Learning About Dog Communication from Sharon Loy, Animal Communicator

Here are Sharon Loy’s words about how improved dog communication can lead to a much richer relationship with your pet:

“Like most animal lovers, I have always had a trusting and intuitive connection with animals. But I did not always understand the full extent of what their companionship offers.”

In this short clip (4:48), Sharon talks about how anyone can learn to become a telepathic animal communicator:

 

Listen to the entire podcast, in which Sharon talks about what it means to have telepathic abilities, how language and intuition can foster dog communication and the role of right brain and left brain thinking in dog communication.  Sharon also gives some fascinating examples of how her telepathic skills helped solve some very complicated dog behavior problems.

 

Taking Dog Communication and Dog Relationships to a Higher Level: With Lori Spagna, Animal Communicator, on the “My Doggie Says…” Show

Lori Spagna is founder of efil’s god Spirit,efil’s god and efil’s god Dog Training, which focus on a spiritual, holistic approach to communication and healing for the mind, body and spirit in every living being.

Hear how Lori’s concept of our pets “mirroring” our personalities, along with some good dog communication, helped solve a family relationship problem — and a dog’s terrible skin allergy issue.  (4:00)

 

According to Lori, the best dog communication happens when you marry your right brain with your left.  (2:00)

 

Here’s the full podcast (50:00).

 

Callie’s dog communication: A Snort with a Messsage

Understanding dog communication is like solving a puzzle.   Our “best friends” often create what I call  “scratch-your-head moments.”  They do something a little unusual, and, more often than not, they are trying to tell us something.  The trick is to figure out what this particular dog communication might mean.

Callie often uses a “snort” or “grunt” sound to communicate.  She’s not trying to form words, but it’s as if she’s figured out that we humans communicate with our voices.  Maybe she’s really trying to communicate a message, but, if nothing else, she uses her “snorts” as a way of saying, “Hey, I’m trying to tell you something.”

Yesterday, I was sitting at Lake Arrowhead, doing some work on my laptop computer, when Callie sent a dog communication message.  She stood on all four legs, about six feet away from me and making good eye contact, and she let out a huge “grunt.”

It would have been easy to simply ignore Callie’s “grunt” and say something like, “Hi, Callie, nice ‘grunt,’ now let me get back to my work.”  But I’ve learned, through years of paying attention and writing “My Doggie Says… Messages from Jamie,” that puzzling doggie behaviors like this almost always contain some kind of dog communication — a message for the decoding.

In trying to interpret Calllie’s messages, one of my first suspicions always has to be, “How about giving me a nice scratch on on my tummy or my neck?”  But Callie was standing too far away, so that didn’t make any sense.

My next guess was, “I need to go out and pee,” so I got up and walked toward the door, but Callie didn’t follow.  So, another wrong guess.

So now I’m racking my brain to figure out what Callie could be trying to tell me.  Was she asking to be fed?  No, she had eaten breakfast about an hour earlier.

What about Callie’s water dish?  Callie drinks a lot of water in the dry, five-thousand-foot elevation, of Lake Arrowhead.  Sure enough, the water dish was empty.  I topped it up; Callie took some big slurps; and she curled up on the floor by the fireplace.

Dog communication mission accomplished!

Holistic Medicine for Dogs: A Podcast Interview with Dr. Deva Khalse, Author of “Natural Dog”

Dr. Deva Khalsa has an extensive background in holistic medicine for dogs — and lots of fascinating success stories.

In this podcast, she talks about the special qualities of dogs and how, if we let them, they can help us appreciate some of the wondrous little things on our planet.

She has lots of examples of amazing successes in treating dogs with the use of natural remedies.

In one especially fascinating segment (#3), she talks about the discovery of double-helix water, and she tells a story about a dog whose malignant melanoma disappeared in about two weeks after taking it.

Click here to learn more from Dr. Khalsa’s web site www.doctordeva.com.

