“Is my dog happy?”
That’s one of the most common question pet parents ask when they work with an animal communicator. But you don’t need a psychic to answer that for you. All you need to do is to pay attention to your dog.
Actually, it’s even easier than that. Just pause for a moment and think about your dog’s unwanted or challenging behaviors. Does your dog
- Jump on visitors that come to your house?
- Spend a lot of time looking out the windows and barking at people and animals walking by?
- Lunge, bark, and drag you around on walks?
- Dig holes in your backyard?
- Pull hard when you walk them?
- Run and hide from visitors or loud noises in your home?
- Often act scared of things inside and outside your home?
- Growl at people or other dogs when he is eating?
- Growl at you or bite you?
These may seem like everyday, ordinary dog behaviors (except maybe the biting), but actually they are often signs pointing to the ways in which your dog may be unfulfilled, stressed, or downright unhappy.
Humans tolerate a lot from their canine friends. Many of us let our dogs run amok–showing fear, aggression, or reactivity when on walks and during routine daily activities such as when we are cooking, cleaning, or entertaining.
There are many reasons why our dogs misbehave badly. Perhaps we don’t know what to do about the behavior or how to change it. Maybe we think it’s cute. Perhaps we think it’s hopeless–our dog was abused or abandoned and this is just how they are. Maybe–and I suspect this is pretty common–we simply don’t realize that those rambunctious or scary things our dogs are doing are problematic.
The woman thinks she’s playing. What does the dog think?
Dogs are animals. Yes, they have souls and we will talk to and about their souls often on this blog. Those spirits are housed in bodies, however. Bodies with instincts and drives that complement but are different from the drives and instincts people have.
Is this woman feeling intimidated? She should be. This picture scares me to death.
When we don’t allow our dogs to fulfill those drives, or when we don’t honor those instincts, our dogs become reactive bundles of stress. Dogs want to fit in. They want to know their place. They want to feel safe, and they want their needs to be met.
Unfortunately, we humans so often don’t get it, and then when the dog acts out of those unmet needs, we misunderstand what they are saying. This leads to dogs being abandoned unnecessarily and in huge numbers and the outcome is often bleak.
I would love to help your understand your dog so that you can relieve their stress and help them live fulfilling lives. If you and your dog are struggling, please reach out for an in-person or remote session. I’m here to help.
