The Dog Leash: An Emotional Cording
Introduction
A dog leash is a cord that carries emotions and feelings from the human to the dog. Doesn’t matter who is walking the dog, the owner or a dog walker, a child or a trainer. The emotions transferred can be good productive feelings of safety & confidence or not so great emotions of anxiety, sadness or stress. The same concept pertains to humans riding a horse! Horses are even more sensitive than dogs (in my opinion.)
As you are walking your dog only feels the sensation of emotion, there is no one translating the emotion of anxiety is due to an upcoming chemistry test. Your dog reads the emotion as possibly danger or something is wrong, and they need to be a bit worried. Hence the walk can become more stressful with some leash pulling or unwanted behaviors. On the other hand, your dog walk can become a dog run if you are overexcited about a new job, an upcoming date, or winning the lottery! Your dog still doesn’t understand what is going on in detail in your feelings but can feel the excitement and they match that excitement possibly with unwanted behaviors. Some of this is over exaggerated to make a point.
What you can do before a walk
Balance your thoughts (I KNOW this is hard, just try)
Concentrate only on your dog- your dog will love you for this!
Stand tall, be confidant, be the leader
Breath work or breathing techniques, at the very least a few deep breaths can help
Look forward to having fun on your walk! Your dog and you can bond and get out and about together!
What would I ask a dog trainer?
Maybe you have decided to take a few lessons from a dog trainer to help you and your dog with walking. GREAT! Here are a few topics to ask about:
Loose leash walking
How to have your dog in the “heel” position and what “heel” means on a walk for you
Different types of collars and leashes than what you are using
Rewards for good behavior (this does NOT have to be a treat)
Recall (VERY IMPORTANT for safety)
Conclusion
Your dog loves you no matter what. If YOU feel yourself fall out of alignment on a walk, recognize your feelings and change what you are thinking about. Change your mood or perspective. Think of something funny, think of what you ate for breakfast, think about the poo bag you are carrying, think of anything to switch your mind to something neutral. Our dogs are great teachers. As you are teaching your dog to walk, they are teaching you to stay present!
If you’re ready to dive deeper into these communications and unlock the full potential of your bond with your dog or pet, I’m here to help. As an experienced Animal Communicator with Elevated Animals, I can guide you and your pet through understanding these deeper connections.
