Boston Herald
Pampered pooches' owners are spending bones
by Dan O'Brien
September 11, 2011

When the going gets tough, the tough treat their pooch to a massage.

Despite, or perhaps even because of, a bad economy, many dog owners admit they're spending more and more on treats, grooming, massages, yoga, reiki and acupuncture.

"In tough (economic) times when everyone's stressed out and generally unhappy, animals help them feel better. As a way of reciprocating, owners are happy to spend a little extra," said Pippa Nava of Charlestown, who owns Smoochie Poochies dog walking.

"People have said to me, verbatim, that I've cut back (spending money) on myself so I can spend more on my dog," said Michelle Fournier, owner of Charlestown's Durty Harry's dog boutique, which just opened a second location in Brookline amid increasing demand.

According to the research group IBISWorld, the $14 billion pet industry has grown 4 percent annually nationwide since 2006.

Nava shamelessly spoils her 1-year-old pug Albie, scheduling weekly doggie play dates and taking him along on errands and vacations.

"We don’t have any children, so he's basically our baby," said Nava, who is married. "We take him on holidays with us and expect him to be welcomed wherever we go."

Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa in Boston offers doggie day-care suites with flat-screen TVs as well as reiki, massages and aqua therapy - something Sue Struzik of Quincy takes advantage of.

"They're spoiled rotten," she said of her English bulldog and three French mastiffs. "Probably half my paycheck, no joke, goes to them."

South End masseuse Arnie Katz, owner of Katz & Dogz, first extended his services to dogs about 10 years ago, before the pooch pampering trend took off. He got the idea after giving a massage to his friend's dog as an experiment.

"He responded so dramatically. It was amazing," Katz said.

South End Patch
Massages: They're Not Just for People
South Ender Arnie Katz teaches canine massage techniques at Bark Place in the South End.
by Nicholas Iovino
February 3, 2011

Thought massages were just for the two-legged? Think again. South Ender Arnie Katz, owner of Katz & Dogz Massage, visited Bark Place last month to demonstrate canine massage therapy, a practice he discovered a decade ago. The benefits of massage for pets are much same as they are for humans, Katz said. Therapy can relax sore muscles, help soothe and calm anxiety, increase range of motion, or soothe aches and pains associated with aging.

"Some people might think, 'oh my dog's a dog, they don’t really need a massage,'" he said. "They might not 'need' one, but it just helps them lead happier healthier lives."

Click here for upcoming programs at Bark Place, and here for more information on Katz & Dogz Massage.

Boston Magazine
Pets: Pampering
One-of-a-kind Ways To Spoil 'Em Rotten

At-Home Pet Massage: While belly rubs are swell, they can't compare to the handiwork of Arnie Katz of Katz and Dogz. The veteran masseur devotes much of his time to teaching his techniques, but will still make those all-important house calls to achy Boston animals. Using aromatherapy mists and herbal balms, Katz spends 30 to 45 minutes improving circulation, easing joint pain, and generally reducing your pet to a puddle of happiness. Jealous? Don’t be: He offers pet/owner massage packages, too. House calls start at $75, in-city; 617-650-2533, katzanddogz.com.

The Sunday Boston Herald
The "IN" Crowd: Masseur has right touch for pets and owners.
by Lauren Beckham Falcone
March 21, 2004

It's Sunday, and you'll be back out the door and running soon enough. What if you want to have a good time, with your crew or solo, but just can't bear the thought of all the work that goes into throwing a party? Or of peeling yourself off the couch and into that coat before you absolutely have to? You're in luck: We've found great ways to have a bash, get a massage (for you and Poochie) and get a haircut — all in the comfort of your home.

Masseur has right touch for pets and owners

So you're home and maybe hung over. Or just tired of the cold and snow. Or just in a really lazy-somewhat-stressed-out-not-so-good mood. And you look over at your furry little friend, who is pretty spent, too. You want to be pampered, but you can't be bothered with putting on a coat. He wants to be pampered but can't bear the thought of a leash wrapped around his weary little neck.

Meet Arnie Katz, owner of Katz & Dogz, a South End-based business that provides therapeutic massage for Boston-area pets and their owners in the comfort of their own homes. “I bring a massage table, some aromatherapy supplies, some pet ointment for their paws and massage music,” Katz said. “It's a whole experience for the pet and the person.”

For most of the past 20-plus years, Katz, a licensed massage therapist, worked on humans only. But in 2000, he discovered that pets needed a little muscle work, too. “I used to work part time at this nonprofit, and a co-worker would bring his golden retriever in,” he said. “I love dogs, so on break I would go pet him and then I just started giving him a massage and Charlie was just so responsive. I could tell he loved it.” Katz started practicing massage on his neighbor's akita, Lucy, and she loved it, too. He hooked up with a South End pet store, had a pet massage open house, and Katz & Dogz took off.

