It’s a special day each month when Amy Henry comes over.

Marcia Wick sets up a pillow for Viviane, who knows she’s in for a treat. With a soothing touch, the 14-year-old retired guide dog Vivi, as Wick affectionately calls her, melts into her cushion.

“She earned it,” Wick said. “If anyone deserves a massage, it’s Vivi.”

Canine massage therapy, or doggie massages as some (me) affectionately call it, is a form of therapy designed to improve dogs’ physical and mental well-being. Similar to human massages, the practice can help with specific health issues or just promote general relaxation. The service has grown in popularity over the past few decades, with several practitioners here in the Springs.

“It’s touch with intention and technique,” said Henry, the owner of Heart Song Canine Mass

See Full Page