 

A Rescue Dog Gets A Great Job — “On Toby’s Terms” with Charmaine Hammond

Charmaine Hammond’s rescue dog, Toby, got off to a pretty bad start — by turning Charmaine’s house totally upside down.  But, with help from an animal communicator, Charmaine solved Toby’s behavior problems and turned him into a rescue dog with a mission in life.

Here’s Charmaine’s description of how Toby, the rescue dog, would enter a hospital and announce his presence — with a couple of loud barks.  And how Toby has some special instincts about how he can help each patient he interacts with.

 

Here’s Charmaine talking about “On Toby’s Terms.”  It’s really a great story about a rescue dog, an animal behaviorist, and a creative and very effective solution to a dog behavior problem.

 

Why Do Dog Bites Happen? Michelle Douglas Analyzes the Data on “The My Doggie Says…” Show

Sometimes children suffer dog bites with disastrous results.  Michelle Douglas, of The Refined Canine, is a past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.  In this interview on the “My Doggie Says…” show, Michelle talks about a dog bite tragedy that occurred in her neighborhood — and what can be done to prevent these accidents from happening.

In this short clip (1:34), Michelle summarizes the results of research by the Canine Research Council on childhood dog bites.  Most incidents are a result of a child left alone with an unfamiliar dog in an unfamiliar place:

 

Here’s the full podcast:

 

Dog-And-Human Relationships: Articles Offer Food For Thought

An essential ingredient for truly enjoying your dog is creating a strong “dog-and-human” relationship.  It’s the focus we put on “dog bonding.”  Having a close bond with your dog — based on trust and frequent mutually satisfying interaction — is much more enriching that simply walking your dog, feeding it, and learning to control its behavior.

Here are some articles that might give you some fresh ideas about how to strengthen your “dog-and-human” relationships.

In an article in The Bark, “Building the Dog-Human Bond,” Victoria Schade emphasizes the importance of “trust, mutual respect and regard.”  Victoria, by the way, was a guest on the “My Doggie Says…” show on March 3, 2011.  (Click here to hear her interview)  Here’s Victoria’s article in “The Bark.”

This article, from “ohmidog!,” describes three different kinds of dog-and-human relationships.  Which one are  you?

This article titled “The Human-Dog Bond,” by Joyce Kesling (Responsible Dog and Cat). talks about how your dog-and-human relationship can influence your dog’s behavior.

Here’s an intriguing article, “Dog-Human Relationship & Communications,” that talks about the history of dog-human interaction and makes some non-intuitive observations about how dogs interpret our emotions and behavior.  You might be surprised.

So much of dog training — books, TV programs, and professional advice — are aimed at helping you control — or demand obedience from — your dog.  But in my own experience — supported by interviews with hundreds of dog trainers, authors and dog owners — suggests that the most rewarding experience of a dog comes to people who have the strongest dog-and-human relationships with their pets.

Dogs Like Structure — Video Of Callie’s Five Daily Soccer Rituals

We know that dogs like structure.  They seem to be at their best in comfortable surroundings and familiar situations.  I think that, given the opportunity, they even invent their own structure.  Callie has certainly done that with her Lake Arrowhead swimming routine — jump from the dock, retrieve the Frisbee, swim ashore, drop the Frisbee to shake off, grab the Frisbee and race back out on the boat dock to do it all again.

In this video, you’ll see the five “ritual” behaviors that are part of Callie’s (and my) daily soccer game.  First, the “invitation” to play.  Second, doing “nosers,” or “bonking” the ball off her nose.  Third, playing “keep away,” so I can’t pick the ball up and end the game.  Fourth, “begging” to keep playing.  And, finally, “high-five” to say, “good game!”

Video of Dog Swimming (1:19): Callie’s Superbowl Sunday Swim

It’s always fun to watch a dog swimming.  It’s Callie’s favorite thing to do at Lake Arrowhead.

She jumps off the boat dock, swims out to retrieve her Frisbee, swims ashore, and brings her Frisbee back to the boat dock for another toss.

