Finding Peace

[Brightelf]

What do you think? Do you have a dog who you try to help be able to find peace in this life? How do you help your reactive dog learn to find peace? To make peace a habit, when genetics, personality, or experiences have them inclined to be reactive? We all know a dog who cannot easily be at peace in this world due to genetic, temperament failings. Maybe the dog has been abused. Or serious training mistakes have been made. Perhaps the dog was bred to performance goals with such extreme temperament, drives, reactitity that it endures living with a hair-trigger response to just about anything. Or, horrific experiences have left an indellible mark, and coping with the world is difficult for these dogs. New situations may send these dogs' nervous systems into overdrive. Difficulty calming oneself, in such a random world, would mean a lifetime of stress for such dogs-- without owners working on their behalf to help them.

How do you help your dog learn to find peace? Do you use TTouch? Does homeopathy, Bach Flower essenses work for your dog? Do you clickertrain? Take classes? Have you tried Reiki-- what did you think of it? More than just coping strategies, how do you make finding his/her own peace a habit for your dog?

I am seeking ideas, because I have an eager, impulsive, friendly dog-- who's urge to control new or exciting situations gets the best of him. He is now able to sit for strangers to pet him-- but that took accepting that he cannot initiate, rush up, wag and kiss and paw for attention. Sitting and allowing someone else to initiate is new and not easy for his personality. He loves other dogs-- and his frustration at not being able to charge up and initiate contact while held on leash makes him tend towards leash reactivits with other dogs.

How do you help your reactive dog be at peace, let go, be calm-- and relax in his or her life, so that it becomes a learned habit?

[moei]

Great topic, Patti.
I don't have any info. but just thought that it is perhaps also applicable to humans? At least applicable for me - I don't mean to hijack this thread and this was not meant to be taken as one seeking a response for humans.
back to topic of: "finding peace for naughty-bunny reactive doggies"

[RebelGSD]

I think that getting them tired helps. Tired like the tongue hanging on the side down to the ground tired. Exercise helps me too when I am stressed out.

[meisha98]

Once you get them tired, Reiki works on animals not just people. I have had good results on several cats (not just my own) and my older dog who is a rescue. My younger dog gets it to help calm her down. TTouch is very expensive to get certified in and there are very few places teaching it. Regular time spent calmly and quietly is a good thing for bonding with your pets. It deepens the bonds between you etc.

[harlanr3]

a no carb diet helped my wild man

[LisaT]

Sometimes, the way that they find peace, is by us letting go. Letting go not only of some of our issues, but also our concentration on their issues. Sometimes, they just need to be, and have time to process things, and to grow.


ETA: Let me add something I think is a bit related, a bit different. Sometimes, we are not consistent with the way that we interact with them. Sometimes wanting them to take care of us (protect), sometimes comfort us (love those GSD hugs!), and often times, we want to control them in ways that are not natural for them, or are too rigid for them. That all comes with mixed messages. My experience, is that having a one on one dog, as you have, and I had with Indy, is more of a partnership, and, if we are talking about Grimm, he may not really understand the rules in that situation. I am going through this with Max, teaching him to be more of a partner, than to respond through fear (overt dominance) or intimidation.

[valreegrl]

Reiki could definitely be proactive in that it helps to heal the mind, body and spirit. It is best with animals given at a distance, so you will need someone proficient at Reiki 2. Distance meaning not hands on. What's fascinating is that they can feel the energy and will seek it out.

The energy heals what's most important, is not harmful and anxiety is not an issue. The animal "communicates" whether or not he is acceptive of the process and if not the session ends. That doesn't mean he/she will not be receptive another time.

Definitely look into it.