Kelly Krueger, Articulate Animals Blog

Animal Communicator puts voice to your pet's thoughts, needs, emotions

The Wisdom of a Cat named Milagro

Feb 4

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Stories about our Animals | No Comments

Milagro

There is a new blog out there which, as an animal communicator, intrigued me when I learned of it. Now, having followed “Millie Cat” for several posts, I am hooked. Her wisdom is profound and many of her topics have reached deep within me as a human, not particularly as an animal communicator.

I’ll leave it at that and encourage you to check out Milago’s blog: http://milagrocat.blogspot.com/. I recommend starting with her first post (January 25th) and reading Millie’s story and how she came to impart her wisdom through her human interpreter.

Enjoy!

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“Basic Animal Communication for Daily Living” Feb. 6

Jan 26

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Activities, Events, Classes | No Comments

Basic Animal Communication for Daily Living tele-class
Saturday, February 6, 2010
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time
(9:00 – 10:30 a.m. Pacific; noon-1:30 p.m. Eastern)
Cost $30 (plus possible long distance phone charges for the teleconference)              ***Early Registration Incentive: $10 discount if registered by January 28th

After attending this tele-class you will be able to successfully communicate simple information to your pet:  

  • Reinforce solutions after a training class or animal communication session
  • Convey your love to your animals while you are away on vacation
  • Address simple behaviors

Each participant is encouraged to bring a topic to class and receive individualized guidance from Kelly on how to structure an appropriate communication to your animal.

 To register and for more information, click here.

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Are Veterinarians Open To Animal Communication?

Jan 19

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets, Stories about our Animals | No Comments

Occasionally I work with clients who express concern or nervousness about telling their veterinarian that the information they are providing regarding their pet’s symptoms is coming directly from their animal via an animal communicator. That’s fair. While the benefits of working with an animal communicator are becoming more and more accepted and acknowledged, I know there are skeptics out there. Many veterinarians are very open to the idea, and some are extremely enthusiastic when it comes to using information gained directly from the animal via an animal communicator.

Let me share Abbey’s story. Abbey hurt herself while playing and her limp had become worse over a couple of days. Her guardians called to see if I could talk with Abbey before their upcoming veterinary appointment scheduled for the following Monday. I applaud their strategy. They recognized Abbey’s discomfort and worked quickly to schedule x-rays or whatever would be necessary to understand her injury, THEN they turned to animal communication to gain understanding of Abbey’s symptoms as described directly by Abbey, which might provide additional information to share with their vet.

As I began to get a feel for Abbey’s aches and pains, I recall telling her human “Abbey says it hurts here, and it feels better when she moves in this way.” After a few of these comments I realized that the client was getting quiet and more reserved. She admitted two things: 1. she expected Abbey to confirm the client’s assumption that the discomfort was in Abbey’s lower limb, which she also assumed would be obvious to the vet; and 2.  the client hadn’t considered the need to broach the subject of using an animal communicator with her veterinarian and/or animal clinic staff.

You see, from human observation it appeared that Abbey probably had a “sprained ankle” of some sort. While they couldn’t find an exact location that was painful upon palpitation, the way Abbey was holding her leg and resting her leg when in a sitting position seemed as though her pain was in the lower extremity, the client explained. Conversely, Abbey expressed absolutely no concern for her lower leg; instead, her whole attention rested in the deep hip and pelvis area. The client, whom I had worked with on a few occasions previously, didn’t doubt Abbey’s explanation of her symptoms. This put the client in an awkward position, however, and she had to determine just how comfortable, or uncomfortable, she would be in telling the vet of our animal communication consultation.

An animal communicator’s role is to work on behalf of the animal, allowing the animal to be heard in whatever way is appropriate. The animal doesn’t care if their human admits to working with an animal communicator; they care that their information is being heard and used to the best possible benefit. When I understood the client’s discomfort in talking with the vet, we were able to come up with ways to share Abbey’s symptoms to the vet exactly as Abbey explained them, but which didn’t include the use of the words “animal communication.”

That Monday I received a very excited call from the client on her way home from their veterinary visit. The client had found a burst of courage and admitted to her veterinarian that she had received some very specific details about Abbey’s discomfort via an animal communicator. The vet’s response? “I LOVE animal communication! I’ve worked with an animal communicator myself a couple of times. Tell me, what did Abbey have to say?”

It turns out that Abbey’s very detailed description of where she was hurting allowed the vet to take one, and only one, x-ray and find the problem right away. The vet told the client that she would have started with the lower leg area, concurring with the client’s visual assumption. Her positive experience with animal communication, however, encouraged her to go first to the site of Abbey’s explanation.  The problem area was, in fact, in the area between the hip socket and the pelvis. There was no need to look further, saving the client the expense of multiple x-rays and saving Abbey from extended and unnecessary poking and prodding.

