I have wanted to write this post for some time; but events over the last month have prompted me that I can no longer wait.

We need to talk about qualifications, because they are not all created equal and dog owners need to understand the fundamental difference.

I make a point of emphasizing in my CV and publicity that I have undertaken hands-on (in person) training. When I started in this profession in 2009 with my first qualification in canine therapeutic massage, in person study was the only option. I followed it up with certifications in canine sports and senior canine massage, along with in-person study requiring three trips to Best Friends Animal Society to undertake their courses on dog behavior (with an emphasis on shelter and special needs dogs). I then returned to my massage school for yet more advanced training in caring for canine athletes and trigger point techniques.

In between, I have undertaken professional development through webinars and online courses. So don’t get me wrong – there is a place for online study. Let me explain:

1. Career training is your foundation; learning skills that you can use to trade both commercially and safely.
2. Professional development is essential. You gain new skills after entering the workforce and to keep up with the latest information on canine care. Research and development continues to occur; new developments are a good thing for our dogs.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the profession is being watered down with online-only Qualifications which concern me greatly. These are foundation training courses delivered entirely online. The student is never supervised by a qualified tutor when working with (real) dogs.

Working with dogs is a privilege. It comes with the responsibility of understanding a sentient creature who communicates non-verbally but with the cognitive abilities of a 2-year old child.

You can study anatomy through books and online courses, but depending on the size of the dog and its body condition, you also have to know what muscle you are working, understand the feel of the different muscles, and learn the origin, insertions and trigger points and how these enable the dog to move.

For example, here’s a photo from 2009, when our class was using labels on live dogs to identify the locations of the muscles. We’d learned the diagrams on paper, but it was time to put it into practice (and no one got it right the first time)! This large mastiff’s labels were very different from the Pomeranian in class, too.

We’d also practice on stuffed dogs to learn appropriate massage pressures, before working with a live dog:

BONUS: When there are other students with you in a class, you learn from each other! That includes the successes and the failures when you don’t get it quite right.

A video of a student giving a massage to a dog just doesn’t meet the same standard of education and supervision that is achieved in person. Yet, that is exactly what many online qualifications do.

I ask you, would you lay on a massage table with aches and pains if you knew that your massage therapist had only studied online and had never been supervised by a professional? I wouldn’t.

I’ve had two deeply concerning conversations recently. The first was with someone who reached out because she is studying with an on-line qualification only. She was pleasant and wanted advice about why I emphasise hands-on study on my website. She says she cannot afford to study in person which requires travel and associated costs. She fully intends to start trading commercially…

I was approached at an event by a person this weekend who is also doing online study. I explained my concerns about such qualifications and attempted to explain the difference. Her terse reply was, “Well I have to start somewhere…” I worry about the dogs that this person will ”start with.”

“A good education is a foundation for a better future.” – Elizabeth Warren

I’m writing this post to educate both aspiring therapists and potential clients.

Please ask about qualifications before hiring a therapist to work with your dog. The pandemic is over and borders are open around the world. Inability to travel is no longer a suitable justification for attaining an online qualification.

Kathleen Crisley, Fear-Free certified professional, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand. For the purpose of this post, my qualifications earned through hands-on study include CTMT, CSMT, SCMT and, as of this year, CCFT (through the University of Tennessee). I have invested heavily in my training; travel from New Zealand is a necessity and not a luxury.