Dogs will relax pretty quickly once they realise what's going on.

Berlin is a dog-eat-dog town, after all. But after a soothing, 30- minute massage, her patients are frisky, bright-eyed and bushy- tailed.

Possibly Europe's first certified canine chiropractor, Zoefel works as a professional masseuse for maltreated mutts at Berlin's main animal shelter.

"Dogs have back problems, just like any of the rest of us," she said.

"They arrive here at the pound after often traumatic experiences," she added. "Often they are suffering from abandonment issues and have been physically abused or neglected. It's up to me to help loosen them up."

The 61-year-old therapist shows up once a week, every Monday, for her hands-on experience with up to a dozen dogs of varying sizes and ages.

Genghis, a high-strung husky, is typical of her canine clients.

*quote1*"Poor Genghis was left here three weeks ago after his owner said she could no longer keep him because she was going to have a baby and didn't feel would he fit in with her lifestyle any more," Zoefel explained.

"He is very distraught and of course doesn't understand why he cannot go home," she added, as she began massaging the handsome silvery-grey dog, despite his efforts to leap up off her red foam massage mat.

But after about five minutes of gentle back and shoulder massaging, Genghis began to relax and close his anxious eyes as Zoefel cooed encouragement into his large soft ears.

Rejuvenated, Genghis was trotted back to his kennel run.

"Genghis is a loving and well-behaved animal who responds to commands to sit and to heel," she noted. "But we only discovered that after a few massage sessions with him. Before that, he was anxious and aggressive."

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