How Our Emotions Affect Our Dogs
We’ve all experienced it; someone’s negative vibes rubbing off on us. You know, when they’re having a crazy bad day and it almost puts you in just as bad of a mood? Yeahhh, well our dogs have that same ability and can sense our emotional state, whether we’re excited, depressed, anxious, stressed, whatever! Our vibe rubs off on them too because they are very in tune with emotions.
A few weeks ago, I was having an extremely rough day (that’s putting it lightly). First of all, I’m super pregnant and emotional, but this day… UGH! I came home for lunch to take the dogs out and I was bawling my eyes out. When I go home for lunch to take the dogs out, Abbie automatically starts her persistent and non-stop crying. Lots and lots of cryinggggg. But that day… She didn’t cry to go out. She came over, cuddled and laid with me, and licked my tears. SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER! Because she could sense my hysterical, sad state. Dogs know when something is bothering us. They know when we’re upset.
BUT! Dogs don’t know why we’re upset. Maybe they think we’re upset with them? Who knows! That’s why we need to be sensitive to their feelings and make sure they don’t take our moods personally. If we’re angry and talking loudly on the phone, maybe they think we’re angry with them? It makes me feel guilty just thinking about it!
Here are some things that will help boost our negative emotions AND keep them from rubbing off on our sweet pups.
Go on a walk/work out with your dog!
Everyone knows “exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t kill their husbands. They just don’t.”. #legallyblonde. Sorry, couldn’t help it. But seriously! Exercising should help you work through those emotions and/or distract you from the negative thoughts/feelings. Set the endorphins aside… if I’m upset, seeing my dogs running around and being happy, makes me happy. Boom! Better mood already.
Think of funny moments with your dog!
This will surely put you in the best mood ever! If I think of funny and cute things Abbie and Gunner have done, I smile. I laugh. My mood is lifted. What’s even BETTER than thinking of these moments is rewatching the funny and cute moments! So be sure to take lots of pictures and videos of your pups! Dogs are seriously the perfect cure for negative emotions. Sad? Look at some puppy pictures. Angry? Watch some puppy videos.
Talk to your dog and praise him/her!
If you were a fly on the wall of my home, you’d see that I really am a #crazydogmom. I talk to Abbie and Gunner like they’re real people. And then sometimes I talk to them like they’re little babies. It all depends on the conversation we’re having. LOL. I’ll talk to them in the mornings as I’m getting ready for work. I ask what their plans are for the day. “Are you going to hunt flies? Chase each other around the living room? People watch through the bedroom window?” I’ll talk to them when I get home and ask how their day was and if they stuck to those plans we talked about earlier in the morning. I just like making them feel special! They may not know what I’m saying, but I bet they feel pretty great because I talk to them so much. And it makes me feel better too if I had a bad day! So, it’s a win/win.
Use essential oils to balance emotions for you and your pups!
If you or your dog experience anxiety or depression, try doTERRA essential oils! These oils help balance our emotions as well as our dogs’. I don’t know what we’d do without them!
For anxious feelings, we absolutely LOVE Balance (eases angst, promotes whole body relaxation, evokes feelings of tranquility and balance), Lavender (relieves stress, reduces anxious feelings, eases feelings of tension, promotes peaceful sleep), and Serenity (promotes relaxation, lessens tension, calms emotions, mind, and soothes the senses). We’ll put these on the dogs before we leave for the dog park and it REALLY makes a difference with Abbie’s social anxiety. They also help calm me so I’m not worrying about her so much.
For depressed feelings, we love Cheer (promotes optimism, cheerfulness, and happiness, counteracts negative emotions), Peace (promotes peace, reassurance, and contentment, counteracts anxious and fearful emotions), and Myrrh (promotes emotional balance and well-being). These oils are uplifting so if you have a dog that gets sad when you leave the house, diffuse these bad boys or rub them behind your pup’s ears! They’ll also appreciate the ear rub before you leave.
If you’d like more information about essential oils and how to use them on your precious pups, email me at chelsea@galsbestfriend.com.