Center Yourself to Calm an Anxious Dog

  Posted on June 21, 2013  by Joy of Living  No comments

Jessie, the calm and relaxed canine, despite sharing living quarters with Party Marty, that obnoxious cat:  OM, OM, OM….Oh, pardon me…I was in the middle of my meditation sequence. What a great way to center myself and calm my nerves. Believe it or not, you can benefit from the daily practice of meditation…and perhaps even more when you share in that spirit with your dog!  Follow me…

• Get down on the floor and sit or lie with your dog.
• Put one hand on your dog’s chest and the other on his back, close to his hindquarters.
• Pay attention to your dog’s breathing and then mimic it.
• Now, breathe together for a few minutes or for however long you both are comfortable with it.

By routinely practicing this, you will soon notice that your dog will start to follow your breath and the two of you will share moments when connected by those breaths.

Scientific studies have proven that meditation reduces stress, anxiety, fear and depression in humans and is also beneficial for dogs. This can help with separation anxiety or other fears in dogs; it can also potentially reduce whining and howling.

By meditating with your dog, you develop a connection on a far deeper level than the ordinary day-to-day interaction of playing and cuddling. Notice the stress just drift away. However, if you live with a character like Marty, you might want to meditate more than just a few minutes each day!

Thanks to cesarsway.com for posting this great information!