Your Dog Is Your Mirror - A Practice

Our dogs can be a reflection of us, and we can be a reflection of our dogs too. I love to practice noticing the parts of myself I see reflecting in my dog to simply help me grow as a human being, and understand my own self more.

Here is a practice I like to do that can help you dig deeper into yourself, your dog, and feeling more confident and secure as an owner:

Grab a journal or go through these questions with a friend or family member!

Identify What You Love:

• What are the qualities about my dog that I love? Is it there joyfulness? Their love to eat? The exuberance they have when they wake up in the mornings? Their laziness? Their wanting to lay in the sun and relax? Really get clear on these!

• Now, how do you relate to these qualities? Do you see them in yourself?

• Notice how you FEEL in your body as you identify these qualities, in both yourself and your dog.

Identify What Feels Challenging:

• What are the qualities about your dog that feel challenging? Do they struggle with anxiety? Fearfulness? Are they pushy and stubborn? Do they get overly chaotic? Get clear on these!***

• Now, how do you relate to these qualities? Do you see them in yourself?

• Notice how you FEEL in your body as you identify these.

***I want you to note that "reactivity" is not a quality about your dog, it's a behavior. So if you want to breakdown reactivity, I want you to get clear on WHY your dog reacts. For example: "my dog is VERY loud when they fear something" or "my dog speaks out loud when they get excited".

I would love to hear how this practice goes for you! Send me a DM with your experience!

PSSSSST -- if you're needing help navigating the ups and downs of dog ownership with a difficult dog in conjunction with your own healing journey: check out my Reactivity Guide! This guide is a helpful resource to understand the nuances of difficult dog behaviors and how our LIFESTYLE plays a role!

Click here for the Reactivity Guide!