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The Human-Animal Bond
- Dr. Kac Young
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Thank you for joining us on Healing From Within as our host Sheryl Glick author of The Living Spirit Answers for Healing and Infinite Love welcomes Dr. Kac Young a return guest to the show and author of her newest book The supposedly Enlightened Person’s Guide to Raising a Dog. Caring for a pet most especially a dog requires good people and parenting skills as you are dealing with the personality and needs of a living entity which should be done with affection compassion and kindness.
For listeners who would like to hear the last interview Dr. Young and Sheryl recorded go to the radio page of Sheryl’s website www.sherylglick.com and Click on 2017 and see the “Special Edition” in December titled “Essential Healing Oils Support Physical Emotional and Spiritual Healing.”
As listeners of “Healing From Within” are well aware Sheryl and her guests share intimate sometimes unusual remembrances or events in order to further understand the human and universal connection to life in all aspects and to discover how to manifest and create health prosperity and happiness through understanding and applying Universal Laws of Energy.
In today’s episode of “Healing From Within” Dr. Kac Young a producer writer and director in the Hollywood television industry merges creativity and imagination with science and spirituality. She has earned a PhD in Natural health and a Doctorate in Naturopathy. Dr. Young helps clients with behavior modification, stress reduction, past life regression, and phobia management and is the author of 15 books. She is also a former pilot of private airplanes and is working on a black belt in Aikido. She is a certified Medical Qigong instructor. Dr Young is indeed like Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, a Vitruvian Woman, accomplished and worldly. She is active on behalf of animal rights and we will discuss how a dog’s personality and behavior mirrors our own, and how we can strengthen love not only between us and our canine, but others as well.
Kac shares with us how her love for animals began when she was only nine years old and that as an adult she had six cats to care for before she was guided to become the guardian of a dog named Talulah. Previously to adopting Talulah she had met through professional interactions the Co- author of what was to become The (supposedly) Enlightened Person’s Guide to Raising a Dog. Lisa Tenzin –Dolma who is the founder and principal of The International School for Canine Psychology and Behavior and Kac come from very different perspectives as Kac is a confessed cat person and first time dog adopter. Kac tells us how at a fair one day she saw a group of people with a table with Rescue animals that needed to be adopted. Upon looking into Talulah’s eyes Kac felt a special connection and did everything under heaven and earth to facilitate that she would be able to take Talulah home with her. Knowing little about dog care, as it is more demanding than caring for a cat, she called on the expert advice from her friend Lisa in England and they decided to write a book that would help owners of dogs appreciate the immense responsibility of caring for a dog and encouraging that dog’s spiritual journey as well.
Kac tells us this is the book for an enlightened compassionate and kindness based dog raising and training. She thinks many people are probably unaware of what wonderful teachers and mirrors a dog can be and how we really should relate to them, for our own health and development as well as for theirs.
Sheryl tells Kac that her request to discuss this book on “Healing From Within” came in around the same time that Sheryl’s daughter was adopting her first dog and both Sheryl and her children had little understanding of the complexity of caring for a dog. Stacey, Sheryl’s daughter took home a five week old puppy and as Kac tells us puppies can be more challenging in teaching them house rules toilet training and moving pass the anxiety of separation from their parent and litter. Sheryl as an intuitive energy practitioner could sense little Rocky was anxious and went to share some Reiki healing energy…the puppy immediately lifted his head straight up eyes wide like a jolt of lightning had hit him and then he quieted down and relaxed. In a few weeks when Sheryl visited again and went to give him a Reiki touch he bowed his head in appreciation and gratitude.
Dr. Kac Young suggests that it is important to do some preparation in deciding how to find the right dog for you and it can be complicated. We all have different lifestyles so if you’re active and want a walking or running companion an energetic dog would be a better match than a couch potato who wants to sleep most of the time.
- Think about why you want a dog…. A dog to snuggle or a dog who will grow up with your children…a dog you can teach tricks to or what about a working dog to carry out specific tasks.
- How about your lifestyle? Are you immensely sociable love going out with friends and having visitors? In that case your dog should be one who enjoys lots going on. Are you quiet and reserved and prefer to stretch out on the couch to relax read a book or spot of television. A chilled out canine would be ideal for that.
- What age should the dog be? Puppies are great fun of course and you can shape the to an extent as they grow up but they can also be hard work as you need to teach them house manners and ease them through the tricky adolescent stage when dogs like teenagers tend to test boundaries. If you buy an animal from a breeder make sure the pup has had the best possible start in life. Older animals usually have learned house manners and tend to settle in well but may come with baggage from difficult pasts so it is important to gather as much information as possible before adopting.
