Rei means spiritual wisdom, ki means energy. Put them together and you get ‘spiritual energy’.

dog reiki Lilo Ask-Henriksen, Holistic Vet Nurse

Reiki

Reiki was first developed by Mikao Usui in early 20th century Japan. Rei means spiritual wisdom, ki means energy. Put them together and you get ‘spiritual energy’.

Animals use energy (Reiki) all of the time as they know how you are feeling as soon as you walk into the room. They can tell if you are sad or angry even if you have a happy face on! Most dog owners already know this. They are reading your energy and so when Reiki is offered to them it is something they are very familiar with.

Animal Reiki is a gentle, yet effective complementary therapy that promotes deep relaxation and natural healing. It works by using energy to heal the animal on many levels, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is non invasive and uses no pressure or manipulation. It is a holistic therapy treating the cause of the problem and not just the presenting condition. Reiki is suitable for all dogs and it works safely alongside Veterinary medicine. 

What can Reiki do for my dog?

The following list shows the conditions/issues that Reiki has been known to help with:

Physical 

such as injuries, stiffness, stomach trouble, loss of appetite, post operative recovery

Emotional 

anxiety, mistreatment/bad experiences, nervous or timid dogs, also helps with bereavement and loss

Behavioural 

separation anxiety and behavioural issues

Owner / Dog relationship

develop a closer bond

Healthy animals can benefit from Reiki too! Let your animal enjoy a deeply relaxing treatment that will enhance their general well being. 

How is the treatment delivered? 

All dogs are treated either in the comfort of their own home or in the comfort at the Love My Human Townhouse treatment rooms, and each appointment includes a chat before and after the treatment to discuss progress and findings. To give Reiki to a dog is a simple process. They will guide me as to whether they want to receive the healing sitting on my lap, laying next to me or moving freely around the room as they wish during the treatment. Then I will either lay my hands on the animals body or from a short distance away, depending on how they wish to receive the energy.

How will my dog respond to the treatment?

The great thing about using Reiki on animals is that you can “see” it working. Your pet will most likely relax and some will lie down and go into a deep sleep next to me. If they are having a release of some kind they maybe fidgety and unsettled for a while. Dogs can react in different ways and some may not show any obvious signs of relaxation during their treatment. They will wait until they are alone and then go to sleep to enjoy the healing energies. No matter how your pet responds, Reiki is giving them what they need.

Whats the length of the treatment?

Treatments lengths vary depending on the individual dog. Some will only need a short session of healing energy while others enjoy longer treatments of around 20-40 minutes. Your dog will decide how much they need.

What to expect after a treatment?

Following a treatment it is best to leave them for a couple of hours to fully absorb the energies and allow the healing to continue. They will feel calm and relaxed or they could be energised, every dog responds in their own way. They may drink more water than usual and pass more wind/faeces. This is normal as Reiki helps the body to re balance and release what is not needed.

How many treatments are needed?

Whilst a one off treatment would be beneficial, to get the most from Reiki a course of 4 – 6 treatments would be recommended. However, every dog is treated as an individual and sometimes fewer treatments are required.

Who can benefit from Reiki?

All dogs can benefit greatly from Reiki. Whether it’s calming them because they are nervous or anxious, relieving their stiffness due to old age or helping them cope with fireworks, it can help them in many ways.