Jacqueline Cook pictured with student dog Maisie and Jennie Bond with her dog Ella

Jacqueline Cook the Director and Proprietor of Roseheart Kingdom 'Training Centre and Health Farm for Animals', Bucknell, Shropshire was pleased to welcome another four students onto her Shiatsu for Dogs Level One course earlier this month. One student had come from as far away as Chicago and another was well known celebrity Jennie Bond, the star of I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here.

Prior to the course taking place Jacqueline had received a call from the BBC asking if they could come and film the shiatsu class for their Sunday programme the Heaven and Earth show, saying that Jennie Bond was also interested in bringing her dog Ella along too.

Jacqueline was more than happy for them to come and film and for Jennie to attend her course, "This is a great opportunity for even more people to become aware of shiatsu, the benefits to both owner and dog and for everyone, including children, to realise that they have the ability to do it and so enjoy the bond and understanding that is built up between them and their pet."

Techniques

Filming of the course didn't prove to be much of a distraction as Jacqueline settled down over the two days to tell the students about shiatsu, showing them techniques to use on each other, before they went on to learn and practice a variety of shiatsu techniques on the dogs with fantastic results.

‘I am so pleased I brought Ella with me," said Jennie Bond. "She is a Belgian Shepherd Dog and a bit of a livewire to say the least so was definitely in need of some shiatsu. I have to confess that I didn't know much about shiatsu therapy before I came but after receiving some myself over the two days I can see why the dogs enjoy it so much.

‘I have had the most amazing time up here with Jacqueline at Roseheart Kingdom and have learnt so much. It has been a true revelation and so much more fun than I expected as well.

My dog Ella is a challenge and pretty boisterous but with shiatsu she did become calmer and more relaxed at times - so if she can benefit from shiatsu any dog can!’

Jacqueline added "this has been a great experience and people will see for themselves that with a therapy as wonderful as shiatsu it is easy to build up a strong relationship with your animal. It is all too easy for us to miss signs of stress, anxiety and pain and shiatsu makes you a lot more aware by being more in touch with the dog's body. I also use this therapy on horses with spectacular results."