I was reading a story in an online dog health magazine I subscribe to about dogs being stressed and the things we need to do to alleviate the stress in our dogs' lives.
The article described the symptoms of stress in dogs and how it can lead to health issues like hypertension, heart disease, etc. - basically all the health issues stress causes in humans. This article was very well written, quoting studies and facts, but it got me wondering: are our dogs really stressed, or are they simply expressing behaviour that resembles stress that is actually caused by us humans? Are they really anxiety-ridden due to their busy lives, or have they never learned how to relax because we can't?
As humans, our lives are getting busier. Technology has not done a thing to alleviate stress. In fact, it has done the opposite. With cellphones we are now available 24/7.
Online social networks allow us to keep tabs on our friends - both real and imaginary - around the clock. With the Internet, everything is instant, be it information, the latest movie or music. As a result of instant access to everything, no one has patience any longer, not even to brew their own cup of coffee. We would rather pay $5 for someone to do it for us so we can drink it on the go. Grabbing a coffee at a coffee house used to be a time of social connection, a time to relax with a friend for an hour and enjoy their company. Now coffee is simply energy fuel for a busy life.
So our dogs, being animals that live their lives off of the energy of people, other animals and the surrounding environment, are a product of . us!
One suggestion in the article, to alleviate stress in dogs, is to take them to a doggie yoga class.
Really?
Do people actually think that dogs benefit from taking a yoga class?. Traditional yoga is a lifelong practice of personal spiritual growth, connecting the body and mind through poses meant to align your chi energy and open your chakras. When these elements are combined with the flow of breath and movement, the practice of yoga alleviates stress. This is a medically proven fact.
Understanding this, I honestly can't see a dog gaining any stress release from participating in yoga.
What I do suggest is the owners of these "stressed" dogs take up a true traditional yoga practice that allows them to relax and find that inner awareness.
Instead of hiring a dog walker or going to doggie daycare every day, take two days to walk with your dog in the beauty of nature. Not because you have to get the dog exercised, but to walk amongst the trees, smell the cedar and allow its cleansing element to clear the mind of murkiness. How about sitting - just sitting - by the edge of the ocean with your dog and listen to the water as it laps on the shore, allowing that to heal the mind of its endless negative chatter.
There was a time, not that long ago, when we didn't have cellphones and we all managed to live quite happily without them. So, when you are finding Zen time with your dog, either shut your cellphone off or leave it at home. When you do this for the first time, notice the anxious feeling you are experiencing at the moment of detachment to your cellphone. That addictive attachment you feel towards your cellphone is not good! It is, in fact, stress!
It's not our dogs that need stress management or stress release. It is us!
If your dog is showing signs of stress it should be seen as a big wake-up call for you to get your ducks in a row and slow down.
I have said this many times: your dog is a mirror of your own life. What we see in our dogs is a reflection of us.
So if you think your dog is stressed and you want to do something to fix that, start with your own life first. Find ways to not just manage stress in your life, but eliminate it, and you will see your dog's stress-like behaviour disappear.
Joan Klucha has been working with dogs for over 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her through her website k9kinship.com.