Now, his practice includes in-store sessions and house calls for pets, people/pet house-call massage packages, workshops and private instructional sessions, dog massage demos and presentations and doggie massage parties. He also recently teamed up with the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston to offer massage as part of its pet amenities and services, and runs Golden Hands Massage Therapy, a massage practice for humans only.

“People want to try new things for their pets,” he said. “Plus, the benefits of massage are that it improves circulation, it helps increase range of motion and joint flexibility and also eases pain and stress. Sure, a person who works 9 to 5 is stressed, but dogs get tension walking. There's a collar around their neck; they're being pulled now and again. They develop joint and muscle problems. Massage keeps everyone healthy.”

In-home pet massage costs $50. A people/pet massage at home runs $135. For more information on Katz & Dogz, go to www.katzanddogz.com.

Reprinted with permission of The Boston Herald.

The Brookline Tab
Lifestyles
Reigning Katz & Dogz
by Ed Symkus/Senior Staff Writer
October 15, 2003

Arnie Katz has been practicing massage therapy for people for more than 19 years. And he knows his stuff. He'll tell you that massage is a systematically applied touch for the purpose of relaxation and stress reduction. And he'll go on and on about circulation. “If your circulation is not good, it's affecting the nutrition your body is getting,” he says. “And it's affecting your overall health and well being. Massage is a way to manually improve circulation.”

He'll also tell you that massage is not just for humans. His business card sums it up: “Katz & Dogz - Holistic Animal Massage and Instruction.” About four years ago, Katz was working at a part-time job in Boston. A coworker would bring Charlie, his golden retriever, to the office every day. “He laid out in the conference room all the time,” says Katz. “I would go out and start to pet him, and one day I just spontaneously started to massage him. And he rolled over. So I began to massage him regularly. From there I began to massage Lucy, an Akita that belonged to a neighbor of mine. And Lucy just melted. So I knew I was onto something special.”

Katz believes that massage for humans and massage for dogs is very similar. “Canine massage that I do involves Swedish massage and sports massage techniques,” he says. “And now I'm studying canine acupressure.” Asked if he's ever dealt with a dog that doesn't want to be massaged, Katz says he can work with about 95 percent of the dogs he meets. “There are a few that won't settle down to a massage,” he explains. “And some might have issues with aggression. But massage will have a calming effect and help to build trust with an animal if they've been abused. The first thing you do is make a connection.”

So with blankets spread on the floor of my living room, and some New Agey harp music from the CD he's brought with him, Katz gets down on his knees to connect with Emma, my energetic, some would say high-strung, shepherd-lab-terrier mix. “Hi Emma, hi baby,” he coos to her as he starts applying long, broad strokes down her back. The dog is looking around a little nervously, but isn't trying to go anywhere. “A dog will get a much lighter massage than a person,” says Katz. “In general, you don't do a deep massage on a dog. I believe that a dog, like a human being, has a mind, body and spirit,” he adds. “Music enhances a massage, music soothes animals. The harp is relaxing.” The music, by Susan Raymond, is indeed relaxing. Katz explains that she's a master harpist who did research on the effect of harp music on animals and people in veterinary and hospital settings. “I also use aroma therapy to help them,” says Katz. “They seem to enjoy that.” He reaches for a small mist bottle, sprays some on his hands and starts rubbing her back and sides. “This is lavender,” he says. “It's good for their coat and for dry skin. I also use paw balm,” he adds, a few minutes later, reaching for a small round tin. He slowly applies some of it on her paw pads with his fingers. “It prevents them from cracking in the winter,” he says. “And you can do a little foot massage on them when you do this.”

By now Emma has completely relaxed, and isn't looking around at anything. Katz starts kneading and rubbing and pulling on her. “This is a compression technique that gets into the muscle and helps to break down some of the tension that's in the muscle,” he explains. She rolls from her side to flat out her back. Her eyes are slightly glassy. Her legs are spread wide. She's so comfortable she can't even wag her tail. But she does reach over to lick Katz's hand. “Massage is great for bonding,” he says, smiling. “This dog will never be the same. When she sees me next time, she'll know me and most likely be comfortable with me. I'm getting the feeling from how she's laying here that she wants me to work into her muscles in her upper forelimbs and her hind legs, too. She's stretching out and making it accessible. She's what I call a massage slut.”

Katz has also tried massage techniques on other animals, including a handful of cats, a sheep, a couple of horses and a donkey. “The donkey liked really deep work on his low back,” he recalls.

