What can I offer to help an aggressive dog change his or her ways?

Obviously not treats or physical reinforcement! That’s because I’m an intuitive animal communicator, medical intuitive and energy healer, not a trainer or behaviorist.

Instead, I connect through my mind and heart to see what life looks like from the dog’s perspective. Then I address specific issues using respectful communication and energetic healing.

He was given up by his family for biting

I once worked with a dog (I’ll call him “Moki”) who had bitten people numerous times. The family gave Moki up to a rescue group in Colorado. The group reached out to Ana Melara of  Grace Dog Training & Behavior. Ana brought Moki under her wing and contacted me to see what we might do together.

Looking at his picture, I heard the words, “stone cold killer.” There’s a phrase trainers use called “the hard stare/hard eye.” He had it.

Moki had difficulty letting me in. This guy had decided people were untrustworthy and hurtful.

Not all aggressive dogs are the result of human abuse. But the information I received when I connected indicated there had been abuse somewhere in Moki’s life.

I explained that not all people were hurtful. I asked him to look into my heart. From there, we communicated more deeply.

Then came some energy healing using a technique I call “puppy love.” I gave Moki the experience of being loved and seen as a delightful dog from conception to the present. This countered the not-so-good memories.

Abuse is a misuse of power

Ana and I got into a discussion about how abusers deny another being the power to say NO. They make them do it anyway or punish them harshly for not doing what was demanded.

The being on the receiving end feels a loss of the power to navigate the world safely; they may turn to aggression as their only way to say NO.

We worked on giving Moki his power back so he didn’t need aggression to assert himself. We definitely saw an improvement in his behavior.

Where can we honor our animals’ preferences?

I like to think of our relationship as one of respectful collaboration between two souls. It’s our job to share with them what it takes to live happily with humans.

But it should also include their needs and desires as much as possible. Some small examples:

• Leave them alone when they don’t want to play or be picked up; listen to their behavior
• Give them permission to behave imperfectly (are you perfect?)
• Let them sniff a bit longer at that delicious spot of grass

Or…When they sit on your laptop while you are trying to finish your article on an aggressive dog, scratch their ears and get another cup of tea

Honor the big preferences

Read, “Mom in Hospice, What about her dog?”