A Weekend Away

All Weekend in Sevilla Meeting a Friend

To be honest, it’s been way too long since I spent a whole weekend away - from the computer (that’s why the Weekly Treat is dropping on Monday .. for this week only 🤪) and the dogs.

I had the most delightful time meeting a wonderful friend who’s been (flamenco) dancing her heart out for the last couple of months in Sevilla. Couldn’t let her fly back to Australia without spending some time together.

I used to travel an awful lot before I had dogs. Living in London with software developer contracting jobs (meaning a lot of time flexibility and not strapped for cash 😛) I explored the world with plenty of short and longer trips, and I can say I’ve seen most of the places I’ve always wanted to visit.

It’s not that there aren’t any places left on the bucket list but now it’s “A trip to Rome or hang out with the dogs?” .. and the dogs usually win 😛🤣

Can you relate?

Now, this time I was lucky that the dogs were well cared for at home. Still, their sad wee faces pulled at the heartstrings 😛

Yes, having dogs means we can’t travel as freely as others, and that’s perfectly fine with me :-)

But what if you can’t even leave the house without worrying about your dog(s)?

When your dog struggles alone at home whenever you go out, your world becomes really small really quickly.

I know because my first dog Leo had massive separation anxiety.

I’ll share more about that - and the solution I wish I’d known about then - over the next couple of weeks starting November 8th - as part of a new series:

Trusted Expert Spotlights …

… where I introduce you in more detail to the work of, well, trusted experts whose work I’ve come to know and consider worth paying attention to.

If your dog(s) suffer from separation anxiety (or if you’re not quite sure and want to find out how to tell whether your dog is coping or not .. it might not be what you think .. not every dog tears up the furniture), click the button below to get on the recipient list:

Found at https://www.facebook.com/dogsdisclosed

Coming up this week …

Soul Touched by Dogs LIVE Masterclass

Join us for

"Choice Based Education for Reactive Dogs Using ACE Freework" with Joanne Burton

7th November, 10:30am Europe (9:30am UK, 8:30pm Sydney)(HERE is what time that is for you)

Why dogs are reactive, and the impact that choice has on dogs' behaviour.

You might remember Joanne from a recent podcast episode.

In this session, we'll explore how ACE freework supports reactive dogs and their caregivers.

You'll learn

👉 How freework is different from enrichment

👉 How freework can help a dog not be so reactive

👉 What happens (or not :-) if we give our dogs control and choice

👉 What the average dog owner can do to improve their dog's life

About Joanne:

Canine Educator and wellbeing Consultant.

Only authorised ACE freework practitioner in Australia

Specialising in Reactive Dogs

This week’s Pawsome Human: Noelle Bellagamba - Breaking the Human-Canine Stress Cycle: The Art of Healing Dogs and Their Humans

In this episode, I had the pleasure of chatting with Noelle, a pet minder and dog wellness expert based near Perth, Western Australia. Noelle specializes in caring for dogs with challenges such as anxiety and reactivity and merges healing practices with her pet minding services.

We discussed how stress is often a shared experience between dogs and their owners and how addressing human stress first can lead to better outcomes for both.

Noelle shared insightful tips on calming practices before walks and explained the unique retreats she offers that focus on nature, healing, and fun for both dogs and their owners.

Grab a cuppa and join a delightful conversation (and yes, please like and subscribe to help the baby YouTube channel grow 🙏)

To find out more and connect with Noelle:

Website: https://www.noellesanimalcare.com.au

Bio: Dedicated rescue dog parents hire me to end their struggle with their challenging furbabies, and finally feel empowered and proud as dog parents to create a life together they love, because they are concerned about their dog's reactivity and constantly worry about their wellbeing.

They are sick and tired of trying all these methods that hadn't work for their dog and feel the impact it has on both their quality of life.

So I help them gain calm and confidence to make their furbaby's care effective, fun and enjoyable.

Bottom line, these rescue dog parents achieve a calmer more joyful life with their pups with more ease, both bringing their best for a stronger bond and happier experiences together guaranteed

Online interactive workshop : "Live an easier happier life with your furkid without stress ruining your efforts with your dog"  3 dates and times Thursday 6.45pm AWST, Saturday 12.30pm AWST, Sunday 8.30am AWST (GMT+8) every 1st week of the month

A gift for you : Paws of Serenity, 14mins of blissful mindfulness to share with your dog
https://tinyurl.com/PawsOfSerenity

Social media links:
https://www.facebook.com/noellesanimalcare
https://www.facebook.com/dogsattheirbestwa
https://www.facebook.com/group/dogsattheirbest
https://www.instagram.com/dogs.at.their.best

If you prefer to listen ... subscribe to the PODCAST

It’s on Apple podcasts and everywhere else, so you can access it from your favourite podcast app.

If you enjoy listening, please consider leaving a rating and review so other dog lovers can find the show and join the doggie fun.

