Animal Communication: What, Why & How

So what is this Animal Communication mumbo jumbo? Is it talking to animals? Are you an animal psychic? What do you mean 'animal communication'? Is it about reading their behavior? How in the world does it work? What's the point??

I get so many questions about what Animal Communication really is, how it works, and what the reason is behind using Animal Communication, and what it can do for pet relationships.

Let's start at the beginning. What is it? Animal Communication is the use of telepathy to connect with an animal. Telepathy is nothing more than the transference of thoughts, images, words, sounds, and even smells from one being to another.

The truth is that we are all connected to everything around us, animals, plants, and even the earth. Everything is a part of a vast network that is all interconnected. Most of our societies have evolved away from staying conscious of this connection, and so we find ourselves isolated and detached, thinking we are each an island on our own. 

Reality is that even when we think we've lost this connection, it is still there and available to every one of us. It requires that we get quiet and learn to connect with our own inner voice, and with practice we can begin to receive information from all the other beings around us, including those that may be far away.

So why does it matter that we communicate with our pets?

Imagine you have a friend that speaks a foreign language. They don't know much English, but you get along ok. You have fun, and spend a lot of time together. But then you meet someone who is fluent in both English, and in your friend's native language. Suddenly you learn things you didn't know about them, only because you didn't have the means to communicate clearly. The two of you previously didn't share a word or expression to convey a specific thought, feeling or emotion. Suddenly a whole new world is opened up, and the two of you are able to connect in a more meaningful way.

This is what animal communication can do for our relationships with our pets. We know them oh-so-well, and are around them daily, but without the specific telepathic connection, we can easily miss details. It isn't intentional, but it happens. Working with an animal communicator gives the animal a clear opportunity to feel completely heard and seen for exactly who they are. It is often even more helpful that the animal communicator doesn't know the animal all that well, because they aren't caught in the current story or pattern of daily life with the pet.  Many animals that I have connected with have released patterns of behavior that have frustrated their owners simply because they felt heard. This is a huge relief for the pet, and the owner!

So how does one communicate with an animal through telepathy?

All that is needed is an image of the animal, and some basic information - the age, breed, gender, and a little information about the other people and animals that share the same household or space. 

With that information, all it takes is getting quiet, and seeking a mental connection with that animal. The first thing I feel is the animal's essence, or personality. How would they react if they were standing in front of me? Would they climb on my lap? Would they smell me? Would they get excited and run around? Whatever I feel is usually confirmed by the owner as their usual response to new people! I introduce myself as I would to a friend of a friend, and begin connecting a little deeper.

We start exploring what their favorite things are. What kind of toys do they like to play with? Where do they like to sleep? Who is their favorite person or animal in the household? How do they feel about how the household runs? What kind of food do they eat? How do they view their role in the household?

These simple things may not seem like much, but to an animal that hasn't been able to clearly and easily communicate these things, it can be a huge relief. I've discovered that these simple aspects of the conversation can go a long way to addressing the stresses and issues that may have initiated the call.

At this point if there is more to explore with the animal, such as behavioral struggles, or challenges that the owner has brought up, we continue on. A "body scan" is performed to check in with how the animal is feeling in its own skin. Often discomforts and ailments can be felt through this connection- the sore, arthritic hips, or the anxiousness felt in the gut.

After the conversation is complete, then all the information that was gathered is discussed with the owner. Sometimes the animals give partial information, or use words or phrases that don't make sense to an outsider, but the connection is made once the conversation is relayed to the owner again. If there are behavioral issues, then the steps to find a solution are discussed. This could be as simple as shifting the mindset around the role the animal has within the household. It could be more extensive and include diet changes, or even Energy Healing work to help release a block or issue. Sometimes, the sheer fact that the animal was able to voice their opinion and be heard is enough to shift behavior without any other changes at all! That's the magic of communicating with animals, and it is my honor to be a voice for them.

Lightning, Thunder, and Fear! Oh my!

Do you have a dog that’s afraid of thunderstorms, fireworks and loud noises? I know my dog can’t be alone! Cowering, crawling in the smallest possible hole he can find, whining and crying, being restless, and climbing on top of me were common occurrences every time the thunder would roll!

The good news is this is not an uncommon issue. The better news is that there are a variety of ways to find relief!

An animal with a fear of loud noises can be difficult to handle. Many times, these dogs are also super controlling dogs that like to be in charge of the household. So here’s a list of suggestions to work with to help keep everybody a little more balanced in the middle of the next storm!

1 – Make sure you aren’t a part of the trigger. Often, our animals can pick up on our own subtle and well hidden feelings. I *know* I’m afraid of storms, so naturally my dog became afraid too. Oops! This point was driven home to me when I was on vacation and he was unphased by a storm while the dog sitter was there! It’s not always easy to separate the two issues though, so just do a self check to make sure. If you discover you are afraid – that’s ok! The first step is to make sure you openly acknowledge that. Our animals don’t understand masked emotions, they can’t hide feelings, so when we do that (intentionally or not), it only drives up their anxiety.

2 – Make sure you aren’t feeding into the anxiety of the situation by getting anxious about the dog’s anxious behavior. We can create an accidental tape loop around the situation when the dog gets upset, we get upset that the dog’s upset, and now the dog thinks there’s really something to be upset about… and, well, you see where this goes. Don’t go down the rabbit hole. Just accept that the dog is afraid, but remain neutral about their behavior, regardless of what they do.