The water temperature wasn’t too bad — about 43 degrees.  The humans had their “polar bear” swim that day, so we know it wasn’t too cold for dog swimming.  But when Callie got out of the water, we were careful to dry her off as quickly as possible and get her back into a warm and cozy place.

When Callie climbs out of the lake, she’s pretty far from the camera, but notice how she picks up her Frisbee and brings it back out on the dock.  It’s part of her dog training, and it’s a great behavior.

What better way to bond with your dog than to help it do one of its favorite things?

Your Dog’s Energy Level May Mirror Your Own

Are you aware of your dog’s energy level? Can you sense when it goes up and down? Can you tell when your dog is “full of beans?” Can you tell when your dog is feeling down and drained of energy?

Most of us don’t pay attention to our own ups and downs, much less our dog’s energy changes. “Am I feeling robust and energetic?” Or, “Am I feeling down and lackadaisical?” Many of us go through energy ups and down every day without realizing it.

But dogs may be different. My dog Callie and I play soccer every night or fifteen to twenty minutes, and, because of that, I’ve become pretty tuned in to my dog’s energy levels. Interestingly, this experience has put me more in tune with my own energy fluctuations.

Our daily soccer match always starts with a burst of energy. Callie tracks me down, usually in my office, and gives me a very intense gaze. Her “look” means, “It’s time for our soccer game!”

I start the game by kicking the soft, under-inflated ball almost the length of our backyard. Callie races after the ball and traps is under her tummy. Then I make a shorter and higher kick, and Callie leaps into the air and “bonks” the ball off her nose. We call it a “noser.” It’s like a header but when you’re a golden retriever your nose gets in the way.

Sometimes we do a rapid volley of nosers. I kick the ball back to her as quickly as possible, and she leaps up and “bonks” the ball as hard as she can. This usually gets her really pumped up for a few minutes.

But invariably, sometime during our game, I’ll kick the ball to Callie and she’ll just look at me, as the ball flies over her head and lands on the grass. It’s as if she’s saying, “What was that all about?” She makes no effort whatsoever to go after it. My next few attempts are likely to have the same result. It is as if she doesn’t care about the game any more.

So now I’m wondering, “Is there a way to get the game back on track?” Another thing I wonder is, “Is she mirroring my energy level?” For the next kick, I’ll run to the ball faster and try to project more energy. Sometimes that works. Callie senses my increased enthusiasm and reflects it with an outburst of harder “nosers” and faster chasing after the ball.

Other times Callie ignores my new energy level and the ball flies over her head, and, once again, she looks at me like I’m crazy.

Another trick I’ve tried is to “fake” an end to the game. I kick the ball back to our starting place and put it back on the chair where it sits when we’re not playing. Sometimes Callie tries to play “keep away” so I can’t pick the ball up. She’ll put a paw on the ball, for example, or trap it under her tummy, or position herself between me and the ball.

After the ball has been back on its chair for a few seconds, I pick it up again and ask Callie if she wants to play. Usually by this time, she’s stationed herself in the middle of the yard and she’s giving me that “let’s play soccer” look again.

So, starting over, I kick the ball toward her and she goes scampering after it. Usually this works, and it re-energizes her, at least for a few minutes.

Sometimes I think this interaction is just about a dog’s energy level and enthusiasm for the game. At other times, it seems like she’s reflecting my energy — or lack of energy. It probably also has something to do with focus and concentration — both of which, I believe are closely related to energy expression.

This energy interaction has been fascinating to follow. I’ve learned a lot about Callie’s energy levels as well as my own. There have been times when I was certain Callie was simply mirroring my energy — that her lack of enthusiasm probably reflected the fact that I was distracted or thinking about something else. In these situations, I am able to regain the energy of the game by getting more enthusiastic and putting more into it myself.

Sometimes I think that Callie’s enthusiasm has helped to spark my enthusiasm to a higher level which has led to some really fun “noser” volleys.

