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PARK CITY — When you think of massage, one of the first words that comes to mind is "relaxation," and it can also play an important role in healing.
"Getting fresh blood, fresh oxygen to that injury site really helps the regeneration process," said Angela Dirkers.
A love of helping with recovery is something Dirkers brought with her to the mountains. She's been practicing massage for about 10 years.
"I grew up in Minnesota, moved out here about nine years ago, just to do the ski bum thing," she said.
Dirkers dropped anchor and opened her own business in Park City — but her clients are more likely to sit under a desk than in front of one.
"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian, and on that road, I encountered canine massage," she said. "Then later on, aquatherapy, and I thought, 'This is it. This is what I was meant to do.'"
It's called The Dog Dive spa, and features a small pool for dogs, complete with an underwater massage table. It may seem a little strange, but Dirkers says it's really no different from a grandmother doing aquasize at the local pool.
"You've got 20 times the resistance of air being in the water, so as these dogs are moving, it's increasing their strength and their muscle tone," she said.
Dirkers says this is a growing industry, and it's one she's been trained in.
"I studied up in Washington state, and that's kind of the epicenter for all this swim therapy," she said. "It's been popular in Europe for years, and it's been popular with horses and racing dogs. Now, it's just kind of becoming available to everybody."
One dog, 11-year-old Red, is recovering from ACL surgery. His veterinarian says he's making big improvements, especially since he's able to exercise without the pain caused by walking around on land.
"When we measured him, there was about a three centimeter difference between his surgical leg — it was smaller — and the non-surgical leg, which was bearing all the extra weight," said veterinarian Kimberly Henneman. "He's only had three sessions in the pool, and we measured him again yesterday, and both legs are even."
The small pool of warm water isn't just for dogs getting over an operation. Ten-year-old Miley's had problems for years.
"She got hit by a snowmobile," said Jesse Reid, Miley's owner. "It broke her spine in two places, and the vet recommended that we put her down, but we wanted to give it a shot."
Miley's able to get around, but is partially paralyzed in her rear legs.
"She's a lot stronger in the water than she is on land," said Dirkers. "And as she's moving with the resistance of the water, those muscles in the rear limbs are able to grow stronger, which makes her stronger on land."
"She's happier, more energetic than she used to be, and definitely the back end has improved so much," Reid said. "Just with strength, and being able to go where she wants to go, especially with the deep snow out there. It's been good for her."
Dirkers says opening a business that offers underwater therapy for dogs was a huge risk.
"It was probably the most terrifying thing I've ever done," she said.
But it's paying off, for dogs and owners alike.
"It's rewarding to work on people, but I think it's a lot more rewarding to work on dogs," Dirkers said. "It's really nice to see the dog leaving happy, and the owner happy too."
The Dog Dive Spa opened on Thanksgiving and offers self-swim time for dogs that need some exercise. For more information, visit dogdivespa.com.
Ray Boone is a photojournalist for KSL-TV. Contact him at rboone@ksl.com
