Ruminations: Walking in our dogs shoes Elise Montfort from Belgium discusses a unique way to understand the way animals feel and appreciate why something feels wrong to them while something we humans never do, can feel so enjoyable Photo Credit: Harriet Alexander, UK After years of living with and working side by side with animals, I’ve developed a strong interest for walking in their shoes, in getting close to feeling what they are feeling. It all started with my first dog, Joy, who I’d learned to mimic so well: the sound of her nails clicking on the floor, the way she used to vomit, the way she could play. But then I was only 12, and that could still be the kind of childish play I was allowed to play. Though I’m far older now, I still enjoy mimicking animals, no matter how ridiculous I can appear to some people. To me, it goes along with understanding the way animals feel, feeling the way they experience the world, understanding why something feels wrong, why going some direction is just impossible, or why something we humans never do, can feel so enjoyable to them. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as the sun’s reflection on a metal bar that makes it impossible for an animal to take a step further. Of course, I will probably never get anywhere close to being 100% positive that what I get to experience, when I try to put myself in an animal’s shoes, is actually what this very animal is experiencing. But for as long as I’ve been doing it, I’ve always been rewarded for it. Indeed, it is beneficial to try to figure out what an animal is feeling, to get another perspective on things. Sometimes, we need to leave behind every single thing we know in order to “get it”. Other times, we need thorough observation together with a good understanding of the animal’s ethogram and basic needs to appreciate and get to feel what’s going on. In the end, getting into the process of feeling and understanding what an animal is experiencing gives us accurate and efficient tools to get to know them better, get to live with them more respectfully and often also, change their lives and our lives for the better. Sometimes, all it takes is to get down on all fours to get their perspective. Some other times it’s a little more complicated. You may just get lucky and get it right away. In any case, it always turns out to be worth it. Recently I was reminded that my closed mind could be opened by simple things that would help my dogs. One of my dogs, Judy, had been having bouts of stiffness. Even though we made good use of our osteopath appointments and regular massages, tension would stay, reappear, build up, and she would be in pain again. There definitely was an urgent need to have a closer look at her daily routines and opt for healthier habits and activities. But at the time, I was feeling hopeless. There was nothing I could do to alleviate the burden Judy was carrying as she was refusing our regular massages. That’s when luck popped in! I got the opportunity to have a light touch session. I realised how tense I myself was and how relieving those light touches were. Moreover, I realised that if I had had a “real” massage session, I would Photo Credit: Winkie Spiers, UK The world can look very different from a dog’s perspective. Getting an idea of their world view can tell us a lot about why our dogs behave the way they do probably have felt uncomfortable. Immediately I thought of Judy: could it be as simple as that? Could light touches be the answer she needed at that particular moment? Just that? I couldn’t wait to give it a try… And yes Judy loved it! I also recall something my dogs, Judy and Kimba, taught me (our dogs tend to teach us quite a few things, don’t they?). At the time, there was quite a bit of tension and every day was a challenge for the three of us. Communicating properly and understanding each other was a big deal. But then, we had a few nights in a row, where everything went well. And every time it did, I noticed that they would lie down and give a big sigh before falling fast asleep. As soon as one of them would sigh, I could feel the tension in the room vanish immediately. I started dreaming that I could initiate the sigh, then I thought of first getting the feel for it (you’ve got it, I never used to sigh). By now, those of you who practice it on a daily basis may have raised an eyebrow, and the ones who think it’s silly as well. But guess what? I felt an immediate relief! After that experience, every time they would sigh, I would sigh in unison. After a few times, I would actually sigh by myself if I felt like we could “use” a bit of tension releasing. And they would usually sigh in unison with me. Now it’s part of our “healthy habits” We can never put ourselves enough in our animals’ shoes. So, next time you don’t “get” your dog, just give it a try, as ridiculous as it may make you feel, I can tell you, you will be as delighted as I always am by what you will discover! 6 <strong>PDTE</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong> <strong>PDTE</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong> 7