Any way you look at it, this “energy exchange” has enriched my relationship with Callie. I understand her a little better — and probably myself, as well.

Try paying attention to your dog’s energy patterns!

A Doggie Diet for People, Too: Peggy Frezon on the “My Doggie Says…” Show

Improve your dog relationship by putting your dog on a doggie diet while you are trying to lose weight yourself.  Peggy Frezon is the author of “Dieting with my Dog.”

Peggy Frezon is an author, pet columnist, and multiple award-winning freelance writer from New York. She contributes regularly to Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines and is published in more than a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her work can also be seen in magazines such as Woman’s World, Teaching Tolerance, Pockets and others, and in books including The Ultimate Dog Lover, Miracles and Animals, Soul Matters, and David Jeremiah’s Grace Givers. She writes two web columns, Pawsitively Pets and Animals 4 People, is a staff writer for Be the Change for Animals, and blogs at Peggy’s Pet Place. Her first book is Dieting with my Dog (Hubble & Hattie, 2011).

Listen to Peggy as she talks about feeding her dog veggies, sharing an exercise program, and the psychological benefits of having a “furry little conscience.”

 

Loving and Losing a Pet: Conversation with Barbara Abercrombie

Barbara Abercrombie is the author of “Cherished: 21 Writers on Animals they have Loved and Lost.”

Hear Barbara talk about her experience in bonding with a pet and the process of grieving upon the loss of a pet.

 

An American Hero Dog’s Story: Tomorrow on the “My Doggie Says…” Radio Talk Show

Join the “My Doggie Says…” show tomorrow night, Wednesday, October 5, to hear Michael Hingson talk about his new book “Thunder Dog” and how the American Hero Dog, Roselle, rescued Michael and others from the World Trade Center, on September 11, 2001.

The “My Doggie Says…” show is broadcast live on KFNX-1100 in Phoenix, every Wednesday evening from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.  Live streaming can be found at www.1100kfnx.com.  Every week, Fred interviews an author of a book about dogs, or an expert in dog training or animal behavior, or some other important aspect of building a special bond with your dog.   To call the show: (602) 277-KFNX, or (866) 536-1100.  Callers welcome!  Past shows can be heard as podcasts on www.mydoggiesays.com and on iTunes (search “mydoggiesays.”)

Pat Miller, of PeaceablePaws.com, this Wednesday on the “My Doggie Says…” Radio Show

Listen to Pat Miller talk about her approach to dog training and achieving harmony between “human and non-human” animals.  Pat is the founder of PeaceablePaws.com, a a web site devoted to harmony and bonding between people and their pets.

The “My Doggie Says…” show is broadcast live on KFNX-1100 in Phoenix, every Wednesday evening from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.  Live streaming can be found at www.1100kfnx.com. Every week, Fred interviews an expert in dog training or animal behavior, or some other important aspect of building a special bond with your dog.   To call the show: (602) 277-KFNX, or (866) 536-1100.  Call-in and get a free copy of the “Dog Appreciation Lessons” CD!

Sounds That Scare Dogs: Do Rings and Beeps on Your Radio Bother Your Dog?

Now I know my dog, Callie, listens to the radio, and I’ve discovered some of the sounds that scare dogs.

We usually have a couple of radios jabbering in our house with local news or talk radio. I’ve never been sure if my dog Callie golden retriever hears what’s on the radio or not. But now I know she does.

There is one ad on the radio that drives Callie nuts. At the beginning of the ad there is a distinct sound of a doorbell ringing. Every time Callie hears that doorbell ring, she bolts for the front door to see who’s there. “Is it the postman, a delivery man, or a repair man?” She gets excited because when the doorbell rings it always means there’s somebody at the front door.

The doorbell ringing is usually a happy event, because Callie gets to greet a person — one of her favorite things to do. But one of Callie’s most unhappy sounds is the beeping of a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide monitor. It really freaks her out. I assume it actually hurts her ears. This is definitely a sound that scares dogs.

