A craniosacral hold is a gentle, calming technique used to support your dog’s nervous system. Place your hands lightly — at the base of your dog’s head and on their sacrum — and simply listen to the body. There’s no massage or manipulation involved. The touch is extremely light, about the weight of a nickel. This quiet, still contact helps your dog relax deeply, release tension, and rebalance naturally.
Just like people, dogs can carry physical or emotional stress in their bodies. Craniosacral work offers a safe, non-invasive way to help them feel more at ease — both physically and emotionally.
This technique offers a gentle, hands-on way to help your dog shift out of “fight or flight” and into a state of calm and safety. It’s a great technique for nervous system downregulation as it supports your dog’s nervous system in slowing down, unwinding tension, and finding balance.
The hold creates a quiet space where your dog’s body can begin to release stress, both physical and emotional.
This kind of nervous system “downregulation” can help with:
Anxiety or hypervigilance
Trauma recovery
Noise sensitivity
Over-arousal or difficulty settling
Chronic tension or pain linked to stress
Many dogs will visibly relax during a session — they might sigh, stretch, soften their expression, or even fall asleep. It’s a gentle nudge toward rest, regulation, and healing.
Visit my Youtube page to learn more techniques for nervous sytem downregulation.