Communicating with Dogs - Series 6

So, here's another interesting post dog lovers. And I am sure this is again going to help you a lot. Once of our readers - Marlene had mailed us her problem in communicating with her dog. Honestly speaking I was honored to find the mail of  Marlene and Paul popping up in my inbox a few days back. I am more honored because this email was for Di Van the animal communicator, my friend who has chosen this dog blog to share her huge knowledge on animal communication in series. I am lucky that both Marlene and Di allowed me to publish the question and answer here in this blog. I hope that this will surely benefit you to the fullest swing.

Thank you Marlene and Paul and Di...

Question emailed by Marlene and Paul was: 

Dear Di
I’ve been actively trying to communicate with my dog over the past month or two. Sometimes I understand what she ‘says’ to me, but I’m not sure whether I understand it from her physical behaviour or otherwise. Also, she is very protective of me and I usually find it difficult to have ANY friends over and she did managed to bite one friend, although she did not break the skin. I always tell people not to touch her and just ignore her whenever she comes towards them, just keep walking. – no touch, no talk, no eye contact, but this friend’s ears were on leave that day and she tried to hug Lulu. I was very upset with Lulu (and my friend as well). Then I read about ‘reading’ their minds. After that, I would tell her at the same time every day for about 2 weeks, that she will not attack any of the friends we have over at out house - ever. Just smiles and kisses.

Now  please tell me if this is only wishful thinking? She seems to be calmer around new people, but still would not let them touch her. She wants to play, but does not know how to let them love her. For instance, she will look very friendly, tail and body wagging, smiling and sniffing and even put her nose in the person’s hand, but if they move to stroke her, she strikes back with lots of noise. Sometimes she will even bring a toy, and then gets all confused if the person actually wants to through the toy.

Lulu is a 3year old, spayed Labrador/German Shepard mix whom had a hip operation at 8months (I think she expect people will hurt her if they touch her?). Any suggestions please? I’ve attached a photo J. Overall she is 90% obedient, but is aggressive towards other dogs as well and had killed in the past (a stray bunny that came into our yard and rats). We live in Benoni, Gauteng and often go for walks at the Homestead Dam – she LOVES to swim in the dam, but not in our pool, unless I get in with her (brrrr for the coming winter!).

Greetings


Answer emailed by Di

Dear Marlene, congratulations on starting to communicate with Lulu. You might find it a little easier if you are able to take 5 - 10 mins out of your day to find a quiet spot to meditate. This helps to quieten your mind. But the main point with animal communication is to trust your instinct and do not doubt what you hear in your mind or that feeling you get. It is not an exact science but when you have an animal in need like Lulu it can be so rewarding to be able to listen to her fears and help her overcome them.

I have attached 3 pages of a technique which I think might help Lulu. EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique (also called tapping) has been around for about 35 years and is probably the most under rated psychological aid you will ever come across. If you want to explore it further in its use for people I would suggest looking up Rod Sherwin who is an EFT practitioner in Melbourne, Australia. He has a lot of videos on the internet and I have met him and been to one of his lectures. EFT is something I use regularly on myself, our dog and the wild captives (particularly leopards) that I deal with. You might want to use it for aggression on Lulu, not being able to trust and also for fear of people.

I did take the liberty of chatting to Lulu (hope you don't mind) and she had the following to say. You have to always remember that what an animal tells you might not necessarily be correct or the truth but this is the situation as to how they see it.

Lulu says she loves her Mom, she is a kind person who wants to help her.

She says she loves her walks and water. When I asked about the dam she swims in and why the pool at home is different she told me the dam water is dirty - she cannot see the bottom or any part of herself underwater. The pool at home is too clean and she is scared when she sees the bottom.
Lulu feels you are making people scared of her and then she feeds off of their fear.

She says she is a very intense dog (and a bright one, I might add).

When I inquired about not trusting humans Lulu said it has nothing to do with her hip op. She says she was hurt by someone who she thought loved her and asked how can people send conflicting signals where they love you but can hurt you at the same time. Lulu says she doesn't want love she wants respect.
I asked if Lulu could learn to trust again and she said maybe she can. She said she trusts her Mom.
Lulu told me she feeds on fear and picks up if there is tension around. She worries for her Mom's safety at times. She said she is there to protect you. She is concerned you sometimes choose the wrong friends - she saids to tell you they are not all good friends.

Lulu asks for you to not talk about her like she is not there and cannot hear you. She seems to be taking on your stresses and fears and tells me she is very sensitive.

Finally Lulu said she loves her Mom very, very, very much and knows she is a stubborn dog. She asks you do not give up on her as she is really trying.

Marlene, I was recently loaned a book called Paws & Listen written by Jenny Shone who is up in your part of the country. Her website is www.animalhealing.co.za and I see she has a couple of interesting courses coming up with regards animal communication if you are interested. I have not met Jenny or been on one of her courses but I do like the approach she takes with animals.

