing Reiki on another person, you can use a massage table. But most dogs won’t want to get on such a table or stay still.
Instead, do Reiki on your dog so it can get comfortable. A floor is a good option, but you can also do it in a chair or on the couch.
As long as your dog can get comfortable, you can do Reiki. Your dog can sit, stand, or lie down if that’s the best position. Either way, do your best to work with your dog to do Reiki on them.
Give Your Dog the Choice
Doing Reiki on your dog can be helpful, but you don’t want to force it on your dog. If your pet likes to get up and do something else, let them. And if your dog doesn’t want you to start Reiki, don’t do it.
Watch your dog for non-verbal communication. If your dog is confused or scared, you may want to try Reiki another time.
But if your dog is open to Reiki, you can go ahead. You can find a place where you and your dog are comfortable and start doing some things you would do when performing Reiki on a person.
Start With the Shoulders
If you don’t have a particular area to target for your dog, start with their shoulders. You can place your hands next to each other and touch either side of your dog’s shoulders. If your dog is lying down, you can put both hands on one side.
You can use a hands-on technique or hover your hands over your dog. If your dog looks uncomfortable using one option, switch to the other.
Placing your hands on or over your dog’s shoulders can help with general relaxation. It can also help if your dog has some pain or a recent injury in the area.
Move to their Midsection
If your dog doesn’t want or need reiki healing around their shoulders, you can focus on its midsection. You can place your hands on either side of your dog’s back for a sitting or standing dog.
You can put your hands on your dog’s belly when lying down. Like with the shoulders, you can put your hands on your dog or let your hands hover.
Do whatever is comfortable for your dog, and leave your hands in place or the area for a while. If your dog starts to get uncomfortable, that’s your sign of stopping or moving to a different part of its body.
Finish With the Lower Back
Next, you can perform Reiki on your dog’s lower back. This time, put your hands near the base of your dog’s tail on or over your dog. You can put one hand on each side when your dog sits or stands.
If your dog decides to lie down, you can put your hands on the same side. This is a great place to perform Reiki if your dog needs help relaxing or has problems with their hind legs.
You can also rotate between your dog’s lower back and other areas of your body. That way, your dog can benefit from Reiki in different ways.
Focus on Their Head and Chest
If your dog needs help with emotional healing and balance, try placing your hands on their head and chest. You can put one hand on your dog’s head and the other on its chest. Whether your dog is sitting, standing, or lying down, this works well.
As with the other positions, you can hover your hands over your dog or touch your dog. Try to figure out what helps your dog more and makes them feel better to get the best results.
Heal Their Back and Chest
Another option to help with emotional health is to perform Reiki on your dog’s back and chest. You can put one hand on or over their back and the other on or over your dog’s chest. The hand on your dog’s back should be between the shoulder blades.
Leave your hands there for a while during the reiki session. Make sure your dog remains comfortable, and don’t be afraid to switch positions if your dog starts to look stressed. You can find a better place to help your dog heal.
Let Your Dog Leave
No matter where you do Reiki or what parts of your dog you do Reiki on, give your dog a choice to leave. They may start the session comfortable and interested in what you’re doing. But they could change that decision at any point.
That is your dog’s way of telling you they’re ready to end the reiki session. It would be best if you listened to them to help them make the most of the Reiki. Sometimes, more energy won’t do anything, so it’s not worth continuing with your dog.
Try not to do Reiki on your dog in a small space so they can get up and leave. Since your dog can’t talk, their movement is the best way they can communicate with you. Be sure to listen to them; you can do another reiki session later.
Know It May Take Time
You may not see immediate changes in your dog after your first reiki session. Like with people, it can take dogs a few sessions to see results from Reiki. But that doesn’t mean the first session wasn’t productive.
If your dog has a specific problem you want Reiki to help with, you may want to do multiple weekly reiki sessions. But if you just want to help your dog’s well-being, you may only need to do Reiki once a week.
Either way, be patient with your dog and yourself. Reiki can be an excellent tool for healing, but it doesn’t always work quickly. If you have any questions or issues about doing Reiki on your dog, ask your vet about the issue at your next visit to ensure your dog benefits from Reiki.
What to Consider
Doing Reiki on your dog can have a lot of benefits, and they’re similar to those humans can experience. But you have to consider a few things before you start doing Reiki on your dog.
While some dogs may enjoy the sessions, others may not. You should listen to your dog’s body language and other signs of non-verbal communication. That way, you can keep your dog comfortable.
Here are a few things to consider before you do Reiki on your dog.
Your Dog May Not Like It
Just like Reiki isn’t for every person, it’s not for every dog. Your dog’s comfort level and personality can determine if your dog likes Reiki or not. If you just got your dog, they may not like it because they don’t know you. In that case, you can try again in a few months.
But you may not want to do it if you’ve had your dog for a while and they don’t like it. You want to keep your dog comfortable, even if that means not using something you think would benefit them.
When you first do Reiki on your dog, consider how you touch them. Some dogs may enjoy Reiki when your hands hover over your dog. But the same dog may not like it when you touch them. So give both options a try to find what works.
You May Need to Modify Your Hand Positions
In addition to touching or not touching your dog, you may need to use slightly different hand positions. After all, dogs’ bodies are pretty different from humans’. Your hands may need to curl around the dog more than if you were doing Reiki on a friend or relative.
You can still focus on some of the same body parts, but you’ll need to adjust how you work with your dog. You don’t need special training before you do Reiki on your dog. You can apply your skills as long as you know how to do Reiki in general.
You Shouldn’t Replace Other Treatments
Reiki can be an excellent way to help your dog with pain or anxiety. However, it’s not something you should use to replace traditional treatments. If your vet prescribes pain medication for your dog, you should continue to give that.
Regular Reiki sessions can help your dog get even more results when treating a condition. If you perform Reiki on your dog each week, it may show remarkable improvements. But it would be best if you didn’t rely on Reiki as your dog’s main or only form of treatment.
You Can Connect With Your Dog
Reiki may be just what you need if you’ve been looking for a way to bond with your dog. Reiki on your dog can give you two a chance to connect uniquely. You can give your dog special attention and help them get the energy they need.
If your dog loves the sessions, they’ll want to return for more. Your dog may get closer to you than if you didn’t do Reiki. So even if your dog doesn’t have a medical condition, Reiki can benefit your relationship.
Final Thoughts
Doing Reiki on your dog can work surprisingly well. The healing can help your dog if they have an acute or chronic health condition. But it can also help your dog’s mood and overall well-being. Keep these things in mind when choosing where and how to do Reiki on your dog.