- Research dog breeds. All dogs have unique personalities but certain traits are predominant in certain breeds. Knowing as much about the breed of mix can insure the dog will be a good fit with your home and lifestyle.
The main points to look for are---General temperament Activity levels Trainability and sociability with people and other dogs. - Ask questions Does he have any know issues such as pulling on the lease, fear aggression or food guarding. Does he enjoy being stroked or is he aloof, preferring to receive affection on his terms?
- Consider costs
- Pet Insurance. Medical costs tend to be high especially if your dog needs x-ray surgery of long term medication.
- Settling In Important to give your time to find her way around and get to know you and the new home. Nothing creates more stress at an already scary time than being surrounded by lots of strangers. Avoid pressure on her to interact and allow her to choose when to come to you for a stroke. Reward all desirable behaviors with a treat. If she’s doing something you don’t like please avoid chastising her and kindly call her away and give her something appropriate to chew on.
- Teaching dog her name. Call her name from across the room and from other rooms Reward her each time she comes to you. Keep your tone of voice light and happy.
- Toilet training… Should be started right away. If you have a yard take her on leash and if she performs give her a treat. Give her times to explore and find her spots. Indoors be on the alert for any signs that she needs to go…sniffing circling looking restless and immediately act on this. Toilet training is easy if you’re calm and consistent …Refrain from getting upset if she has an accident quietly clean up If you’re upset she’s likely to get anxious and look for places to hide.
Some dogs have trouble getting used to being in a car and there are ways to make this process easier. While some dogs love riding in cars, others find travelling horribly uncomfortable. If your dog is an anxious traveler it could be due to motion nausea and of course she won’t understand why the world is passing at a frightenly blurry speed while she’s being shaken and stirred by bumps and turns in the road. One way to relieve this is to cover the dog crate with a large cloth or sheet so she can’t see all that is going on. You can also try putting a stuffed toy and a Kong filled with light tasty nibbles to keep her happily occupied. It should be tiny treats so the dog doesn’t choke. Bach flower remedies can help. Scleranthus can help to relieve motion sickness. Just add 2 drops of each to food and water twice daily before the long trip. You can put a drop on your finger and stroke it onto the top of the dog’s head. Some dogs simply associate being in a car with feeling uncomfortable. Like humans dogs can remember a difficult experience and be traumatized. Over time trauma can lead to health and emotional issues so we want to try to be thoughtful and act in the best interest of the animal at all times.
Kac tells us for safety some dogs simply must be on a lease. Talulah her dog has a mind of her own and a will of steel and will pull and be wild on the walk even when on a lease. Most dogs given the opportunity will race off to explore the world. This is not surprising. Dogs have to live by our rules. They’re confined in the home and when they do go out for walks they’re often restrained from roaming because they are on a leash. Life can be boring to them if we don’t make sure to provide adequate mental as well as physical stimulation and the outside world is an exciting place. So how can you train your dog to return to you? You can use extra tasty food rewards every time she comes when you call her name. A game with a tug toy or ball can do the trick. Teaching recall begins at home. Use a long training leash when you go out and practice letting her move away to sniff and then periodically call her back to get her reward.Your dog will be more inclined to walk alongside you if there’s a reward in it for her.
The relationship you want to build with our dogs is one of trust and mutual affection: once this has developed through using kind force free methods and an understanding of dog behavior our dogs feel relaxed and comfortable around us and given clear instructions will choose to do as we ask.
OTHER DOGS
It can be uncomfortable unnerving and sometimes downright scary to be forced into a position of having to protect our dogs. But we are our dog’s guardians and champions and it’s our responsibility to keep them safe as well as others in the environment too. Some dogs love the company of canine fiends while others become anxious and scared if a strange dog comes over to say hello. Social development skills begin in infancy via interaction with littermates and introduction to new stimuli noises and attention from visiting humans. Negative experiences with other dogs such as being bowled over or attacked can lead to lifelong fear issues so it’s vital to protect puppies when they first meet other dogs.
Canine body language is a complex and fascinating subject and it’s a dogs primary mode of communication. It’s important for all dog guardians to take the time to learn at least the basics.
You can then tell when your dog is happy worried afraid angry sad and take steps to help her.
Approached by a bouncy dog or one whose intentions seem unfriendly may cause your dog to cringe, bark growl lunge or even attack.
Some owners are busy texting or chatting and their dogs may be off their leash. Back off signals may be ignored..
Signals are retreating, leaning back, dipping is head, lowering body, widening his eyes, flattening his ears raising his hackles, or stepping forward and lunging, jumping up or barking…all this shows he needs space and if he turns his head and looks distressed he doesn’t want to be held or petted.
