Mindful Pets

Mindful Pets I am fully qualified dog trainer, with degrees in psychology and psychotherapy.

My goal is to help dogs and their parents learn to live and thrive together in a peaceful and respectful reletionship and the comunication is key to having a strong bond.

In the 1940s, zoologist Rudolf Schenkel from the University of Basel observed a group of wolves kept in captivity.They w...
20/06/2025

In the 1940s, zoologist Rudolf Schenkel from the University of Basel observed a group of wolves kept in captivity.
They were adult wolves, unrelated, confined to a small space with limited resources. In that unnatural environment, intense conflict and “dominant” behaviours emerged.

That’s where the theory of the “alpha male” was born.
Too bad it wasn’t a real pack.

Years later, David Mech — who had helped spread the theory — rejected it after observing wolves in their natural habitat: wolf packs are cooperative families, not power hierarchies.

📍But why is dominance still taught in dog training today?
Because this belief justifies coercion.

Here are some methods still sadly in use:
🔸 Shock collars
🔸 Choke chains
🔸 Slip leads (pressure halters)
🔸 Harsh leash jerks
🔸 Kicking or stomping
🔸 Forced rollovers
🔸 Muzzle-grabbing
🔸 Leash whipping

Dogs obey.
But they do so out of fear of pain, not out of understanding or trust.
And very often, this leads to anxiety, chronic stress, or learned helplessness

📍Why do we still believe in coercion?
Because coercion works — on the surface.
Psychologically, it feeds on:

-Fear (of punishment, exclusion, pain)

-The desire for approval or to avoid conflict

-The need for control and safety

In dogs, as in humans, the threat — real or perceived — can paralyse judgement and trigger obedience.
But it’s an empty obedience, rooted in fear, not in relationship

📍Why is obedience still seen as a virtue today?
Because it makes us feel safe.

An obedient dog — like an obedient child or citizen — is reassuring.
It makes us feel like “good owners”, “authoritative parents”, “competent dog trainers”, “reliable dog sitters or walkers”.

📍But what does this need for control really say about us?

If I feel the need to control everything, it’s because I am afraid things won’t go my way.
Those who need to control have stopped trusting others… and perhaps even life itself.

But we can learn to dance with chaos, with uncertainty, with the unexpected.

Yes — control is comforting. But it’s in trust and collaboration that real growth happens. Sadly, we often seek reassurance more than authentic connection.

Full article in bio

📚The 2010 study "Automatic imitation in dogs" conducted from the Department of Cognitive Biology at the University of Vi...
13/05/2025

📚The 2010 study "Automatic imitation in dogs" conducted from the Department of Cognitive Biology at the University of Vienna revealed that dogs are capable of precisely imitating human movements. They use their paws and muzzle to reproduce gestures that humans make with their hands and mouth.

📍Just as we tend to automatically and unconsciously mimic the movements of others, dogs do the same. They refine this ability based on the depth of their bond with their human and the amount of time they spend together.

❣️The tendency to imitate is closely linked to the relationship: the deeper it is, the stronger the connection becomes, and the more likely the dog is to observe and replicate.
Interestingly, dogs imitate only their own human, which is a clear sign of the trust they place in them.

🐾Personally, I often notice this behaviour in dogs with whom I share a deep bond. It’s a powerful tool, especially when helping a dog overcome discomfort or distress. In those moments, the person becomes a model to follow.
A dog that sees their human remaining calm while they feel agitated receives an important message: “I can trust them, I can calm down too.” This is a fundamental part of emotional rehabilitation.

📸 In the photo that goes with this post, I was sitting and admiring the view. It can’t have been more than half a minute. At some point, I realised I couldn’t hear the dogs in the river anymore. When I turned around, I found them exactly as you see here. I couldn’t help but take a picture.

I never ask dogs to pose. They are not models. I’m always wary of photos where several dogs are sitting perfectly in a row. No dog should be forced to stay still just to "look good."
True calm comes from connection, not from control.

