A Lancashire dog groomer has introduced a new energy healing service for nervous or anxious pooches.

The owner of Bubble Paws, in Church Street, Haslingden, announced the grooming salon will be offering the form of alternative therapy after practising Reiki for more than a year on family and friends.

Reiki is a Japanese 'energy healing' technique performed by a ‘Reiki master’ using gentle hand movements on the body to reduce stress and make the client feel relaxed.

Pets can sometimes feel anxious and stressed so the Rossendale dog groomer has launched ‘Canine Reiki’.

Promoting the new service on the business Facebook page, Bubbly Paws Rossendale said: “So as many of you know I absolutely love reiki healing and have completed both my level one and level two courses.

“I have been practicing reiki for over a year now on family and friends and have finally decided to bring both my worlds together and start offering Canine Reiki!

"This would be especially good for dogs that may get anxious or nervous when coming for a groom or older dogs who struggle with their mobility.

“If you would like to add this to your dog’s groom they will get a 20 minute reiki session before the grooming at an extra charge of £8.

“I can also add this on to walking dogs too but would need to make arrangements to make sure they are my only dog during that time slot.

“As there is so much information I will put it all together in my story highlights for anyone interested, so you can see what reiki is and how it works.”

It's not the first reiki service for dogs in the UK, with another therapy service explaining the treatment process for dogs.

Suffolk Reiki Company states: “To give Reiki to a dog is a simple process.

"They will guide me as to whether they want to receive the healing sitting on my lap, laying next to me or moving freely around the room as they wish during the treatment.

“Then I will either lay my hands on the animals body or from a short distance away, depending on how they wish to receive the energy.

“The great thing about using Reiki on animals is that you can “see” it working. Your pet will most likely relax and some will lie down and go into a deep sleep next to me.

"If they are having a release of some kind they maybe fidgety and unsettled for a while.

“Dogs can react in different ways and some may not show any obvious signs of relaxation during their treatment. They will wait until they are alone and then go to sleep to enjoy the healing energies. No matter how your pet responds, Reiki is giving them what they need.

“Treatments lengths vary depending on the individual dog. Some will only need a short session of healing energy while others enjoy longer treatments of around 35 minutes. Your dog will decide how much they have and it what circumstances.”

Reiki is a type of alternative medicine, so it is not intended to replace conventional treatments given by a vet.

There is no scientific evidence that reiki can cure any health conditions on its own, but some research has suggested it may be beneficial in reducing stress.

It has been dubbed a psuedoscience by some in the medical community.