 ”To tell, or not to tell” is a viable question. As long as your beloved animal’s information is being heard and expressed in an appropriate way, I encourage you to follow your intuition. You may find, as in the case of Abbey and her humans, an unqualified acceptance of the concept of animal communication by your health care provider. This opens the door for more dialog in the future regarding your pet’s symptoms and overall health experience. If you are concerned, however, that your animal clinic is not completely on board yet with the concept of animal communication, then work with your animal communicator to identify ways to share your pet’s critical information and symptoms to your health care provider in a way that remains truthful and in integrity for the animal and gives your furry companion every opportunity for a thorough and successful diagnosis. At some point, however, you may find a burst of courage in talking with your veterinarian about the use of animal communication, and you might just be surprised with their positive response!

What is your experience with sharing your animal’s symptoms with your health care provider? Leave a comment and let us know!

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Terminal Care and Assistance for Our Pets

Jan 6

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Products & Animal Resources, Recommended Reading about Animals | 1 Comment

I attended a workshop last fall which addressed the topic of the animals’ perspective on dying and when/if assistance is appropriate. The guest presenter of the workshop, Paloma Bärtschi-Herrera, has published an e-book on this subject. I found the e-book to be insightful and helpful in answering some questions about the dying process based on the wisdom of her own animals in spirit.Final Journey image

Animals and the Final Journey:
Help in Passing Over and Assisting
by Paloma Bärtschi-Herrera

This is an emotional topic, but one which we all must face at some point. If  you have an aging animal and are beginning to have questions about resources to help your animal to pass peacefully, whether assisted or unassisted, you may want to consider browsing through this e-book. I started the e-book before my beloved Valentino passed, and finished the book after. While I was at peace with his transition and our agreements with one another, I still found some “ah ha” items in the e-book which helped validate and gave me a clearer perspective on the dying process and why he chose this particular timing and circumstance for his unassisted passing.

The e-book “Animals and the Final Journey” is available on Paloma’s website.  The price is listed on the site; the e-book is 51 pages in length.

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Animal Communication Over The Phone – Seriously?

Dec 17

Posted by Kelly Krueger in About, Frequently Asked Animal Questions | No Comments

In this day of technology, many of us are able to telecommute to our work from the convenience of our home office. We can hook up via the Internet to stay on top of emails, and our home phones or cell phones can link us in to most meetings quickly and easily. Does the same apply to the profession of animal communication? It’s one thing to participate in a meeting via phone or web conference, but can an animal communicator work with animals via phone or web conference?

phoneOne of the most frequently asked questions I receive from new clients is: how can you work with my animal if you aren’t right here with them?

Most of my animal communication consultations are performed from my home office via phone. I have a comfy futon-style chair where I curl up with my phone and the provided photograph of the subject animal. I work with the animal’s human guardian on the phone, giving the guardian real-time access to their beloved pet’s comments, feelings, and concerns. In the same way, the guardian has opportunity to express their love, appreciation, and expectations to their animals in real-time.

While the phone line connects me directly with the guardian, my link to the animal needs no physical, tangible connection. By focusing on the animal through a photograph or verbal physical description, the telepathic linkage to the animal is created.  With the guardian present via phone, I invite the animal to join us in conversation. Quite often the animal is immediately and enthusiastically ready to chat; occasionally the animal is a little more reserved until they are assured of the purpose of our conversation and that their beloved guardian is fully present and participating in the conversation. At the beginning of the consultation I “test” the linkage by describing a few general characteristics of the animal as presented by the animal to the guardian for validation, and then we proceed with the guardian’s questions and topics for their pet.

Does this differ from an in-person animal communication session? The only real difference between a phone and an in-person consultation is the presence, or lack thereof, of the phone itself! Very often the animal will come and go from the room in which our consultation is happening. With just a brief visual of the animal initially, the same telepathic linkage to the animal is present during an in-person consultation just as in a phone consultation.

The only true advantage of an in-person consultation is for the human guardian to have the comfort level of a one-to-one connection with the animal communicator. This is very valid, and I am happy to offer an in-person communication session if the human is most comfortable with this approach. The advantage of an animal communication session via phone is the absence of distractions, both for the animal communicator and the animals. If your pets are shy or have stranger fear, or if the home is a bit chaotic with the demands of young children, for example, then a phone consultation may be more comfortable for all concerned.

