A simple, effective tool for bringing peace to anxious and reactive dogs
The Gift of the Present Moment
Being in the present moment is a space where healing takes place. It is very simple to do (not always easy for busy-minded/stressed/rushed people) and can be just a few minutes at a time. It is best practiced frequently, both for the benefits accruing and because practice makes perfect. The amazing thing is that by doing this ourselves we can produce this healing effect in our dogs (and other animals) as well as ourselves. It serves as a pause with which we can reset ourselves and helps the parasympathetic nervous system, taking your body from ‘fight and flight’ to ‘rest and digest’.
I adopted a people-aggressive dog, he sadly died in 2018. He was tortured before he came to me at 10 months old and his aggression stemmed from fear and anxiety. One of the things that really helped us over the 9 years he was with me was being in the present moment with him. Each time I did this, he got a pause which made him feel safe and brought him into the ‘rest and digest’ and reduced the adrenaline running around in his body. Our animals are very connected with us, picking up on our energy like a master so anything we can do to help our energy like this will help them too. In the last few years Rufus was so much more relaxed and happy and I was able to do so much more with him and even have cuddles – he always wanted them but could not cope with them before.
So… to be in the present moment find a quiet time, sitting is easiest but this can be done standing up or even lying down. A few minutes at a time will suffice but the longer you can do it and the more frequently you can do it, the better. Start by focusing on your breath – the sound and feel of it coming in and going out through your nose and down into your chest, the way your abdomen rises and falls with it. Don’t try to change your breath, don’t judge it or label it, just observe it. If any thoughts come into your head don’t try to chase them away, just focus on the breath and they will dissolve on their own and you will remain present. Once you have done a few breaths like this take your thumb and forefinger and touch them together either with or without a piece of material (or anything) in between them and observe what you are feeling – again don’t give anything a label or judge it hot or cold or rough or smooth, jut observe the feeling. Do both the breathing and the finger and thumb together. The third thing to bring into this is to listen to the sounds around you and observe them, again not judging them or labelling them. It doesn’t matter what they are just that you are with them. This is all you have to do for a few minutes or longer. Do you feel the peace yourself? Your dog will feel it, even if he or she is not in the same room as you although this is a nice thing to do with him/her in the same room or space. I used to practice being in the present moment in the garden quite often.
When I photograph dogs I use this technique to help them relax with me and be more comfortable with the whole process.
Dogs are so grateful when we are in the present with them.