OTHER BACK OFF SIGNALS When a dog is anxious about interacting she may display a number of signals even if she doesn’t make a sound
- Moving away
- turning the head sideways
- looking away
- lowering the body and tail
- cowering
- closing the mouth
- panting
- pinning back the ears
- showing the whites of the eyes whole eye
- lip licking
- yawning
As we humans are multidimensional beings mind body and spirit, our dogs are multifaceted beings and may require more training and discipline than a new dog owner can provide. Talulah went to school and worked with a trainer. It is important to find a respected canine behaviorist and trainer as some may use abusive methods. It is important for the dogs human caretakers to attend classes so they may observe and use the same technique at home and consistently.
The trainer began with a simple “Sit” cue followed by a treat. Tululah mastered “Sit” very well. The next command was “Down” with paws outstretched. Down was a bit of a challenge. The subsequent five training sessions consisted of the trainer training us and our dog in the area of the cue….. execution…. Reward…. and patience for the number of repetitions it might require for Talulah to connect the sequence of action and behavior with reward. In the next set of lessons we learned more about Wait, near sliding glass door or automatic doors. We learned to stay on curbs and we learned to stay down and not jump up. We learned to get down from furniture or places of danger. I learned the way a dog thinks as well as insight into my role as a gentle guardian-rather than a drill sergeant of my ward. Does the trainer use only force-free science based methods of a mixture of aversive punishment discipline and force free methods. If you feel your dog is being subjected to unkind treatment Walk Out.
We can make a visit to the Vet or groomer easier for our dog.
Veterinary clinics called surgeries in the UK can be stressful places for dogs Vet clinics are filled with strange smells perhaps like a hospital or doctors office for humans.
SOME SUGGESTIONS
Giving your dog a chance to explore and observe can help her relax.
- Ask for recommendations when looking for a Veterinarian and intuit which you feel would be best.
- Keep the first visit brief and casual.
- Take treats or a toy as a distraction and reward.
- If your dog is very fearful a home visit might be in order.
- Complementary therapies can help nervous dogs…Reiki???
Get recommendations Then take your dog to the groomer before booking the appointment and see how the groomer interacts with her.. Most groomers are dedicated to their work but not all. LOOK FOR - A groomer who is a member of a recognized organization such as the National Dog Groomers Association of America. Does the groomer have any dog behavior qualifications. As an understanding of dog body language and behavior means that the groomer will pay attention to your dog’s emotional state. Are the dogs placed on tables with hanging collars…DANGEROUS… If not supervised every moment WALK AWAY. Are heated cages used. Ask for cool air to be filtered instead of hot air as it reduces risk of suffocation. If your dog is nervous and groomer suggests giving light sedation WALK AWAY Only the Vet should recommend Medication
Some foods that are toxic for dogs…Chocolate grapes currants raisins nuts onions mushrooms hops salty foods yeast dough, uncooked Raw fish Fish with bones Cooked meat bones especially chicken which might splinter milk tea coffee anything with caffeine alcohol
How to Spot a Food Intolerance Symptoms include
- Excessive scratching and itchiness especially soon after eating but can be prolonged.
- An itch rear end-check for worms in this case-
- An upset tummy diarrhea or vomiting, flatulence
- Excessive face and muzzle rubbing after eating.
The (supposedly) Enlightened Person’s Guide to Raising a Dog is a wonderfully detailed guide with beautiful pictures and loaded with practical helpful information to understand the language emotional state and needs of your dog so you can help him develop into the loving and compassionate companion so well fitted with your family. For more information and to purchase this book that every dog owner should have go to In summarizing today’s episode of Healing From Within we have seen how it is important to prepare well for bringing a dog into your home and life and like having children there is much to learn in order to be the guardian of a living entity and to treat a child or pet for the unique beings they are. With consistency and patience helping your pet to feel respected and loved and properly teaching them to have good house manners, toilet training skills, successfully going in a car or visiting a veterinarian groomer, are all done with knowledge and effort, asking questions and for help when needed, and knowing the language and behaviors of dogs so you can act appropriately in all situations.
Dr. Young wrote “ Impulse control is hard for dogs. They have to be taught to wait for good things(we have to teach this to our children too).Sometimes we react without thinking. A shout or sudden movement can startle a dog, so one of the many things we dog guardians can learn through the special relationship is to monitor our own emotional states and responses and consider how these affect those around us human and canine. It’s a horrid feeling when a beloved dog looks and acts as if his world is falling apart which it is when we’re angry with him.”
Kac and Sheryl would have you remember that nothing in life is a coincidence nor random and if you choose to have a family or adopt a dog cat or other pet there is much to be learned from that choice and the experience that follows. Hopefully clearer views of love and compassion will be a big part of that special journey.
