Many people still believe that animals have no understanding of their surroundings or the people that inhabit the space with them. They somehow feel that animals are blobs of fur and flesh, no thought processes, no emotions, just blobs that can be trained to react in a certain way. Thankfully, none of my clients fall into this category! My clients come to me to gain a better understanding of their animal companion(s) and to find out exactly what their companion is thinking or feeling. The animals are sometimes surprised at first, but always happy and excited to share their thoughts and feelings.....and opinions!
One of my clients came to me to communicate with her beautiful dog named Stella. As it turns out, Stella is not only sweet, but a little sassy too! She had a wonderful sense of humor and began our exchange with a playful word-play that I later found out was directly related to how other people mix up her name. When I first called to her, I said "Stella, my name is Daniela. I would like to talk to you". She responded with "Bella". So I repeated her name "Stella?" and she said "Bella". Then I switched to "Bella" and she said "Stella". This funny exchange proved quite true. Her humans told me that people often mistake her name for Bella. So you see? Stella is very aware of what people say and made a little joke about it.
Stella also showed me particular things in the house such as a round etched window in a door with the sun shining through. This was confirmed by one of the humans. The other human wasn't even aware of it at first. It was something that went unnoticed, but Stella was aware.
She was also aware of conversations her humans had about moving. When she asked her humans if they were moving, they laughed and said there has been a lot of talk about moving- when, where, etc. Stella wanted to make sure they knew she wanted to go. In fact, she even asked them if she was moving too. Animals need reassurance from us that they will not be separated from their family. It makes sense. They do not have control of their lives, really. Their life depends on their humans. It's important to give them reassurance when major changes take place. This reassurance will make the transition easier.
We had a lovely conversation with Stella. She was very open and honest and was very receptive to what her humans said. Her concerns were not much different from the concerns of humans: Will we be together? Will I make friends? Will we see so-and-so again?" "Can we go to the trail for a walk?" "What's for dinner?". While I always knew animals were aware of their environment, this conversation with Stella really drove that fact home. There was nothing she did not see or know about. She acted and reacted much like humans do- with the innocence and pure heart of a child.
I love communicating with animals. They always remind me how significant each being is on this planet. Humans are not superior. We are just another species sharing space. We share the same needs and have the same desires. Except animals are more pure and straightforward. Humans, as we grow, pick up a lot of bad habits and behaviors. Stella was such a joy to communicate with. She was the perfect "host" and added the right amount of humor and sass to keep us on our toes and make us laugh.
Stella was not afraid of the new journey they were about to embark on. According to her, "one journey ends and another one begins". Pretty much! That's life, isn't it? A series of journeys and adventures, made more special with the company of our furry friends. =)
