Animal Behavior

Do your animal friends sleep harmoniously together? Acceptance can help us then move to a place of change and healing. Focusing on unmet expectations can leave us frustrated and stuck.

Whether your cat is going potty outside of the litter box, your dogs don’t get along or your rabbit seems bored, it can cause stress when our animals’ behaviors don’t meet our desired expectations or we are concerned they aren’t doing okay. Just as with humans, animals experience emotions, anxiety and pain.They can be out of balance and feel disturbed, just as we can.

Illness and discomfort can show up in different ways, with us and our animal friends. Because we all impact each other and our pets reflect us, it can be helpful to focus on ourselves and what is going on with us. The calmer we are, the calmer our animal friends can be. They may still be going through things that are causing them stress or discomfort, but at least our stress and issues won’t be added on to their own.

Isn’t this a cute rabbit!

In my opinion, two of the most important things to realize are:

  1. We ask and expect our domesticated, and sometimes wild animal friends to automatically and easily display behaviors that are not natural for them. When we acknowledge this, we can find greater compassion and validate how well our animal friends actually adapt to our confusing and odd human rules.

    What a gorgeous cat!

  2. Our animal friends and how they reflect us can can give us great insight into ourselves. Does your pet seem bored, afraid or reactive in certain situations? Are you ever bored, afraid or reactive? Of course you are! Just like people, animals can experience aspects of life in all different ways! There isn’t just one way or one “right” way. When we accept things as they are, then we can create change from there, if it is desired. Simply changing our perspective and mindset can help us relax and find lightness in the struggle.

Do you have questions about animal behavior? Are you curious as to why your pet does this or that? Contact Sindi at 360-601-4358 or via email at sindi@apetpsychic.com.

 

 

Animal Communication Demonstrations

In addition to one-on-one sessions I offer public talks. While I present on a variety of topics, when I am sharing information about animal communication, I like to include a demonstration so attendees have a better idea of what a session is like.

While I am most known for my work with animals, I started with people and still provide services for humans with and without animal friends. If you have a topic of interest to you and your group and would like to add that unique and fun something extra, contact me for more information.

I have worked with non-profit organizations, veterinarians, small and large businesses and other groups. Visit my Public Speaking page for more information.

Below is my first TV interview from about ten years ago. The staff were so supportive on San Diego Living. The show sadly has since ended, but I have great memories of my time there. Thank you, Gary and Tiffany!

The Two Minute Trip to Disneyland Part Three

rock on dash

I like to take Rock into all different environments for a variety of learning experiences. After one of our two (so far) visits to Fiesta Island, I pulled over for some meditation time. I parked and let Rock out of his carrier while I enjoyed some quiet time. He opted to climb up on the dash. Of course, I would NEVER drive with him like this! It does make for a cool photo though.

It’s been a little over a month since I last wrote about our “Disneyland” excursions and of course, a lot has happened. I will do my best to give you an overview and am sure I will revisit this topic again. Feel free to email or call me if you have questions about our education process! Sindi@WildTame.com or 619-797-0705.

The main piece of information that I would like to communicate, is that if you have a reactive dog, a shy dog, a fearful dog, an under-socialized dog, an aggressive dog or absolutely any characteristic of any type of dog, there are techniques and approaches to help teach new behaviors. You can also learn how to have clearer communication and a better understanding of your dog’s behaviors. If you have doubts, then I encourage you to do what you need to do to get rid of that uncertainty. Doubts are limits. They can discourage us and keep us from moving forward. It is necessary to believe change can happen. For change to occur, you must first want change and then you must believe it is possible. The same is true for animals. That’s why positive reinforcement training can work so well! We basically show them why choosing the alternative behavior is more rewarding and beneficial than the behavior we want to change. Animal communication, energy awareness and reading helps expedite things, by giving insight into a particular individual animal’s thoughts, emotions and history.

In Rock’s case, yummy treats, praise and affection are now more highly valued than any adrenaline rush or benefit that his reactivity gives him. That is why he now turns his head to look at me instead of lunging towards dogs. The point of reinforcement training, in my opinion isn’t to give them treats forever! We need to teach them the new behavior and make it the new habit. We need to reprogram their bodies with the new “default” behavior. Then we can wean them off the treats, praise and other rewards because it is then their “normal” behavior. It’s still fine to give treats, praise and pets because you love them. But it is best to have the eventual goal to have the behavior so ingrained these things are not needed to obtain the desired result.