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Animal Communication: Katy’s Story

Dec 10

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Stories about our Animals | No Comments

I met Katy in August 2009. Her family’s beloved Dachshund, Cinnamon, had passed in March and the family needed closure. Cinnamon was available for communication from the spirit world, and was very compassionate and loving in her words to her mom and her doggie companions. After communicating with Cinnamon, I worked with each of the remaining doxies in the home, helping them understand their grief and addressing the one or two other topics that came up.

Each of the three doxie-girls was mourning the passing of Cinnamon in her own way. The additional topics for each of “the girls” were interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them all… but Katy’s story captured my heart.

Katy

Katy

Katy had some grief, but only a portion of her sadness was related to Cinnamon’s passing. Yes, she missed Cinnamon, but there was something more. She was timid and a little melancholy and her confidence was low. The topic for Katy was her regular (and annoying) barking and yowling. Whether in the house or in the yard, she would suddenly start barking for no obvious reason, often staring out into space blankly.

When I asked Katy about the barking and yowling, she said “I have to do that because otherwise I’m invisible! Being vocal is the only way that I know I can be seen and won’t disappear.” This was an interesting perspective which her mom and I both had to ponder. Her mom commented “we do see you and we love spending time with you Katy, so why do you leave the rest of the family and go sit by yourself?” Her answer reinforced her earlier comments about being invisible, and the rest of our conversation illuminated the depth of her self-esteem issues.  

At this point, Katy’s mom shared her experience of Katy since coming to their loving family seven years prior: Katy was adopted at four months old, and never seemed to totally integrate into the family. She would remove herself from the other dogs after a short period of play, would go out in the yard by herself for long periods of time, and in all the time she had lived with the family, she had never accepted the regular invitations to sleep on the family bed with her humans and the other dogs. To all of this, her rationale was that she had “reached her limit in expending energy to keep herself visible,” even though in every case her isolation was self-imposed.

Her mom and I talked with her at length about how welcome she is in the family, how loved she is, and how much the family appreciates her own unique self and would love to get to know her even better, if she would allow herself to open up. Katy helped me identify a couple of flower essence remedies which she felt would be helpful in supporting her emotionally in the next few weeks. I thanked Katy for being open and honest with us, and we ended our session.

Angel

Angel

About six weeks later the family scheduled another animal communication consultation, this time to help them welcome a new little girl-Dachshund into the family. Before meeting Angel, I was thrilled to receive an update on Katy and her doxie-sisters since our first communication session. Katy’s inappropriate vocalization (barking and yowling) had decreased considerably, and in the first week after our consultation Katy had accepted TWO  invitations to sleep on the bed with the family! In every way, the family was seeing a more confident, outgoing, and happy Katy.

The newly adopted Angel had her own story to share. Within days of coming to the family she had become very ill with pneumonia and irritable bowel syndrome, and her depression was palpable. She had been in two foster homes since being relinquished by her original family and her ability to trust and love had diminished to nearly nothing by the time she came to her new forever family. When I was introduced to Angel her short-term and long-term prognosis was still uncertain. She had been out of intensive care for just three days and I felt strongly that we needed to help her regain a will to live. Katy to the rescue!

The Dachshunds’ mom suggested that we ask Katy to take an active role in nursing Angel back to health and to show her the ropes once she was feeling well. Darling Katy, who just six short weeks prior was questioning her own viability in the family, said – quite enthusiastically I might add – “I’m ON IT! Leave Angel to me. That’s going to be my new job!”

Sure enough, the update in the next consultation in mid-November was astoundingly positive. Angel’s physical health, demeanor and zest for life was improving daily. Angel said “I’m 75% good and will be 100% very soon.” Her re-found joy for life glowed from within her. She had become “Katy’s little shadow” as their mom explained, and the piddle pads that had once carpeted the living room because Angel refused to go outside without extreme coaxing, were gone. Katy had something to say too – she was *thrilled* with her job of helping Angel learn her way.

Today, just four months after I was introduced to this remarkable family, the once-timid Katy with very low self-esteem is full of life, fully integrated into the family and relishes playing with the other dogs and humans. She is sleeping on the family bed every night, no longer isolating herself, and she barks only when a squirrel or cat happens by and catches her attention. The “wall flower” has become the center of attention and her job of mentoring Angel continues to be performed with expertise, love, and enthusiasm.

Written with permission and input from the loving mom of Katy, Angel, Danke, Clove, and Cinnamon.

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Animal Articles Worth Reading

Nov 30

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Animal Behaviors, Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets, Recommended Reading about Animals | No Comments

I enjoy reading a variety of animal-related magazines regularly. There are a lot of good ones out there! Occasionally I will call your attention to an article here or there. The current issue (December/January 2010) of Animal Wellness magazine has a number of helpful articles which may be relevant for you and your animal family.

