When clients call with behavior related questions, I am careful to not jump to conclusions about the root cause of the issue. True, often there is an obvious disconnect between the human and animal in  terms of strong leadership, enough exercise, or good ongoing training and reinforcement. Dogs and horses in particular need consistent training and leadership, but other animals also pick up on leadership qualities in their humans and will generally respond accordingly.

Many behaviors are deeper and may indicate other factors. If you begin to witness changes in your pet that you’ve never seen exhibited before, consider their age. For some aging animals, eyesight, loss of  hearing, and loss of mobility due to arthritis may bring about changes. Stiff joints may reduce their ability to get outside or get into their litter box fast enough to avoid an accident. There may be ways to assist, like moving their favorite bed closer to the dog door or finding a litter box with lower sides for easier access. Skittishness, increased barking or yowling, and fear behaviors may accompany a loss of an animal’s sense of sight, hearing, or smell. The slow onset of senility can bring about these same types of changes in behavior. A gentle understanding and explanation of the changes can be helpful for both animal and humans in the household.

Changes in an animal’s environment can also bring  about short-term or long-term behavioral changes. Loss of a loved one – animal or human – is devastating to our pets and they need time and support to work through their grief. Even short-term loss such as the departure of a teenager to a semester at college is confusing and your pet may mourn that loss of the daily interaction with their friend. You understand your student will return for weekends and holidays, but until a few cycles of departure and return are witnessed by your animals, it may not be clear to them.

Medical issues can cause changes in behaviors, and regular checkups are critical in your health care routine for your beloved companions. Some medical causes of behavioral changes may not be readily obvious and checking in with your pet through an animal communicator may provide answers and symptoms to help health care practitioners provide excellent care.

Daily observation goes a long way in understanding behaviors, but when causes of a shift in behavior is not obvious, check with your animal health practitioner and then determine if additional information from your pet through a professional communicator is appropriate.

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Positive Thinking = Positive Behaviors
• Flower Essences for Emotional Healing – Part Two
• Our Well-Being Affects our Pets

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There are several examples of clients receiving information from their pet that doesn’t directly align with their observations: a very finicky cat asks for a food that seems extremely inconsistent with her previous desires; a dog asks for a new animal companion but all his encounters with dogs on walks or in the park are less than friendly; a fearful animal suddenly requests an activity that has previously been unpleasant.

Happy Family

I had this exact experience recently with my own companion and I found myself needing to practice what I ask my clients to do – trust their pet and believe in their communication. My girl pug dog is not the friendliest when it comes to other dogs entering our home. I observe either pouting and isolation or flat-out aggression, and sometimes she decides to make her point very clear by exhibiting both behaviors.

When I heard her ask over and over again for a new dog companion I had this same “hear one thing, but observe the opposite” phenomenon. It took a lot of belief in the animal communication process and a lot of trust that she was sincerely asking for a companion to share our home.

I agreed to “practice what I preach” and put my trust and belief in animal communication and in my girl-dog’s sincerity when voicing her desires for a new companion. I agreed to turn it over to her, and in less than a week she identified and orchestrated the perfect new dog coming to live with us. And it worked! From the moment the boy Husky arrived, she welcomed him with open paws. Trusting in animal communication  brought us a new animal companion. My girl pug is happy, and she’s been a rock star at welcoming the new guy and sharing her space. I’m so glad I believed!

For more of our story, see the July issue of the Articulate Animals newsletter at http://www.articulateanimals.com./

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Animal Communication and Body Language
• Animal Communication: Katy’s Story
• Take the 24-hour Pet Communication Challenge

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Kelly Krueger Provides a Voice for Your Pet’s Needs and Emotions (click to see full article)

By Sarah Schraad

Are you or your family heading on vacation this summer? And if so, have you told your pets what is in store for them while you are away? Kelly Krueger, owner of Articulate Animals, can help you pass along the message. A professional animal communicator, Krueger says that it is important your pet understands when and why you are going away…and that you’re coming back.

Kelly Krueger, Animal Communicator

“More and more people are utilizing animal communication for a variety of situations like vacation preparation, as well as behavioral problems and health concerns,” says Krueger. “By enlisting an animal communicator, individuals can deepen their relationship and understanding of their pets, as well as obtain information about a particular issue that can then be used to benefit both the family and the animal.”

Born and raised on a Wyoming cattle ranch, animals have always been part of Krueger’s life. Based in Evergreen, she launched Articulate Animals in 2007 and has worked with clients in nearly every US state as well as around the world in places like India, Australia, and Ireland.

