13/12/2024
Very valuable information ๐พ
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As a previous student of Dr Edward Bassingthwaighte, I often refer to his content and teachings to help better expand my practice as a canine myofcuntional therapist. He has recently been running regular community online classes available to the public for free on topics of interest plus a mini WEBB demonstration. This is so generous of him to to provide as I know he is a busy man, and his simple yet underestimated teachings are so needed. โHave your hands on your dog everydayโ, encouraging us to connect intentionally and practice the skills heโs teaching om a daily basis. The last session in which I participated he covered something important that many pet owners are dealing with - knowingly and unknowing. Anxiety. Below is a breakdown of is explanation.
Some signs often go unnoticed or we as pet owners font even realise that is it our dog exhibiting anxiety.
Anxiety is a fear based phenomena. If our animal is displaying anxiety, there is some level of fear and distress going on. We can look at anxiety as being presented in 4 different ways, or โThe Four Faces of Anxietyโ.
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Lunging and barking at the end of the lead. What we would consider reactive anxiety.
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Hiding, running away from what is instigating fear.
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Stands in intense stillness, emotional distress is present. There can be a partial freeze or shutdown from overwhelm too. Eg. Has reactive anxiety when one dog is present, but appears to โcalm downโ when multiple dogs are present.
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Over the top playful and jumpy, uses this to distract from uncomfortable situations. Ball obsessed or needing touch and attention all the time.
This Fourth Face is often missed as being a display of anxious behaviour.
According to Dr Edward, your dog should be in a calm and relaxed state 80-90% of the time. They should be able to self regulate and come down from a heightened state of play or arousal back into a relaxed state within a reasonable amount of time. If they are unable to, or never seem to be able to relax, the dog likely has anxiety.
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The Whole Energy Body Balance practice of Loving Touch which Edward teaches is a great way to help bring your dog into a parasympathetic state. Slow, intentional massage can be so powerful too. I would also consider meditating with your dog - something that helps relax both and allows you to spend quality silent time together. Gently brushing your dog with a soft bristle brush is something you can also explore to help them relax and to deepen your connection.
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There are some therapeutic supplements which can help naturally promote a calming effect. Sharing a chamomile tea with your dog is a great place to start. Medicinal mushrooms, CBD oil, and prebiotic/ probitoic gut supporting foods are also worth exploring. If anxiety is something youโve struggled to manage on your own, consider working with a herbalist. ๏ฟฝ
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In comparison to topical application, 10x more essential oil reaches the blood stream through inhalation via diffusion. Diffusing 1-2 drops in a well ventilated room in which your dog can choose to leave anytime is a great place to start. Consider lavender, spikenard, Copaiba, Roman chamomile, Vetiver, valerian, frankincense, clary sage (use with caution in breeding dogs), arborvitae or sandalwood. Thereโs a free factsheet on my website for details on safe use and more in the members hub. Brand is important too, be aware of quality testing and company transparency.
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Remembering that 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut, an unhappy gut results in an anxious pup. Improving digestibility, supporting microbial diversity and moving away from highly processed, fortified or unnatural foods will help provide the first steps in nurturing gut health. Consider also rotating between high tryptophan meats like turkey and pork and adding a small amount of appropriate carbohydrate like sweet potato to help promote serotonin production.
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We so often forget that our shared environment can cultivate shared emotions, diet, health habits and even shared microbiota. If there is ongoing emotional tension or unrest in our home, this is going to impact the animals we share our space with. Being highly stressed from work can also impact our dogs.
Letโs help move towards more relaxed, happier, calm dogs together ๐ซถ
