TTOUCH and Traditional Chinese Medicine

DO YOU LIVE WITH A WATER DOG?

The Water Dog, like its equine companion is generally blessed with a luxurious coat that shines with relatively little grooming. They are observant, and calm but can become over excited or nervous when under pressure. Strong boned, with a denser body than the Fire or Metal Dog, Water Dogs make excellent working dogs. Some Black Labs might be typical Water Dogs as they tend to be a little less thick set than some of their Golden or Yellow friends. Needless to say, the Water Dog is often at home in a river, pond or swamp! This can cause problems if the Water Phase is unbalanced since water in the ears can lead to recurring infections due to the correlation between the Water meridians and the ear. Disharmony in the Water Phase can also give rise to cruciate ligament and spinal problems, particularly as the dog ages. As Kidney vitality is linked to the vitality of life, deafness, hind limb weakness and conditions such as arthritis set in as the dog advances in years. Supporting the Water Phase as the animal ages can minimise the debilitating effects of old age.

It is said in Traditional Chinese Medicine that the Kidneys store 'Jing' the essence of life. As the Kidneys are also linked to sexual function important 'Jing' may be depleted in animals that are over bred. Pregnancy itself further depletes vital Kidney energy and as 'Jing' is inherited, the health and longevity of any offspring will be adversely affected if the dog, whether it be male or female, is used for breeding purposes too young, too old or too frequently.

As with the Water Horse, an imbalance in the Water Phase can give rise to nervousness, noise sensitivity and fear of sudden movement. Further symptoms of Water disharmony are bone and dental problems and arthritic conditions. Dogs that bite when disturbed by loud or shrill noises such as ringing telephones, jet planes, or high pitched laughter often have arthritis in the hind limbs. Dogs exhibiting this pattern of behaviour are often withdrawn and slightly shutdown. Extreme territorial behaviour or over guarding may develop as the condition worsens.