Best of luck with Lulu.
kind regards



I also added something that you may want to read...

I would also like to say something here, insofar as the dog is concerned. I have been with shepherds for many years now. I don't have any academic knowledge in this regard but what I have learnt through the years is that dogs actually want to make their pack members (which is you and your family) happy. With Lulu, I think the overly protective instinct has been either genetically transmitted or may be due to lack of socialization. A shy dog is scared of people perhaps because they have not known the love of a stranger or of someone outside their pack.

Sometimes stubbornness is also genetically instilled behavior and this may be the case for Lulu. One solution may be to take her for a walk with a friend of yours - one that she trusts. You can play fetch with her, in presence of your friend, but do not let her get into a competition with your friend. Occasionally, let your friend throw the Frisbee or the ball to let her feel that your friend can also be trusted. You can slowly increase the number of friends.

As you said, "...she will look very friendly, tail and body wagging, smiling and sniffing and even put her nose in the person's hand, but if they move to stroke her, she strikes back with lots of noise." I would stress on the point that she cannot trust your pals or any other stranger.

Lulu has a good heart and she wants to befriend people, but again she prefers to maintain a safe distance from them. "Wanting to become a friend" and at the same time "not being able to trust them", are the two opposite inner thoughts that clash with each other. And the outburst results in noisy barking and sometimes exhibiting aggression. This indicates lack of proper socialization during her formative years.

Since Lulu has shepherd blood in her, most of her instincts are driven by GSD genes - especially if the GSD gene is governing her behavior. You need to check Lulu's pedigree, if possible. I have had experience with GSD for many years now, I can help you by offering GSD information in my other blog (http://aringsburgkennel.blogspot.in). Plus you can also check out my German Shepherd website.   Find information about rehabilitating shy German Shepherd Puppies

Please note that I made a few typos and errors while writing the mail to Marlene. Di helped me by correcting those. Thank you Di. 

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Animal Communication - Series 4

Welcome to the part 4 in a series of tips on Animal Communication. My name is Di van, I live in South Africa and I am an Animal Communicator.

In this part we deal with lack of communication by the minders (that’s you). When I chat to domestic animals they nearly always complain about their minders not telling them when they are going to the vet, going to the kennels and so on.

As your pets are part of the family they also want to be told what is happening in the household. When a family member moves out your animal does not understand why they left and it affects them. When any pet dies if there are others left behind they grieve and need your love and understanding. When you are planning a holiday your animals will listen in and will wonder what will be happening to them. Try to remember to take the time to tell them if they will be going to the kennels or if someone will be looking after them.

Before taking a car trip with your animal, long or short, remember to explain where you are going and what will happen on the other side. A well informed animal is not an anxious and should be more relaxed.

Till the next time. Check out my series at Dog Communication

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Dog Communication - Series 3

Welcome to the part 3 in a series of tips on Animal Communication. My name is Di van, I live in South Africa and I am an Animal Communicator. Read out my full series on Dog Communication.

Before deciding to take a couple of animal communication courses I was asked to take in an elderly rescue dog. We knew nothing of his background and did not even know his name. This makes it particularly difficult as you do not know what food they like or any of their dislikes. We soon discovered he was able to answer “yes” or “no” questions with his tail. Tail up and wagging was a “yes” and tail down and still was a “no”. Every now and again he would tease me and when I asked if he was telling untruths, he would wag his tail and run off. You have to love an animal with a sense of humour !

Perhaps your animal is trying to communicate with you using their tail. If you start with yes or no questions to which you know the answer, you might be pleasantly surprised to have your animal respond. Of course, it is important for you to declutter your mind and think only of the question you are asking. This can be done out loud or non verbal depending on what works best with your animal.

Till the next time.

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Dog Communication - Series 2

Hope you have read my Part 1 Post on Dog Communication. Welcome to the part 2 in a series of tips on Animal Communication. My name is Di van, I live in South Africa and I am an Animal Communicator.

In the first part of this series I discussed how animals communicate and can read our minds and take in our conversations. In this part I will suggest a slightly different way of communicating with your animal.

I came across this method quite by chance as my dog requested it. She decided to ask if I could speak to her non verbally and use hand signals. The first step is to declutter the mind - yes, I know it is not that easy but if you persevere, and particularly if you meditate, it will come to you. When you take your dog out for a walk try giving commands non verbally. It might take a while for the animal to respond and it might be wise to precede the command with their name so they know you are
talking to them.

Hand signals in combination with non verbal commands can also work well. Sometimes I have to clap my hands to get my dog’s attention and gesture for her to come to me. For me it works particularly well if there is quite a distance between us as it saves me having to raise my voice to get her attention.

Till the next time.

