Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Mendez.
Hi Joy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have a background in massage therapy for humans. One day I was at my friend’s house and his golden doodle, Sonny, was having trouble getting around due to his hip dysplasia. I worked on him as I would work on a human with mobility issues, and we immediately saw the difference, and from there I just knew it was something that I had to continue to look into. Unfortunately it was never the right time for me to start, so it got pushed to the back for several years until I mentioned my idea one day to my boss who owns Massage Therapy by Krissy and she agreed to help me out with this, and here we are today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I thought it was going to be a smooth road and turns out that’s not what happened. I thought once I posted about it, and someone saw my post about dog massage, that somehow someway everyone on the planet was going to know about my business, and that is not exactly how it worked out. Being that this is such a unique idea we have no reference around us to mirror a business model so we had to come up with one all by ourselves. It’s been a big eye-opener to find out that some veterinarians are not interested in the pain management side that massage therapy can offer for dogs and that was a hard pill to swallow because we deal with that in the human side of the massage industry as well. Doctors sometimes don’t see Massage as an important tool to help manage pain.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
This year January will be 14 years that I have been a massage therapist for humans. I got certified in June 2025 to massage canines. I don’t know if I’m known for anything, but I would like to be known to your dog as the human who helps them with their stiffness and mobility issues and or concerns. I am most proud of finally putting myself out there and being able to help people with their pain and now being able to help dogs with their pain as well. What sets us apart is we are the only business in San Antonio offering massage therapy for canines, a.k.a. your fur babies. Massage isn’t just a luxury. It is health and wellness.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see this industry growing as any other Dog industry is growing. we are a city that’s growing and we are a city that is more dog favorable. We have more businesses that allow dogs that cater to dogs. We have a ton of local vendors and artists that cater to the Dog industry. And health and wellness is no exceptions when it comes to our dogs. We want to do all we can to keep them healthy and happy and comfortable as they age.
Pricing:
- $60 for 30 min
- $80 for 45 min
- 30 min bundle of 3 sessions for $120
- 45 min bundle of 3 sessions for $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.massage4pawssa.com
- Instagram: @massage4pawssa
- Facebook: Massage 4 Paws
