In the now quite old film Matrix, Oracle says to Neo – know thyself. The whole point of that statement is that you are the only one who knows yourself well enough to know what you are capable of. But it is also an expression that is perfectly fine to use in relation to your dog. I'll tell you what I mean.
Today was Flokis last day with me. After several days without dogs other than Egon, my own energy level has leveled off after last week's adrenaline surge in connection with Floki's seizure. On the whole, the day has gone quite well, at least indoors. Outdoors on the walks it has been a little worse. Not the worst we've been through together, but not fucking fun. Especially not when I had three dogs to keep track of.
My personal opinion was that Floki was a little extra rough today, but now we come to the interesting thing that alludes to this with know thyself – know yourself. Namely, it is the case that I, although I'm in better shape now after a few days of rest, still a little tired, somewhat more easy-going and with a shorter patience than usual.
The result of that I wasn't at my best, is that the dogs do not respond to my signals as usual. They completely screw up how balanced I was a week ago, nor do they feel like treating me with silk mittens today because I am tired and impatient. They respond to the signals they receive here and now, and that is why it is so easy to see in your dog what balance and stability you yourself have.
It is also therefore I generally believe that if you feel that your own dog has problem behaviours, then it is not with the dog that you should look, but with himself.
The thing is as well as the dog reading all the signals we send out, even those we are not aware of. This is why it is so important to be self-aware and have knowledge about yourself, how to function, and how one's own self-image affects the dog.
Then it is after all, as time goes on and the dog develops problematic behaviour, the more work you have to put into changing it. It is certainly possible to teach old dogs to sit, but it might take a little extra time. And what you need to start with is actually not the dog, without himself.
Everything you do with your dog starts with yourself. The dog responds to you. It's your self-esteem, your self-image, your confidence which the dog reacts to. If for any reason you feel insecure or unbalanced, is this what your dog will reflect. If you want a safe and secure dog, it is your responsibility to be safe and secure yourself.
That’s just the way it rolls.
To try summarize this a bit briefly; if your dog misbehaves, it is because he is responding to something in you. There is therefore no major reason to get angry and frustrated with your dog, but it is better to think about what it is about yourself that triggers the dog to behave in this way.
It is not always so flattering, but it is, on the other hand, very developmental. I think that one of the best ideas you can take into your relationship with your dog is to constantly think about what benefits the dog. How can I get my dog to function optimally?? How can I get my dog to achieve balance and stability to the highest degree possible??
Then it is so that you are not always at your best. I too am human and have bad days with short patience, and so it must be – sometimes. 🙂