Do you talk to your animals?
Talking to your animals is SO IMPORTANT! Yup, I mean talking, just like you are talking to a human. Check out Elvira’s video on the subject.
There is energy behind your words, and mental images attached to them as you speak. Your animals pick up on these and understand your intention.
Talking to them is especially important when there is any sort of change happening, no matter how big or small. Here are some common examples:
You’re going out. Is it for an hour, for the afternoon, or on a trip? Tell them how long you’ll be gone for, where you are going, and why they can’t come with you.
Someone is coming over to the home. Is it someone they know, or a new person, and why are they coming over? Tell them!
Their routine is changing. If you are starting a new job, or your availability shifting, or they need to be fed at a different time, etc., tell them why!
A new family member or roommate is coming to live with you. Is it a new baby, a fur baby, Grandma, etc.? Why is [new being] coming to live with you and what does this mean for them?
You are moving or doing construction to your home. Tell them all about what’s happening, why, what they can expect, and who is involved!
You had a bad day and are really upset, or you had a great day and something really exciting happened! Tell them all about it, they want to know so they can be excited with you or give you extra snuggles.
….you get the idea!
When we talk to our animals, not only does it make them feel included in our plans, but it brings our energies closer together. For more anxious animals, it gives them peace of mind to know what to expect, and to be made aware of why and when something is happening.
Many times us humans do things, or need to do things, that our animals don’t understand (like why can’t we give them our undivided attention 24 hours a day every day?) and when we explain our actions to them, it can help to calm their nervous system and help them settle into the rhythm of their relationships.
Some of you might be wondering, “if my animals will understand all this, why won’t they listen when I call them back, tell them not to jump up on the counter, or [insert unwanted behavior]?”
Now I’m really talking here about preparing your animal for a change, I’m not getting into bad habits and training techniques. So it’s important to note that I also never said that they will always want to listen to you 😹 …animals operate on free will, just as us humans do. But - through talking to our animals more, and deepening our relationship with them, we help to build trust and a mutual understanding that will certainly amplify any training techniques.
On that subject, one very important caveat to this is to make sure you are being clear in your delivery, especially when it comes to things you DO and DO NOT want them to do. For instance, if you don’t want them to jump up on the counter, tell them what you do want them to do instead. You could say something like “paws on the floor” while in your mind picturing them with their paws on the floor next to the counter.
If instead you say something like “no jumping”, mentally you are going to be picturing them jumping up on the counter. The word “jumping” and the mental image associated with it is what they will pick up on most, and think you are telling them to jump up on the counter.
TL;DR: your animals want to be kept in the loop. You don’t have to speak out loud if that feels weird, but the more you can let them know what’s going on, no matter how big or insignificant seeming, the more at ease, happy, and comfortable they will be.
Give it a try and feel free to let me know what happens!
