IAs a dog photographer, I meet all manner of dog vendors.

And before I met Victoria at The Balanced Orchid, I really didn’t know that dog massage was a thing.

It is a very good thing. It can help relieve anxiety, reduce inflammation and improve overall health (not unlike human massage). Many of my photography clients rave about dog massage.

Victoria started her career as a human Massage Therapist and Bodyworker for 15 years, specializing in chronic pain and injury. 10 years ago, she met Dr. Jessica Levy of Holistic Vet Care, LLC and shortly after, started working on animals She officially retired from humans 3 years ago and hasn’t looked back.

I know what she means when she says that working with dogs is awesome.

Victoria even teaches human pawrents to massage their own fur babies! She created simple techniques (called The Balance Orchid Techniques) for pet parents so they can deploy massage at home. What a fantastic idea!

When she’s not working, Victoria unwinds by having a nice glass of red wine, finding a new restaurant to try, or taking in a concert. You are also likely to find her hanging out with her red tri Standard Australian Shepherd named Levon. His full registered name is "He Shall Be Levon" after Victoria’s favorite Elton John song.

Massage can work wonders for you and your dog. I highly recommend it.