A few months ago the battery in our carbon monoxide monitor at Lake Arrowhead got low and the monitor started to “beep” very loudly as a warning. Poor Callie raced up two flights of stairs to get as far away as possible from that horrid, irritating noise.

Last night we were watching TV and there was an advertisement for a lithium battery. To illustrate how lithium batteries could extend the life of your smoke alarm, the advertisement has a smoke alarm with nearly-drained batteries going “beep, beep, beep” in a very loud high-pitched squeal. Callie’s first move was to dart out of the room to escape the noise. Another sound that scares dogs.

When I called her back, she immediately jumped up on the sofa between Barbara and me with her tail between her legs. This is not a behavior we encourage, but under the circumstances, we gave her a lot of love and assurance that the beeping sound would not continue.

How do you tell a dog, “It’s just on TV?”

Finally, to top off our week of nasty noises, this morning, the new washing machine completed one of its cycles and sounded an alarm that sounds just like a smoke alarm. Callie really didn’t need that. She started to run and said, “Here we go again!” So poor Callie went running away from the laundry room to avoid the horrid “beeping” sound.

Wouldn’t it be nice if advertisers and manufacturers could be a little sensitive to our “best friends’” ears? Can’t they anticipate the disturbance their ads are going to cause when they contain doorbell and smoke alarm sounds?

I suppose it would be asking way too much to expect a washing machine manufacturer to tone down the end-of-cycle alarm in order to protect my dog’s ears. But what would be wrong with a nice little “barking dog” sound?

Please, no more noises that scare dogs!

Wuuf!

Does Your Dog Have Daily Rituals?

Does your dog have ritual behaviors? Does it have activities that it repeats at specific times, or in specific situations? If you’re not sure, you might want to pay attention. Learning about your dog’s rituals can increase your enjoyment of your pet — and help you nurture its behavior.

Since all dogs are different, I’ll share some of Callie Golden Retriever’s rituals with you, so you’ll get the idea.

“Good Morning.” Callie starts most mornings by walking over to my bed, sitting down perfectly within reach of my right hand, and “presenting” her neck for a “good morning” scratch. I scratch the under part of her neck around her throat and adam’s apple. Sometimes she tips her head so I can scratch the top of her head, but for most dogs “under” is better than “over.”

Sometimes Callie’s “good morning” scratch turns into a full-body massage. She’ll move her body around so that the only part I can reach is her back, for example. This can go on for a long time!

Read the rest of this post.

How to Improve your Dog-Talk Skills: Look for Patterns in your Dog’s Body Language

You might be surprised how much your dog is communicating with you. You just have to learn to speak its language, which is often behavior-related. A dog’s actions can speak volumes; you just have to be clever about figuring out the message in “dog talk.”

There is no better way to understand your dog’s personality and nurture its “dog nature” than to tune into your dog’s body language and become more interactive with it.

There was a peculiar pattern in Jamie’s (the heroine of “My Doggie Says…: Messages from Jamie”) decisions about “where to be.” I believe that dogs are pretty thoughtful about deciding where to hang out. They often choose places for specific reasons.

Read the rest of this post.

Dog Bonding Lessons You Can Learn from the Pros

What do Dean Koontz, Ted Kerasote, Kyra Sundance, Michelle Douglas, and Tom Sullivan have in common? For one thing, they love dogs. Secondly, they have very strong and caring relationships with their dogs. And, finally, they have been guests on the “My Doggie Says…”radio talk show on KFNX-1100, in Phoenix.

Every Wednesday night, on the “My Doggie Says…”radio show, I interview one of the top dog-book authors in the country, or one of the best dog trainers, or someone else who’s life, or livelihood, depends on dogs. One consistent message is that many dog experts get into very close relationships with their dogs. It’s a trend that I like to call “dog bonding”– building a strong connection with your dog.

The notion of “all alpha all the time” or making sure that you are dominant over your dog at all times, is giving way to kinder, gentler training methods.