But dogs and people are his specialties, and the canine end of the business currently takes up about 20-30 percent of his practice. “I have a people-pet package,” he says. “I'll go to people's houses with my portable table, and massage the owner and the dog. Usually the dog goes first so the dog isn't jealous when the owner gets it.”

Katz admits that people have laughed at him about the idea of dog massage, but it doesn't bother him. “Some think it's a luxury for the wealthy,” he says. “They think it's one of these new indulgent things. The truth is, I don't expect everyone to understand it. But I know it works. I had a dream about this from the get-go. I envision it being a national thing where I travel around the country educating people in canine massage, and teaching them how to do it.

“Massage is the vehicle,” he adds. “But it's really about reminding people to take good care of, to listen to and to love their animals.”

(Editor's note: House visits for a Katz & Dogz canine massage are $60. There are people-pet packages for $150. Katz also provides canine massages for $30 at the Polka Dog Bakery, 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, and No Bones About It, 1786 Beacon St., Brookline. Call 617-262-5289 or check the Web site at www.katzanddogz.com.)

Reprinted with permission of CNC.

The Sunday Boston Globe
SOUTH END
Masseur's pet theory turns into a business
Dogs find he rubs them the right way
By Martin Matishak, Globe Correspondent, 8/31/2003

Bob is relaxed yet attentive this morning. The 15-year-old Australian terrier breathes deeply into his pillow as his hind legs, racked with arthritis, are kneaded with just enough pressure to increase circulation. “This is an amazing turnaround,” says masseur Arnie Katz as he moves up Bob's spine. “Three months ago he wouldn't even come near me, or would wander off on his own. This is amazing.” Harp music plays in the background, and the scent of lavender hangs in the air. Just as Katz is about to massage Bob's shoulders, the canine wiggles to his feet and lumbers into the hallway, making Katz scramble in pursuit.

Katz, 40, is the owner of Katz and Dogz, a business he operates out of a Tremont Street studio. He has been providing massages for man — and woman — and their best friends for the past two years. He sees himself as part of an emerging profession that offers holistic alternatives for pets. “By and large the service is not mainstream,” says Katz, a longtime South End resident who isn't allowed to have pets in his building. “But it's getting there.” Katz had never had a massage until the mid-1980s, when an office co-worker offered some relief from a stressful job situation in the form of a back rub. The following summer, Katz went to a spa where, he says, the owner told him he had an intuition that Katz would be a good masseur. Putting the idea to a test on a friend, Katz says, “I was blown away by the response I got.” He began taking night courses at the Massage Institute of New England in Somerville and kept a journal of each massage given — a practice he maintains — while becoming a licensed massage therapist.

One day a couple of years ago, an acquaintance brought his golden retriever, Charlie, which Katz began massaging while petting. Katz says the owner was so pleased with Charlie's reponse that Katz began massaging Charlie regularly, and “it snowballed from there.”

Today, Katz says his clientele is about 60 percent human and 40 percent canine. Dog massages run $60 for a housecall, with human massage housecalls usually going for $100. Prices vary for studio, pet-people packages, and multiple pet massages. He makes about five house calls a week, including some "people-pet packages" in which a dog and its owner each receive a massage.

Katz says he begins each massage by making “a real connection” through stroking the canine's head and spine. Massages, which are not deep, usually last a half-hour and involve four different positions to stretch, strengthen, and relieve the dog's muscles. He uses harp music, which he has found to relax animals, as well as aromatherapy and "paw balm." Katz has massaged a few cats over the years but says they don't seem to enjoy it as much, adding that, to date, he hasn't been bitten by a dog.

In addition to house calls, Katz gives instructional seminars to pet owners and offers appointments at Polka Dog Bakery, a pet food store in the South End. The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association certifies animal chiropractics, but not animal massage, according to Katz. A number of schools offer training in pet message, and Katz says he has attended a program in canine massage. There are several fields of pet massage therapy including athletic, pre- and post-surgery, and pageantry — for dogs participating in shows, according to Katz — as well as other emerging fields of pet care, such as acupuncture, he says.

“This is the sort of thing you have to try out,” says Bob Jones, 74, who along with his mini-schnauzer, Gordon, gets a massage every week. “I had doubts at the beginning, but within a few weeks Gordon was fine. Outside and raring to go despite his arthritis.”

The morning massage session for Bob, the Australian terrier, ends with Bob getting away from Katz again, this time for the water bowl. But there is a little more spring in his step now and a new quickness to his pace. “I think he's come to understand it's good for him,” says Bob's owner, John Axelrod. “He's just doing so much better than he was a few months ago.”

© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company. Reprinted with permission of The Boston Globe.