“Heck yes, I said. “Sign me up.”
That was Tod Miner’s reaction when he learned about a course on physical therapy for dogs at the University of Tennessee.
Minor was already a physical therapist for people, for more than 20 years. But he went down to Knoxville, took the course, and “decided this is what I wanted to do. I left human beings behind,” at least when it came to therapy.
And now, Arfit Dog Rehab and Fitness is wagging its tail into Evanston, opening this summer on Green Bay Road, south of Central Street.
Miner’s has another Arfit in Lincoln Park, but said there is so much demand from people in the northern suburbs that “I said I’m going to come to you.”
Of course, unlike a human physical therapy patient, dogs can’ say “hey, my back hurts.”
Not with words at, anyway.
But Miner said “because they’re not verbal, dogs express themselves through movement,” or, perhaps lack of movement.
If your dog is in pain, it might hunch its back, not eat as enthusiastically because it hurts to bend down to the bowl, or have a hard time lying down to go to sleep.
PT for dogs includes massage, dry needling, and joint mobilization, among other techniques for the musculo-skeletal system.
As with people PT, pet PT also has a set of home exercises, and, as with people PT, they have to be done regularly.
Just as your dog can’t tell you verbally that he hurts, there are no doggie words to say “I feel better.”
But there are actions, Miner said, such as wanting to play more and “feeling like a puppy,” or “giving a stronger tug on the leash.”
And to answer a common question, yes, they do take pet insurance.
One other thing which they take at Arfit – cats. There is cat PT as well.
“Love ’em both,” said Miner, who has cats and dogs at home.
The motto for his business is “Be Stronger, Live Longer.”
And it must be working.
Miner has a schnauzer named Sasha, who is 19 years old.
To learn more, go to www.arfit.biz.
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