with Sandra Larson
Q. Dear Sandra,
We met at the Psychic Fair in The Colony. We talked about my wolf dogs and about rescuing dogs in general and life coaching. I received your request through your newsletter to write in to you questions about animal behavior. I really need your help with this:
Our most recent one year ago rescue is a Pit Bull/German Shepherd with aggression problems. I'm guessing by his behavior, he was severely abused. I am the only person who can get kind of close to him. It took a lot of work and he switches to barking at me in a heartbeat. He is a gorgeous creature. His name is Ray K (aka Puppy) and he has killed baby goats and baby lambs at our neighbor's last year when I was in Germany, so I have to keep him safe as he was running the danger of being shot by neighbors who try to protect their livestock. I cannot get a collar around him as he is so scared and I also can feel something at his throat, like he was chained up, or that somebody tried to strangle him. He is a beautiful spirit but I cannot move him past his fear. He attacks everybody but me. Any idea what I could do to give him a good life? What is he trying to say? Any idea what his history might be? How can I help him move beyond the pain?
Ray K (aka Puppy)
A. Dear Martina,
Since you are asking about three different dogs, I’ll separate and answer each of your dog questions individually. Thank you for sending in your questions. It’s clear to me that you love them all!
Truly your dog Ray K (aka Puppy) has come from a very dark place. He tells me he was treated more like a ‘thing’ than a living being. I can feel from him that everything within him comes from Survival Mode. So, when he escaped to kill the baby goats and lambs, he actually was doing it out of a fear of being able to survive. Again, what he tells me is that the place he came from treated him like a thing. He was kept purposely starving so that he would be more aggressive. He wasn’t treated with any love or care. He was treated as a security system until this individual got done using him. The reason he resists the collar so much is because the collar prevented him from breaking free and getting food. I actually see that whoever this person was would actually taunt him with food. He would put the food right outside of his reach. He would keep him edgy and starving this way. He would show him food, but he wouldn’t let him get the food. So the fear or belief for Puppy is that to have the collar around him would result in him not being able to get food to survive. He associates the collar with starving. This is an engrained belief for him. Also, he is completely coming from a fear system. This is why it was difficult when you left him and went to Germany. He got panicked again that he wouldn’t be provided for. This was the reason for he escaped and killed your neighbor’s animals.
You asked what you can do to give him a good life. He needs to feel your strength and power. He needs to know you are more powerful than he is and that you deserve to be the leader. And that your leadership will take care of his physical needs. Once he knows and trusts that you will take care of him, and he will hopefully realize that he no longer has to provide food for himself as a leader or renegade. And as he grows to trust you and the strength that you have, he will understand also the love that you have for him. It will be very difficult for this animal to trust. The way that you can help him most right now is by showing him that you are stronger than he is. And therefore you can be the leader in this pack with him. Then, suddenly he can take off the role about worrying about protecting himself. Strength with love is going to help this dog. I believe this is what you are all ready doing. But you need to expect from him and show him that you are his leader. And therefore he can step down from feeling he needs to be the leader of the pack. Interrupt his barking and growling with a firm ‘no’ or ‘a-a’. Immediately, when he stops the negative behavior, praise and love him. Tell him that everything is okay in a low firm authoritative voice and pet him if he allows you to touch him. I hope some of these suggestions will help you with him. He is a beautiful animal that has been abused by the person who was supposed to care for him. He was not treated with love prior to him coming to you. I hope that you can help him shift from this place of living in the fear, panic and rage system to one of knowing he is safe and provided for. And when you can take those fears from him, or at least introduce good feelings of safety and love, I think this dog may have a chance to have a good life. He is so fortunate to have been given to you. Many would have destroyed a dog like this. You are an angel for loving and caring for him through this time. I wish you and Puppy all the best!
I have a question about Mia, too. In the past, she had two strokes. I think she took them for me if that makes sense. She recovered really well but now she has developed hip problems. What can I do for her?
Mia
This animal is an Empath. She is a natural healer. She loves you and willingly took the illness into her body in order to transform it. Many animals and some humans have this gift. With her hip problem, she wants you to give her healing energy. Do you do some kind of a healing practice? If yes, then do that work with her. If the answer is no, then I believe Mia sees you as a channel of healing energy. She says you can soothe her and make her feel better. She really believes in you!