Something has Rock's attention as he sits on my friend's lap at a coffee shop. This is one of the locations where Rock has made great progress. He can actually relax there vs. being on high alert as he seems to be in this photo.

Something has Rock’s attention as he sits on my friend’s lap at a coffee shop. This is one of the locations where Rock has made great progress. He can actually relax there vs. being on high alert as he seems to be in this photo.

The one thing that I find is missing in some training experiences is us people, making changes ourselves. Not actively making change ourselves, can not only slow down the educational process, but it can cause learned behaviors to be less permanent than we would like. I use meditative visualization techniques to assist me to not only reduce stress, but to also consciously create change. This includes confronting my fears and “issues” and changing habits. It is unfair for me to expect Rock to change, if I am not willing to change. As he moves from reactivity to responding in the present moment, I also let go of my reactive tendencies. Don’t we all have them? When someone pushes your buttons, do you respond calmly or do you react quickly with full emotion? Working with Rock has assisted me to be more grounded, more aware and more in the present moment. I had been working on being more consciously responsive and less reactive before adopting Rock. Him being in my life has definitely gotten my attention and helped expedite my personal healing process. So… thank you, Rock!

My approach is not one sided. I believe that in order for a newly learned behavior to “stick,” we too must be aware of our own habits and tendencies. For example, if your dog lunges at people on moving bicycles, then every time you see a moving bicycle, you tense up anticipating your dog’s reactivity, how can you possibly expect your dog to not react?! You are basically telling him and teaching him to do exactly what you are thinking you don’t want. If that doesn’t make sense, contact me! I have other analogies and can give additional information to anything I comment on in my blog. 🙂

Rock and I have both learned a lot. Rock enjoys going to the park now. And I enjoy taking him there. I am completely engaged in the environment, both what is going on around us and Rock’s reaction to it. One behavior that has become a pretty consistent default behavior for Rock I mentioned already. It is that when we are approaching a potentially stressful situation, such as a person with a dog, Rock turns to me. This is one of the most awesome things! Let me replay for you a couple of scenarios.

Scenario #1 a.k.a. THEN: Rock has been my companion now, for six months. When I first started walking him and he would see a dog, he would pull to the end of the leash, lunge and bark like he had no intention of ever stopping. He was fully committed to this behavior in this situation. If he could have gotten loose, which did happen one time, he would run to the dog. Luckily, he is reactive on leash and by the time he reached the other dogs (yes, dogS!) off leash he sniffed them, but it appeared to be a civil greeting. Rock isn’t reactive in the same situations off leash, as he is on. I know some people reading this may have a similar experience with their dogs.

I started working with him on walks about two months or so into our relationship. From the beginning, I really just went with the flow. If something appeared that I needed to work on that would be my focus. The main thing I was concerned about in the beginning was Rock’s relationship with my housemates’ dog. That is no longer an issue to the extent it was, but it is still an area that needs attention. After that situation calmed down a bit, I started focusing on the next big area, which was reactivity on leash when on walks out in the world.

Scenario #2 a.k.a. NOW = Rock sees a potentially stressful situation, such as a dog on a leash. He watches. Sometimes he watches for a long time. I let him watch, so he has room to decide what he wants to do. For me, I see the time spent watching as giving him the time to choose to respond vs. react impulsively, as before. Anyone who questions whether dogs are capable of having an actual thought process, would really enjoy spending time with my favorite guy, Rock. For me it says a lot that instead of seeing something that used to make him “react” and now instead of reacting he watches and makes a choice. His default response now, in this situation is to watch and then, at the point where he has watched enough, he physically turns to me and makes eye contact. At this point he gets praise and treats. He totally deserves both! If you do not have a reactive dog, or don’t have experience with a reactive dog, this may not seem like a big deal. For those of us that have had the experience of the impulsive reactions, know that this is a huge transformation deserving of not only praise and treats, but grandiose celebration!!!

