Meet the Entrepreneur: Denise Theobald
- Feb 27, 2015
- 4 min read
By Jamie Damato Migdal, CEO and Pet Industry Entrepreneur
Being an entrepreneur is not all about glossy apps and flashy launch parties. Part of being a true entrepreneur is identifying the need for a service, and then filling that need so definitively that it becomes the standard to which everyone else aspires. That is exactly what Denise Theobald has done with Canine Massage Chicago and the Chicago School of Canine Massage.
What is your background?
My background is in athletic training and fitness. After college I went on to massage therapy school instead of physical therapy school, as I always seemed to be putting my hands on my athletes when working as an athletic trainer. After massage therapy school I went on to work in private practice as a clinical massage therapist and personal trainer.
How did you get involved in canine massage, and what led you to opening Canine Massage Chicago and the Chicago School of Canine Massage?
I became involved in animal massage 15 years ago when I combined my massage therapy career with my love of animals. At the time I had 3 dogs and 5 cats, and naturally provided therapeutic massage for them. It was then that I realized this could be an extremely beneficial service for animals, just as it is with people. I then began my quest to learn all that I could in the application of massage therapy to the companion animal community. Having a clinical background let me to develop the most effective techniques for dogs and cats; however, it was my deep and continued learning in canine behavior that led me to develop even more effective touch, techniques, acceptance, and compliance from our canine companions.
Canine Massage Chicago was started to exclusively bring the art and science of canine massage to the public by offering canine massage services. These services include therapeutic massage, pet parent classes on massage, and desensitization and counter-conditioning to touch or specific forms of therapy.
The Chicago School of Canine Massage was started to educate people wanting to learn the art and science of canine massage, to get this work established in the veterinary community as a viable and much needed form of therapy, and to educate the shelter and veterinary community about the importance of low-stress handling and socialization to touch.
Who are your mentors and inspirations?
I have had many mentors, especially in the animal behavior world. The late Dr. Sophia Yin was instrumental in bringing low-stress handling, and its importance, into the veterinary community. With the help of another mentor, Jamie Migdal, I was able to understand, learn, and combine the behavioral aspect of working with dogs on such an intimate level. This is so neglected in most canine massage programs. Suzanne Clothier is another mentor and inspiration. Her teachings reflect not only understanding canine behavior but also the physical dog as a whole. I have also learned a tremendous amount from the veterinarians I work with: Dr. Megan Ridley, who is the medical director at Integrative Pet Care, and Dr. Sara Bennet, who is a diplomate veterinary behaviorist. Too many mentors in the human massage world to mention all of them!
What is the most difficult part of doing what you do?
I would say the most difficult part of working with animals is having the patience to communicate to the pet parent that a dog’s acceptance is on their terms. Compliance from pet parents regarding the dog’s care can be challenging, as we also teach pet parents how to socialize their dogs to touch, how to desensitize and counter-condition a dog that is aversive to touch, or to spend the time providing at-home massage therapy techniques that will enhance and speed along results from the professional therapeutic sessions.
It is much more difficult to teach canine massage than human massage. The massage part is easy, but being present for the animal is difficult when you are teaching a class. We have to teach the students an entirely new language for canine massage. Gaining permission and trust from a dog or cat is half of the work. You cannot provide pain-relieving techniques or create therapeutic change in the body if the animal will not let you get near them, let alone touch them!
How has canine massage changed how you interact with animals outside of a therapeutic setting?
I look and interact with animals completely differently since starting this work. Now I look at the entire animal - the physical body, emotional state, behavior, and interaction with the environment and handler. I was surprised to learn when I entered this field that most people do not do this. My goal as a teacher is to bring to light all of these components, and have them be used not only by animal professionals but also by anyone who has an animal.
What is your favorite working-with-animals moment?
There are lots of moments! When a dog allows me to touch them when no one else has and then to have the dog generalize that human presence and touch is not so scary, or when I finally get a dog to relax and accept an entire session, close his eyes, and then let go of the biggest fart you’ve ever heard!
Other favorite moments: seeing dogs walk in, slow and stiff, and then see them running around wanting to play after a session, and hearing comments from pet parents like “My dog moves so much better now, is playing more now, is not so stiff and can jump on the bed now.” I love hearing referring vets say “Whatever you are doing, keep it up!” and having students say that this work is “life changing."
Most importantly, I always know that this work is the real deal and it helps our companion animals on so many levels!
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