3 – Don’t comfort the dog. When I discovered that my dog was acting fearful of storms, I was moved to want to comfort him. What I later discovered was that the message of “It’s ok, don’t worry, you’re fine.” = “It’s ok to be in the state of mind you’re in at this moment” to the dog. Praising the dog in a fearful state only confirms to the dog that they should remain fearful (this applies to all situations, not just thunderstorms!). That blew my mind! My dog’s anxiety lessened immediately when I stopped interacting with him at all while it was storming outside.

4 – Give your dog a new job. Our animals assume roles within the household, and in the case of an anxious animal, sometimes assigning a new “job” can help them feel more confident. Greeter, Ambassador of Fun, Captain Silly, whatever it is that helps your animal feel good in their skin is a great way to help them come out of their shell and leave their anxiety behind.

5 – Get creative. There are a number of products on the market, including Thundershirts, Essential Oils and so much more that are helpful. Many people have found great success with a variety of tactics. Finding something that is comforting to your pet and then offering that during a storm can help bring out more good feelings because of the association between feeling good and the item. This can even include Essential Oils that are calming. 

6 – Use Energy Healing. Many people are familiar with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or Tapping. What a lot of people aren’t aware of is that it works great on animals, too! Animals are so much more receptive to energy healing modalities because they don’t question if they are effective or not, they just absorb whatever they need and leave the rest. EFT can help really peel back the layers of the trauma that may have happened that caused the fear in the first place. It often takes a few sessions, but is a wonderful way to help release blocks in the animal’s energy. There are a wide range of energy healing modalities that can be used on animals, including TTouch, Schalar Wave, and more. Experiment with different modalities to see what your animal best responds to.

Here is a great video from my mentor, Joan Ranquet, on using EFT for anxiety around loud noises.

It is possible to help an anxious dog get past their fear of storms, fireworks and loud noises. It may not be easy (especially if this is a life-long fear), but it is possible to help the dog (and you!) be happier and less stressed the next time a storm rolls through.

Dance with a Butterfly

I've been seeing butterflies EVERYWHERE! They keep crossing my path as I'm driving! Flying right in front of my car, zooming right over the hood. I keep apologizing as I blitz by them, hoping that I haven't disturbed their already erratic flight.

"Ok, ok, sorry, I'll go read the book!"

I finally pulled Animal Speak off my shelf again, my go to for investigating the messages that the animals bring me. 

Thank you, Butterfly, for sending me your beautiful message.

Butterfly is most obviously associated with transformation. Their whole life is a series of complete transformations. Right now as I am so focused on breathing life into the next evolution of my business I can feel the transformation happening. Not only is my business evolving, but I am evolving into my gifts at the same time. It is a slightly uncomfortable process as so much of this feels unknown, even though somehow deep inside there is a knowing. It is one of those processes where not trying enough and trying to hard don't yield any results at all.

But the deeper message that Butterfly is giving me is to dance. Once Butterfly emerges, it simply dances through life, flower to flower, flowing and dipping and turning on the breeze. As I am going through all these changes I need to remember how to dance with them, and dance with life itself. 

How are you dancing with life?

No Such Thing as No

I'm finally reading The Law of Attraction by Ester and Jerry Hicks, and I'm loving it. Like so many other things in my life right now, it is pulling together a lot of information that I'm aware of and bringing it all together in a really complete way. One piece struck me last night and I saw an immediate connection to our pet relationships. There is no such thing as no. 

To quote the book: "When you see something you would like to experience and you say, "Yes, I would like to have that," through your attention to it you invite it into your experience. However, when you see something that you do not want to experience and you shout, "No, no, I do not want that!" through your attention to it you invite that into your experience. In this attraction-based Universe, there is no such thing as exclusion."

So where ever your attention is focused is what you will receive more of. The same is true with our pets. They don't understand the "negative" version of any phrase. "No, don't chew on my shoes!" translates to the dog as a focus on the shoes. "No, don't paw your foot!" Translates to the horse as focusing on the foot. Often when we say these phrases, we already have an image in our head of what the animal is doing that we don't want. The animal can't understand that the picture that is in our head isn't what they should be doing.

The best way to resolve this is to find something positive that we do want to have happen. For the dog, finding a more appropriate toy for them to chew, or finding the ball to play with instead is a way to change the focus. The horse that has a bad habit of pawing should be asked to do something else. That something else can be standing still, but it has to be carefully requested to convey the correct message. As long as our intent and focus are on a different, more positive, kind of behavior, then the animal has a chance to getting it "right." 

So when you find your animal doing something you wish they wouldn't it is good to get into a new habit for yourself. Begin by pausing and taking a breath. Clear your mind of what you don't want the animal to do, and your frustration surrounding the thing they are doing. Find a new task, activity, or behavior that you do want them to do and get a clear picture of it in your head. Then calmly redirect the animal to the new task. 

This will take practice. I'm still practicing! And it will often take patience. A lot of patience. The only way that most animals will learn and form a new habit is if we as the human can out persist them. This is especially true with horses! Sometimes it does take getting creative to find the right combination of a redirection to reduce or remove the old behavior, but eventually progress is possible. 

So what behaviors have you struggled with your pets that could benefit from a fresh perspective?