Watsu? What?

Whatsu What Treament - Canine Hydrotherapy Pool

This year has started off with the exciting opening of my canine hydrotherapy pool. I did all the building by myself with the help of my partner Warren. It all started about this same time last year. There were times I never thought I would get to the end, but here we are!

As I was building the pool, I was expanding my knowledge by going over to Sequim, Washington for more hydrotherapy instruction and practice. When there, I had an opportunity to visit the Integrated Wellness Center on Bainbridge Island. It was there I had my first Watsu session. The simplest way to explain it is a massage in the water. While in the Watsu session, I was the dog. I was the one who was being carried and held. It was a most amazing experience and one I will never forget. It really deepened my intention to make the dog I am holding as comfortable as possible so that the water can be healing. I was not a noodle when I entered the water, I can assure you. I was quite guarded in fact. It was over an hour the transformation happened and I became the calmest I had been in months, if not years.

In this video blog, I wanted to share with you details about my experience and talk more about what Watsu is. It further shaped how I enter the water with a dog. Hydrotherapy is far more than throwing the dog in the water and asking it to swim like I saw at a lake over the summer. I was in horror and so was the dog. Many dogs do not like the water so it is most important for me to earn their trust and know I will never drop them. I am their island. In my pool, the pups do not wear life vests. I am their life vest just as my Watsu practitioner was my life vest.

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Watsu Treatment

Learn more by watching the following video.

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Thank you for watching the video and learning a little more about why I do what I do for pups. I hope this year brings your comfort, calm, laughter, and happiness.

Happy New Year!

~ Stephanie

Hydrotherapy dog spa in Spokane

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1 thought on “Watsu? What?”

  1. The video primarily lists physical benefits of Whatsu. I see it having the potential of developing trust in a skittish or maladjusted dog. What are the goals you have for your (dog) clients? Do you think it has potential in impacting the dog’s long term emotional state?
    Incidentally, I love to swim and find movement in the water more relaxing than just about anything I do. But giving myself over to someone in the water? I would HATE it!

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