December/January 2010 issue

December/January 2010 issue

The article “Aging Gracefully” by Barbara Nefer lists seven steps to a happy senior. Some of the seven steps are common sense for animal lovers, but I found a few tips I hadn’t thought of.

My animal communication practice sometimes deals with dogs who have a desire/need to eat things that are not edible. “Strange Tastes” by Debbie Swanson talks about the dangers of this obsession and offers tips to break the habit.

Have you ever considered meditating with your animals? It’s fun AND beneficial! The article “Peace on Earth” by Kathleen Prasad explains that animals respond well to meditation, often responding with deep relaxation and extra lovin’ for their human.

I was particularly grateful for the article “Making the Switch” by Shawn Messonnier, DVM which lists several very relevant and important questions to ask when considering moving from a conventional to a holistic veterinarian.

Another frequent topic in my animal communication practice has to do with dogs who are anti-social or show aggression to other dogs. Every dog I work with has a different rationale or reason for exhibiting these behaviors. The article “Is He Antisocial?” by Sharon Athanasiou helps illuminate how humans are a factor in the equation with a list of “do’s” and “don’ts” to clip out and post on your fridge!

There is also a short update on the “Happy Bill” which, if passed as written, would give a tax deduction of up to $3,500 per year on pet care expenses. You can stay up to date on this pending legislation http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501.IH:

If any of these topics are near and dear to your heart, I encourage you to pick up the current issue of Animal Wellness magazine or subscribe here.

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Keeping Our Pets Safe During the Holidays

Nov 18

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Animal Behaviors, Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets | No Comments

Late fall often signals a flurry of questions from clients about keeping their pets calm in the midst of all the holiday happenings. Those of us in the United States will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving, and the celebrating continues on holiday 3through early January. That’s almost two months of parties, house guests, marathon shopping, extra food in the house, the delivery drivers ringing the door bell, and then fireworks on New Year’s Eve to top it off.  That’s a lot of possible stress for our pets. Hey, who am I kidding? It’s a lot of stress for humans, too! As enjoyable as the holidays are, they can lead to some mild (or more) anxiety, less sleep, less exercise, and chaos around the home. Our pets are right in the middle of it all.

Remember, our state of mind affects our pets. When we are worried about the in-laws week-long visit, or stressed that we haven’t found that perfect gift for Aunt Sally, our pets can take on – mirror – our anxiety. When our stress is intensified because we haven’t been to the gym for a week and a half, we might begin to see our companion animals exhibiting unusual behaviors.  A stressed-out human often equates to a stressed and mis-behaved pet. It is important, for your sake as well as your animals, to stick to your normal routines during this busy time.

Sure, easier said than done! But consider strategies and opportunities to keep your routine in place and to minimize anxiety as much as you can. Try to calm yourself before walking in the door to your home or stable. It’s a cycle – if you are calm when you greet your pets, then they do their favorite thing of keeping you calm and entertained all evening long. The calmer you are, then the calmer they are, then they calm you more…. and the cycle continues.

Consider the things in the next couple of months that will be out of the ordinary in your animal’s perspective. Will your home be a revolving door of visitors, a college student returning home, or relatives taking up residence for a few days? Or perhaps your family will be vacationing for a few days and your pets will be staying in a kennel or cared for by someone else. An animal communicator can help prepare your pets for these short-term changes.

And what about the food? All that glorious food! Both dogs and cats have intolerance to certain foods that humans take for granted – onions, garlic, chocolate, raisins, and some nuts are just a few. While cooking for a party or a family gathering, be aware of tasty but possibly toxic morsels that drop on the kitchen floor. 

The rich and abundant food during the holidays is intensified with the potential side-effect of less time and attention to
exercise. Remember that even during the most hectic of times, getting out with your animals – a nice trail ride with your horse or regular walks with the pooch – will benefit your animals AND you.

HolidayFinally, keep in mind that the holidays often bring in elements which can be harmful, even toxic, to your house pets. Christmas trees with lights strung on the low branches can be snagged by dogs and cats, resulting in the animal getting tangled or stuck, and a struggling pet may have the strength to pull the tree down on themselves. The water in the tree stand is far from fresh and clean, so try to keep the well of the tree-stand covered. Broken ornaments, tinsel  and  holiday ribbon could be deadly for pets if swallowed. Extra candles, possibly scented with essential oils, can have an adverse effect on cats. And remember seasonal plants like poinsettias, azaleas, and holly are beautiful and festive, but also pose serious danger to animals if ingested.

Whether you are traveling or staying at home, enjoy the holidays and help your pets fully enjoy this time as well.

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