Should you have any queries, you can contact directly with Di van. She is really busy with her professional career and may turn up late. Email: di.vanzyl@yahoo.com

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Dog Communication - Series 1

Hello friends...
Today I am going to start off with a series on communication with dogs. Dog Communication explained by Di van my friend. Di van has gathered a great deal of experience in the very unique discipline of animal communication. She will be contributing a series of both interesting and informative notes on how to communicate with dogs. Here's what Di van has to say about how to communicate with dogs and other animals. Read on....

"Welcome to the first in a series of tips on Animal Communication. My name is Di van, I live in South Africa and I am an Animal Communicator.

Whether or not you believe in animal communication you still have to wonder at how when you are sitting on the sofa and you think “I must take Brutus for a walk”, Brutus runs off and stands at the door.

Animals communicate non verbally to each other so it stands to reason they tap into each other’s thoughts. Brutus not only gets what you are saying out loud, he is also reading your mind. Picture this - you want Brutus to sit, you give the command but at the same time you are thinking of how thirsty you are and you must make yourself a cup of tea. He gets “sit I’m thirsty I must make myself some tea” and you wonder why he does not sit !! Brutus is confused and thinking what is it this
person wants me to do, sit or go into the kitchen with them whilst they make the tea ?

When you feel down your dog creeps up next to you and puts his head on your lap. We often say they ‘sense’ when you are unhappy. They know you are unhappy as they read your mind and listen in on your conversations. Some dogs want to comfort you whilst others are thinking “get over it”. Each one is different and reacts in their own unique way. Believe me when I say sometimes you really do not want to know what they are thinking !

It is not easy to declutter our minds but if you can remember your dog hears all, it might just explain why sometimes he or she reacts the way they do.

Till the next time."

Should you have any queries, you can contact directly with Di van. She is really busy with her professional career and may turn up late. Email: di.vanzyl@yahoo.com
Check out Part 2 Post on Dog Communication

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How To Communicate With Dog

Dog lovers best know the fun of communicating with their dogs. Talking to dogs has always been the most pleasant experience for the dog lovers and owners. It's more of an art than a technique. And you can't find the tips on how to communicate with dogs so frequently in books and canine magazines. You need to master the art of communicating with dogs, and it's not all that a rocket science. All you need to do is to recognize and study each single behavior of your dog. If you are a dog lover, I am sure you have been doing it since the day you brought him home. Now, you need to put a bit more attention on what he does. Well, just sit back on your couch and let Reva do whatever he wants. Watch him quietly.

The study involves 3 distinctive approaches:

• Trying to understand what makes Reva what she is
• Trying to analyze why does Reva behave in the way she does
• Think of the ways to make Reva understand what you want her to do; and this is where the art lies!

What all the canine behaviorists and experts have to say, is that you, as the owner, have to communicate with dogs. How? Try to determine the behaviors in your dog. Try to sort them out according to which are desirable and which are the undesirable ones. From the human point of view the desirable dog behaviors are those that you want him to behave like. While on the other level, from the canine point of view, the owner has to communicate with dogs to determine which particular behavior give them ultimate satisfaction.

The secret of the success story lies in understanding the signals that Reva sends to you through his typical behavior. You're the most successful owner, if you understand whether Reva is confident or confused, happy or sad, and bold or nervous.

Make Yourself a Successful Dog Owner

Who doesn't want to be the most loved buddy of his dog? Again the secret of becoming your dog's loved one is not to expect too much from your dog before you master the art of communicating with her. This is one simple approach that can make you a happy and successful dog owner. Once you become your dog's loved one, your dog will start to understand what you want and which behaviors are acceptable to you. Remember, your dog will always try to make you more happy with his behavior. She would chase a cat, drive it out of the territory, come back to you wagging. If this is what you want praise her lavishly. If this behavior is not acceptable try to make her understand that you didn't like that. Yelling at her and hitting her will spoil your child. Just show her your annoyance with your specific behavior. Pull her back with the lead and say “NO” sharply and in a strong voice. Dogs are naturally quite intelligent!

Use Their Instincts

If you're tired of working against Reva's instincts, don't end up with frustration. It's your fault, if she doesn't understand you. This implies you haven't yet successfully mastered the art of communicating with dog. Remember, you need to understand Reva's instincts – the instincts that drive Reva in doing what she does. If you study her behavior, you will understand what makes Reva angry and why. This helps you communicate better with her.

By Communicating with Dog you can be a Trainer yourself

Once you become skilled in understanding your dog's behaviors, you will be able communicate with her. If you can communicate with you dog well, you can be her best teacher. You don't need to hire a professional trainer, nor do you need to be a professional dog trainer yourself. The bottom line is, you can teach Reva in her language. By communicating with your dog you can teach her do whatever you want. But remember, she doesn't understand English or German or any of the human language. She just recognizes the sound and act as per the way she has been taught what that sound means. The approach of communicating with dogs works amazingly, if you start from the basic training to the advanced training courses.

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