Celebrate Happy National Holistic Pet Day

Today is National Holistic Pet Day.

And while it might only be celebrated across the country one day a year, The Barkery owner Kristi Andrews serves up a holistic approach to pet care all year long at her all natural pet bakery, store and groomer.

After struggling to find natural, healthy treats for her dog Kiki, she began baking all natural cakes and cookies for Kiki and her dog friends.

 "All natural foods are so much better for dogs, it gives them nicer shinier coats, helps with any skin issues, helps maintain a healthier weight and makes the dogs more active, it provides a better diet for the animals," Andrews said.

Along with her homemade all natural dog treats, she specializes in creating personalized birthday cakes for pets and gourmet pies and cookies. Everything sold in the Barkery is all natural, from the shampoo and conditioners, to the skin and flea tick treatments. Andrews said the food sold is not only all natural; it is all made and sourced in the United States.

Andrews, who not only believes in the holistic benefit of natural products for pets, she also uses holistic practices and works with dog message and Reiki therapist Karen Lachapelle of Rub My Belly Animal Massage and Reiki. Lachapelle, who has been a massage therapist since 2006, performs 15 minute massages at the Barkery as a way to introduce animals to massage and get them familiar with the touch of a stranger.

Many owners who have older dogs or dogs with arthritis or hip and joint problems use massage to help their pet stay more mobile, more pliable and help them to get around better she said. The general well being of massage helps to relax and rejuvenate animals, she said.

"Beyond that, it releases toxins, it makes them more mobile, increases range of motion, it is used to help show dogs to relax, it helps prevent injury in dog involved in sports; there are so many good things about it, not just one thing," she added. "Not only that, I feel really good after a massage so it is good for me, it calms me as well, it is a win-win situation.

Lachapelle also uses Reiki, a Japanese technique of stress reduction and healing using energy by laying the hands on or above the body. As a volunteer at the Humane Society in Lowell, Lachapelle uses the technique to help calm and relax the animals without having to touch them. She said just by going into the room or placing her hands over the animals she is able to put them at ease.

"Reiki is known to speed healing in recovery before surgery and it is the number one use on animals to help calm them and provide positive energy," Lachapelle said. "I think holistic medicine or holistic activity addresses the source of the problem where I believe Western medicine masks the problem. I strongly support holistic medicine, homoeopathy, massage, acupuncture or anything of a holistic nature."

Andrews and Lachapelle not only have their love for animals and belief in holistic lifestyles of animals in common, they both were lead down their paths because of their dogs. Andrews started the Barkery after receiving great feedback on nutritious homemade treats she made for Kiki.

Lachapelle calls her dog Sparky her muse. After adopting him, she was reading an article in an animal magazine on holistic practices for animals and learned about the benefits of massage therapy.