My Dog Asks Me To Pay Attention

By tuning in and hearing what he needs, I build trust with him, and myself.

The other night, after settling into bed with a good book, Lukas left my side and jumped off. It’s getting colder outside now that Fall has truly arrived in West Michigan and I keep hoping he’ll start his winter ritual of staying on the bed throughout the night keeping all of us warm. However, it seems, this isn’t going to happen just yet.

He walks to my side of the bed where he promptly sits and stares at me earnestly. In my head, I start to run through the check-list of what he could possibly want at that moment. Yes, he was outside, as per the usual routine, about 30 minutes prior so he should be fine. Yes, he’s had his special night time treat. Yes, he was fed hours ago.

“What is it buddy?” I ask out loud.

Lukas giving me “The Look.” 

Lukas answers with his continuing Intent stare. His ears are back as he patiently waits for me to catch his meaning.

“Do you want to go outside?”

He doesn’t move, eyes still locked on mine.

“I’m not giving you another treat.” I say, with false bravado knowing damn well I can’t resist him - not with that one brown eye and the other blue eye keeping my heart in a perpetual state of melt.

Still he sits and and stares.

Finally my head, out of questions, goes quiet and I hear him say, “Ow.”

“Oh!” I exclaim as I whip back the covers, coming to full attention. “What’s up?” He turns to move toward the hall and I see him holding up his back-left leg. “Lukas, do you need a pain pill?” He turns his head to look back at me and wags his tail in a circle communicating confirmation as he continues to move to the kitchen.

As soon as I give him his pill in a goop of peanut butter,* he leans into me, tail wagging in faster circles. He looks up at me shining his big goofy Lukas grin.

“Sorry I didn’t hear you sooner, bud,” I say out loud. He responds by pushing harder into my legs. I reach down, embracing him snugly before he walks back down the hall to the bedroom to curl up on his bed for the night. “I should have known you may be sore after that long hike today.

“Sure you don’t want to come up on the bed?” I ask hopefully.

“No,” I hear him say, “Dad jostles me too much in his sleep.” Which, I have to admit, is true. (sorry Brad)

Since our conversation, I’ve been checking in with Lukas to see if he needs any pain medication. Every time, so far, he’s declined. Trusting that he will tell me takes the weight of guessing off my shoulders. More importantly, it deepens my belief that I am actually talking with him. Because, while I know I communicate with clients’ animals, trusting the connection to Lukas has been harder for me to accept.

Not only does communicating with one’s own pet stir all the emotions tied up with them, but it can also trigger our negative beliefs. The one I’ve been working through, these last few years, is “I am not worthy.” (Remember, he broke my leg to kick-start (bad pun?) my work on this!)

In an animal communication reading, the animals help me get past my negative belief by giving me great information that is immediately confirmed by their human. But, I’m a terrible client to myself because my “not worthy” gets in the way of talking with my own dog!

When Lukas asks for my attention, it is a request to trust that the voice I hear in my head is indeed his. My confirmation is his tail wag in response to me stating out loud what he “said” along with my follow-through on his request. What more do I need outside of the fact that his limp is gone when he stirs the next morning looking for breakfast.

I see, yet again, how Lukas is helping me trust myself in my conversations with him. And as my trust grows, I feel the hold “not worthy” has on me weakening.

You Can Try This Too!

I’m sure many of you have similar experiences. Something is “off” with your dog, cat, horse, etc. and you just have a feeling. You may even hear them responding to you in your head. Every one of us has the ability to communicate with our pets. Deciding to believe we do, trusting that we are, is the challenge. Once you step into that belief, finding out when your pet needs help, or better food or more time with you, helps you both develop a much stronger bond. As you trust yourself - and your animal - they will give you signs (like Lukas’ circular tail wag), that you are on the right path. Try it and see how this works for you and let me know!

*Disclaimer: From a medication standpoint, please always work with a veterinarian on proper dosage, frequency and type. The medication Lukas asked for and I gave him was prescribed by our veterinarian per the guidelines she provided.