27/06/2025
Beyond the smile for the camera: how our dogs are always truthful about their emotions 🐶❤️
I just returned from five days in Dubrovnik. An incredible city and time away with my love 🌍, but also a journey into the depths of what it means to be truly present with ourselves and our dogs!
Our flight was early , and like most of us, I cherish my sleep 😴.
By the time we settled into our apartment, the heat was relentless ☀️🔥, and the city was bustling! Mid-summer crowds everywhere 👫🌞.
Yes it was beautiful, but honestly, I felt overwhelmed 😩.
So we found a quieter street, stepped away from the noise, and sat down to take a moment. I could feel my body talking to me. I was hungry 🍽️, tired 😴, out of sorts 😕.
Now, even though I'm a nature bunny, I sometimes love city life!! Like London’s busy rush, the crowds on the tube, the energy ⚡. Some days I thrive on it.
But that day, it was simply too much. As I sat there, at the restaurant we'd pre-booked, feeling really emotional, I realised something profound:
If I were a dog, I’d have barked at the people on the table opposite 🗣️🐶—asking them to lower their voices, because it was too loud for me.
I’d have moved underneath a table or a bench seeking space from that overwhelming synthetic perfume the lady was wearing.
And I’d have stolen food from other people's plates because I was so hungry and feeling queezy.
None of these behaviours are “bad,” “stubborn,” “reactive,” or “out of control”.
They’re honest ways of communicating what I needed in that moment. My feelings, my boundaries, my needs 💖.
When I got back to our apartment , I sat with myself.
I’ve learned that trying to plaster over those honest emotions, like slapping a bandage on a raw wound, is a little like trying to hide a storm with a tiny umbrella. It might keep the rain off for a moment, but underneath, the storm still rages 🌩️.
So, I allowed myself to cry 😭, to feel the emotions washing through my body. I didn't want anyone to fix me or cheer me up.
I just needed to be present with myself and listen.
The next morning, I woke early and pivoted. I realised I love the city, but not the heat. So we went out when it was quieter, spent some time in water (my fave!), found a place to eat under a large tree, where we could enjoy the city’s energy and buzz from a peaceful, cool place 🧘♀️❄️.
At my own pace.
Our dogs don’t have that luxury 🐕
They don’t get to choose when or where. For most dogs, they have to fit in with our schedule and plans and routine.
And yet, we load so many expectations on them. Be 'nice'. Be calm 🧘♂️. Don’t be reactive
And then we slap labels on them when they’re not “neutral” 🏷️🤔.
But they’re not trying to make life hard for us ⚠️. Their behaviour is communication.
They’re simply inviting us to connect with them ❤️, to tune in and listen. Not control, fix or punish.
Their behaviour is an invitation to listen to what they’re really telling us beneath the noise , beneath the labels.
They’re asking us to tap into our own innate wisdom. The deeper knowing we all carry.
Beyond the social media noise, the quick fixes , and rigid 'right' and 'wrongs' about how our dogs should be.
Because at the core, our dogs are inviting us how to be honest with ourselves.
To feel without shame 😌.
To listen beyond words, beyond social expectations , and to be present with what’s real in that moment with them. For them and for us.
So, when you start to notice your dog’s signals, those subtle cues, remember:
It’s not about bad behaviour or stubbornness.
It’s honest communication of their feelings and needs 💬💖
Listening and feeling WITH them can unlock a deeper, more loving connection 🌱🔑
Are you ready to step into their world with me?