Sighthounds (Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki, Irish Wolfhound, Scottish Deerhound, and so on) have an exceptionally wide fiel...
03/05/2025

Sighthounds (Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki, Irish Wolfhound, Scottish Deerhound, and so on) have an exceptionally wide field of vision because their eyes are set on the sides of the skull. They can pick up what is happening all around them, up to ear level, yet they have very little binocular vision: they focus brilliantly at a distance but struggle to see objects that are close, especially those right in front of their nose.

For this reason a sighthound may appear distracted or “aloof” when, in fact, it simply cannot see well at close range. If another dog approaches too quickly or excitedly, the sighthound may be startled and react—not out of aggression, but because it cannot immediately work out what is coming towards it.

This phenomenon falls within cynognostics, the branch of canine science that studies a dog’s morphology and how its physical build affects the way its body works.

Veterinary surgeons use cynognostics to spot conditions linked to conformation.

Show judges rely on it to assess how closely a dog matches its breed standard.

Canine trainers should turn to it to read a dog’s signals correctly and adapt their work to its physical characteristics.

As a professional, I consider it my duty to share this knowledge with owners: understanding how a dog is built helps them interpret its behaviour, prevent situations that cause discomfort, manage any discomfort that does arise, and avoid mistaking physiological limitations for behavioural problems.

Enjoy your Saturday🥰
12/04/2025

Enjoy your Saturday🥰

Have you ever noticed how some dogs seem to blend in perfectly with their surroundings?A dog’s coat colour isn’t just ab...
24/03/2025

Have you ever noticed how some dogs seem to blend in perfectly with their surroundings?

A dog’s coat colour isn’t just about looks—many breeds were originally selected with specific colours that served a functional purpose.
Here are a few examples:

🟡 English Setter – Its light coat makes it easy to spot while hunting in open fields.

⚪ Fox Terrier – Its palecolouringg helped distinguish it from wild animals like foxes during hunts.

⚫ Border Collie – Its dark coat serves as a visual cue: sheep perceive it as a threat and respond accordingly, which helps the dog herd them.

🟤 Cairn Terrier Colours, like black or sandy brown, help it blend into rocky landscapes (like Clava Cairns) and bushes while hunting. The name “Cairn” actually refers to the stone piles typical of the Scottish countryside.

⚫⚪ Siberian Husky – The black and white contrast echoes the snowy landscapes of Siberia. While it may aid a bit in camouflage, it primarily reflects adaptation to harsh climates.

🟫 Dachshund – Originally bred for burrow hunting (like badgers), its brown coat—often in earthy shades—resembles the colour of soil and woodland. This helped it stay hidden from both prey and predators during underground pursuits.

✨ Have you ever wondered if your dog’s coatcolourr is tied to its past?

Tell me in the comments! And follow me for more breed facts and curiosities! 🐾

Address

Edinburgh

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 8pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mindful Pets posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Mindful Pets:

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Finding peace in the relationship with a pet

I have many years’ experience in caring for people with anxiety/depression disorders as a psychotherapist, and I have helped people to achieve their goals, such as living without anxiety. I have discovered that I am able to understand the emotional needs of animals, especially dogs and cats, and I can help to improve the relationship between a person and their pets.

I would like to tell you a story.

I lived with my cat Matisse for 13 years. She was a gift from the sky – literally! In August 2001, she had been ejected from a moving car, and while travelling through the air she made contact with a female cyclist who was travelling behind the car. This woman saved her. At that time I didn’t like cats, and wasn’t looking for one, but a friend of mine, who knew the woman cyclist, insisted that I should come and see the cat. The moment I saw this scared little cat, and our eyes met, it was love at first sight! She was a poor, frightened thing – she trembled a lot – and I decided that she needed a place where she could feel safe. So, for the next month, every night she slept in my bed, in the hollow of my tummy. It seemed like a dream. I took care of this little vulnerable creature, and as I did so, the quality of her life improved markedly. At that time I assumed, quite presumptuously, that any progress in my own life then was due to myself. It was only years later that I realized this was untrue – any improvements to my life were due to Matisse, my little cat.