I hope you don’t mind, but I told her it is wonderful that she is a natural healer, but in the future she is not to ‘own’ the illness. By that I mean to take it on and express it in her body. This is a lesson all Empaths need to learn. I know I surely did and still have to be reminded of this quite often. I’m guessing Martina you are very empathic also and need to practice distinguishing what is yours and what comes to you through your connection to others. Here’s a great question to ask yourself when you feel a sudden change in mood or feelings, “Is this mine to deal with or does it belong to another?” When you know the answer, you can take appropriate action like sending a blessing or healing energy to that person or animal. When I’ve asked this question and discovered it wasn’t mine to own, the mood or negative emotion would suddenly lift. Knowledge is power! When you know the truth, it sets you free.
Buster is a rescue dog, too. He has lost one eye. Lately, he has been almost too attached to me, which he did not do in the past. What is his story? What does he see in me? He also seems to be watching spirits "walk" through the house lately ...
Buster
A. Isn’t it interesting, an animal that has only one eye would have his third eye so wide open? It’s almost as if by losing his normal physical second eye, his third eye has opened up even more for him to see what’s moving around spiritually in your house. The feeling that I get with him is that what he is seeing around you is actually energy forms that you pick up from other people in your daily life. These little energy forms which can be thought forms, seem to come home with you as they do with all of us. But Buster is now seeing these things more clearly. It’s as if the veil has parted for him. He sees things in ways that most humans do not. It’s like losing his physical eye has helped him open and develop his third eye as if it is his second eye. He’s seeing the physical world, but he’s also seeing the spiritual world equally well. It’s like my father when he had his cataracts remove several years ago. The doctor corrected one eye for reading and the other for long distance sight. My father didn’t need glass in his later 70’s and early 80’s from this procedure. One of the reasons Buster is staying so close to you now is for protection. He’s protecting you and he wants you to protect him. It’s a mutual protection that’s going on! So, what would be really helpful for him is if you can do some energy cleansing of your house and clear yourself when you come around him after being away. Let him know that all is well and that you will protect and watch over him. Call for your angels, guides and master teachers to come in and bring protection for both of you. Not that there’s any wrong. It’s just as you would clean your house or clean your closets, you want to clear your energy field around you from anything that is less than wonderful which may have attached to you inadvertently during your day. I think by doing this clearing, it will help Buster. I know that I need to be remember to clear myself also!
Q. Dear Sandra,
I was reading some of your article and I was wondering if you could help me deal with the pain I feel in my heart. I miss my girls Chewy, Liebe, Nika, Duchess and Smokey so much my heart hurts. Sometimes I can’t get out of bed and I can’t stop crying. I can’t shake this feeling of overwhelming deep sadness. My Mom won’t let me have another dog. She is not an animal lover like I am. So, I have to accept that I will probably not have another dog for a while. Of course, I love my Mom and we kind of have a trade off. She doesn’t smoke anymore and I can’t have a dog. I would rather have my healthy Mom around, but of course I wish I could have both.
Blessings from, Arlinda
A. Dear Arlinda,
You have one of the sweetest hearts of anyone I’ve ever met! You care and love for all animals as much as you possibly can. There are people in this world who care very deeply about people and animals who are called Empaths. They feel so much more deeply than other people. And that’s what you do Arlinda! You feel and care deeply. Often people casually say, “Now, just get over it! Just move on and everything will be okay!” And, these are good people who are trying to help, but they don’t understand. If there weren’t people like you in this world who had compassion, so many would feel so lost.
Look at the word ‘com-passion’ itself. You come to passion. You bring passion to you. People that are empaths in the world really hold this world together. They help clear the world of negative toxic emotions. The way you care deeply is such a beautiful thing. I would never suggest that you change that! Now, there are things you can do as an empath to move through this heartbreak.
Remember this- all life is eternal. Your beautiful four-legged babies that you have loved and cared for so much, they’re no longer in physical form, but their souls live on and on. I would imagine that they are in your Soul group and that they chose to be with you. They live on and may even choose to live in a different form.