If you’re not using Apple podcasts, GoodPods is a great app that makes that easy.

Is Your Dog Lonely?

Our lives get more and more busy and our dogs are left alone longer and longer hours.

Here is an article that unpacks the problem and offers ideas for giving your dogs the attention and companionship they deserve.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=965809572254670&set=a.461286416040324

In case you’re not on Facebook, here is the article:

“Our human life can get very hectic. And when on top of that we have a dog to take care of, our days can feel like too much.

On this page, we like exploring dogs' perspective, so today we would like to think about a dog's role in our hectic lives.

Most of us would say that we brought a dog in our lives to be a companion for us. But is their role really a companion now?

Do we have enough time to spend with them and share their interests? Or our interactions with our dog are mostly made up of the basic care tasks?

If your answer is the latter, there might be something going on in your household what does not benefit both you and your dog. How is that?

First of all, constant care-taking can put a toll on your own wellbeing. Caretakers' fatigue / burnout is one of the most common and damaging states in human psychology.

And from the dog's point of view, only getting bits of attention when their basic needs are being met, can feel very lonely.

In the modern dogs' life, loneliness is becoming more and more common even if we are talking about dogs who live in comfortable people's homes.

We see several reasons why:

Our lives are getting busier and more hectic. We work long hours, run more errands, and have more responsibilities besides taking care of our dog. So when we get home, we only have energy to satisfy their basic needs like food, toilet, and maybe a tiny bit of mental enrichment.

“When we have time, the internet tells us to spend it on long walks to exhaust our dogs physically "to make them happy". We talked about why intense physical activity is not what dogs need here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B1p5fSK5Q/

Even dog-dog social contacts are limited, with most dogs separated from their mom and siblings too early and then isolated in the human home. When out on walks, most dogs are only allowed to briefly greet each other, and not having an opportunity to develop meaningful relationships.

At the same time, dogs (just like humans) are highly social creatures, and loneliness will have a whole array of negative consequences for their mental and physical health.

In human studies, loneliness is associated with higher risks of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety. In addition, social pain is a phenomenon that was recently unravelled by science, and shows that individuals experiencing social pain will also feel more physical pain.

As dog behaviour specialists, we notice that the canine loneliness plays a big role in forming of the "problem behaviours" already from the puppy stage.

Can we do something to resolve this canine loneliness crisis? The good news is YES! There are simple and enjoyable ways to reduce the caretakers' fatigue for humans and improve the quality of life for dogs.

Here are a few ideas:

Take a look at your dog's life, do you think you got caught up in caretaking tasks and your dog might feel lonely and bored? Start thinking of your dog more as a companion in your life and considering if you share quality time regularly.

Instead of long walks and fast-paced activities, dedicate more time to sharing meaningful moments, both for you and the dog. Usually it means that the dog gets to make choices and do something independently. A slow-paced nose work activity, a slow sniffary in a new place together are just two simple ideas.

The advantage for the human part is that you get to see your dog's personality and intelligence shine through. Sharing joy beyond care-taking tasks also helps to battle the caretakers' burnout.

Does your dog have real canine friends? Invest time in finding and spending time with well-balanced calm dogs and their humans. Dogs can enjoy exploring together, while humans chat.

The last two ideas can be very beneficial for shelter dogs too!

Have you noticed the dog loneliness trend too? What are your ways to spend quality time with your dog?”

Are you a canine professional?

A trainer, coach, behaviorist, nutritionist, holistic vet, or other canine expert with a holistic, kindness-first approach?

Would you like to be a guest on the podcast? Do you know someone you think would make a great guest?

Is your business ready for an upgrade to lift the limits on how much you can earn, without working even more, or hiring a big team?

Go (or send them) to https://soultouchedbydogs.com/pros

Check out the Shop

How about a mug with a picture of YOUR dog, for your morning coffee or as a gift, using the proceeds to sponsor dogs in need and help the people who help dogs?

If you’d like one, hit reply and let me know.

Send me a good-quality photo of your dog and I’ll create the design and send you a link where you can purchase it.

They get made to order so it takes 10-12 days to arrive. €15 + shipping.

(Shipping depends on where you are of course but will be somewhere around €5-12. I’ll check for you before I go and create the design, so there won’t be any surprises)

Get your Soul Touched by Dogs t-shirt

The moment I had the idea for the mugs, I knew I also wanted t-shirts 😝 and I’m super happy with mine 🐾🐾😊😊

If you want, you can get yours here https://mavericks.tpopsite.com/product/t-shirt-woman-soul-touched-by-dogs-dark-blue (they come in a few different colours)

If it doesn’t come in your size, let me know. I do work with another supplier so we can find an option that works for you.

Just like with the mugs, the proceeds will be donated to help dogs in need.

And as always ..

If you know another Soul Touched by Dogs, please send them to https://soultouchedbydogs.com 🙏🙏🐾🐾

Until next week,

Anke