Even energetic Rock stars need to sleep! He was watching and watching out the window and then just fell asleep in this position. So cute! I think he looks like a kangaroo here. :)

Even energetic Rock stars need to sleep! He was watching and watching out the window and then just fell asleep in this position. So cute! I think he looks like a kangaroo here. 🙂

A couple of days ago, Rock and I ventured to a place with even more stimuli than the park by our house. We went to Lake Murray, which is in La Mesa, CA for those of you in areas outside of San Diego County. Lake Murray park, I would nickname, instead of Disneyland; DisneyWORLD! Not only are their cars, people and dogs, but also ducks, cranes, squirrels and chipmunks galore! Rock did great! We kept our distance from people and dogs, but no barking or lunging. We walked towards the lake and he found the ducks quit fascinating. I sat on a picnic table bench and he opted for the table top, allowing him a higher vantage point. We sat there for 15 or 20 minutes. Watching the ducks like we were watching Dog TV. He spent some time on the ground, but mostly on the table. He had a little reaction when he saw a huge crane. His reaction was more like, “What in the world is that?!” And he gave a very quiet woofy kind of a sound. But when I validated that it was something different, but that it was okay, he went back to watching. Glued to the set like a football fan on last Sunday. By the way… I personally am thrilled that the Seattle Seahawks won! I used to live in Seattle and was so happy for them!!!

Before I go, I have one question for you. What is your two minute walk to Disneyland? What are you letting fear get in the way of you accomplishing. You don’t have to pressure yourself into overcoming all of your fears at once or immediately. Allow it to be a healing process. A journey of unlearning and re-learning. Discover the many possibilities that fear may be hiding from you. Make it a fun time complete with treats and self-praise. It’s your life. Create it the way you want it!!!

Want help with your companion animal? Whether shy, reactive, fearful, aggressive, overwhelmingly energetic or calm as a cucumber, I can help! 619-797-0705 or sindi@apetpsychic.com.

9.21.2012 – Getting Space

Sometimes we need physical space to be well.

Today a kind person, actually a stranger, called me to tell me that she noticed my phone number was wrong on the banner of this website. I have looked a the banner many times, not noticing this obvious, and problematic typo. I am grateful to her for taking the time to let me know. It also presented the important reminder that having space is important.

What do I mean by that? As an outside observer browsing my site for the first time, she noticed a discrepancy between the phone number on the banner and where it is listed elsewhere on the site. I joked to her that that is why I need an editor to help me with my work! A second set of eyes to be a more objective observer and notice things I may not.

It is important to remember to allow for energetic space, especially in our close relationships.

When we work closely on a project or are have a close relationship and/or emotional attachment to a person or animal, we may miss something. It may be, as in this case, a typo or it may be an attempted communication that we aren’t clearing receiving.

We need space to effectively communicate. The more tightly we hold on to a person, animal, idea or something we want to create in our life, the more difficult it is to actually receive and enjoy it. The more challenging it also is to receive the information being communicated. When there is no available space in between there is nowhere for the energy and communication to go. The connection is to tight to allow for energy to flow and messages to be clearly given and received.

During a reading there is always physical space between us. This also assists to create necessary energetic space.

Someone asked me recently for tips on how to more clearly communicate with a cat in their life. This kind hearted person is very emotionally attached to the cat and concerned about her well being and welfare. I suggested she consider meditating to help her to be in the present moment and let go for clearer communication.

The form of meditation that I teach and practice helps to focus our attention into the present moment. The more in the present moment we can be, the clearer our communication. Animals are in the present moment. Our own physical bodies are in the present moment. That which we refer to as the physical reality, our home, car and workplace are all in the present moment.

The more that we have our energy and attention in the present, the more clearly we can communicate and the more effectively we can create what we want in our life.The form of meditation that I teach also helps us each to have our own space. It assists individuals to get to know themselves and their energy. In turn it helps them to recognize others’ energy.

Creating space does not mean being unloving. In fact, the more space there is, the more room for love to be experienced. It is a challenge for all of us to find our way of being close while still having space. I don’t know if there is ever an end to the learning.

You are welcome to contact me if you are interested in learning meditation techniques to assist you in your communication with animals, people and yourself. I also have an email mailing list. I send out information and keep people updated on events, classes and other happenings. If you would like to receive my newsletter and notifications, email me your name and email address and a note that you want to be added on.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day! -Sindi