When you feel that great loss in your heart, choose to talk to them. I promise you this, they will hear you! You can even make a deal with each and every one of them to show you a sign that they are near. For example, one of them might help you find a white feather; another will show you they are around by allowing you to see pennies on the ground; or perhaps one of your other dogs will help you see a special kind of a bird. If you will make this deal with these beautiful animals that you have loved so well, they will show you over and over again that they’re not gone, but rather are close by your side. I know they love you. I know you love your Mother and yet have found a way to honor her request and still love many animals with the work you do as an animal sitter. The way that you love them is so pure and wonderful. They make you so joyful. I can see that you giggle with pleasure when you get to be with them.
Bless you Arlinda!
Sandra
Q. Dear Sandra,
Thanks for the great newsletter...I have had a sad event here and am submitting a question for the next newsletter.
My EZBoy was a paralyzed French Bulldog. He had gone down in his rear about three or four years ago and we did spinal surgery that stabilized him, but he did not regain use of his back legs. So he scooted around and used his cart when he went outside. He was so scrappy and picked on Money, another Frenchie, and we teased Money that the crazy crippled dog could beat him up. He was my logo and Spokes Dog for The Blissful Dog and just had the biggest spirit. Everyone that came to the resort loved watching him tear around on his cart...he rocked and rolled!
Last Friday he developed bladder stones, I guess he had them, but they began to present symptoms and we took him to the vet. The vet flushed the stones back into the bladder, but they migrated back down into his urethra and on Monday I took him back to the vet. They did the bladder stone removal and sent him home yesterday afternoon.
Last night he could not keep water down and seemed down, but he had just been intubated and had major surgery, so I gave him his meds and petted him good night. He was gone when I got up this am. We are just heartbroken. I know he had been through a LOT, but he never wavered and always had a HUGE will to keep going and a warrior spirit. I am shocked he passed like this and so deeply saddened. He just seemed like the Energizer Bunny, like he kept going and going.
I am feeling guilt that I had complained that my house always smelled like dog pee, as he was incontinent and belly bands and the diaper thingies just did not stay on him. I had even said to my husband that he needed to quit griping about the house, that as long as we had EZBoy with us the house would just have a bit of diaper pail odor. I KNOW in my heart that EZBoy knew he was loved and we did not by any stretch want him to leave us...but the nagging refrain of doubt is pounding in my mind today.
So, if you could give him some extra reassurance that he was a way cool dude, loved and will be missed by all that knew him, it would be wonderful.
With Hugs, Kathy
A. Dear Kathy,
I’m so sorry for your loss! EZBoy sounded like a great dog! What a blessing and example of an indomitable spirit. It's so easy to guilt and blame yourself right now, but the truth is that he knew you loved him and are proud of him.
He chose to slip away in the night, rather than ask you to go through the difficult experience of seeing him suffer or putting him to sleep. He loves you and watch for the ways he visits you!
Thank you for allowing us to use this in our Column and let me know if you would like to talk about this over the phone!
Blessings, Sandra
Sandra Larson is a professional Animal Communicator and Soul Coach. Sandra has received the following training and education: Masters in Counseling (MSE)- University Wisconsin-Superior (UWS); Life Coach-Coaches Training Institute (CTI); Certified Soul Coach & Past Life Coach-Denise Linn; Certified Angel Therapy Practitioner™ (ATP)-Doreen Virtue; Trans-personal Clinical, Master Hypnotist, Life Between Life (LBL)-MaDonna Kettler; Animal Communication studies-Mary Stoffel, Kim Luetke; Professional Series Course with international animal communicator Marta Williams. For a complete Bio go to: http://www.sandralarson.com/about-sandra.html
She has two monthly animal communication radio shows on Blog Talk Radio - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whole-earth-pet and Talk Shoe Radio- http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/36411 Sandra currently has an Animal Communication and Soul Coaching Practice in Little Elm, Texas.
*You can send your questions and along with a photo of your animal companion to Sandra Larson at:
Email: sandra@sandralarson.com
Or by mail at:
Sandra Larson
PO Box 1651
Little Elm, TX 75068