While the majority of her consultations are with dogs, cats, and horses, Krueger has also worked with birds, rabbits, iguanas, and more.  She connects telepathically with the animal in an effort to better understand a variety of issues, for example, why the pet behaves a specific way around strangers. In the event of a health concern, Krueger can help identify where an animal’s physical discomfort exists, which can then be shared with the family’s veterinarian. She also helps animals prepare for upcoming household changes such as a new baby, loss of a loved one, or moving to a new home.

“Most pet owners speak with their pets daily, usually to accomplish a specific task or correct a behavior,” Krueger says. “While we know our animals listen to us, it may not be as clear that our animals are also speaking to us with the same purpose and intent. I help individuals better understand what their pets are saying and feeling, because once those details are uncovered, harmony and balance can be restored.”

While there will always be skeptics, Krueger says that once an individual actually experiences the benefits and sees the results – such as a strange behavior that abruptly stops following a consultation – they recognize that animal communication does work and can improve the health and happiness of an animal.

“All of my clients have the same goal in mind, which is to gain a better understanding of their pet’s overall well-being and ensure the animal is content and feels loved. I can think of no better reward than helping my clients achieve a stronger relationship with their animal companion,” she adds.

More information is available on Kelly’s website, www.articulateanimals.com, including first-hand testimonials about her work and information on upcoming classes on animal communication. If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact Kelly at Kelly@ArticulateAnimals.com or by phone at 303-670-0292.

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Interview with Kelly about Animal Communication
• Practice Communicating with Your Animals
• Your Pet is Speaking; Are You Listening?

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Other posts which may be of interest:

• Article: Kelly Krueger Provides a Voice for Your Pet’s Needs and Emotions
• Take the 24-hour Pet Communication Challenge
• Talking To Your Animals is Great Validation!

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Objective: Spend the next 24 hours joyfully communicating all the wonderful things you know about your pet

Rationale: This challenge reminds us just how simple it is to express our love and our expectations to our pets in a way that encourages their enthusiastic participation

Steps: 

1. Identify 2-3 items you wish to work on with your pet, or recent successes which you wish to reinforce

2. For 24 hours, be conscious of communicating with your pet, both out-loud and silently, in an encouraging, positive, and compassionate way

That’s it! I told you – simple! To help you with your challenge, here are a few examples. Some may apply directly to your own topics, or you can use these examples to create your own reinforcing communications.

House training example: Perhaps your dog has been properly house broken for some time, with only the occasional accident due to a short-term virus or a moment of extreme excitement. At some point in the day, unrelated to a bathroom break (or mistake), simply affirm the great job they’ve been doing: “You are my great go-outside-to-go-potty boy, Rover.” Do they know exactly what the words mean? No, but in that moment of expressing your sincere appreciation of a consistent job well-done, you will feel joyful at the success and you will automatically envision the several productive trips outside for appropriate elimination. The words of affirmation help you to feel and envision your expression of joy and congratulations and that is what your pet will understand and respond to.

New companion example: Perhaps you have introduced a new kitty to your family of cats. It is never too late to appreciate and affirm the wonderful integration (even if it isn’t consistently wonderful yet!) offered by your existing cats. “Fluffy, I am so proud of what an excellent big sister you are!” Your sincere expression of the welcoming nature of Fluffy, even if Fluffy still has an occasional hiss-fit toward the new kitten, sets a joyful, compassionate expectation which will eventually be fulfilled.

Weight loss example: If your horse enjoys chomping on all the fresh, tender spring grass and has plumped up a bit, you can encourage him through his weight loss regimen: “What a handsome, svelte, and energetic stud you are, Poco!” The tone and content of this affirmation, given randomly and with no direct affiliation to mealtime, helps both you and your horse to remember the goal and see the successful outcome which will soon be realized.

Aging example: My own 11 year old dog still loves her walks, but I notice that its taking a little longer to complete our usual loop. It is healthy for both the human and the animal to accept and acknowledge some of the typical aging issues that might begin to surface, such as slowing down slightly: ”Jezebel, you are my great walking-girl companion!” This simple affirmation, delivered by actually envisioning our very pleasant daily walks, however long they might take, keeps us both present and appreciating every moment we have together. It’s not unusual for me to give this affirmation in the evening as we snuggle, hours after our walk that day.

Most of us move through our day with our beloved pets stating fairly routine requests, corrections, and praise, and we may say little else to our animal companions. These are all appropriate and important ways to work with and connect with our pets, but it takes so little time and energy to communicate even more with them.

This 24-hour challenge encourages you to identify and add in non-routine affirmations through the day. I’m always in a better mood after saying to Jezebel, randomly, just because I love her, ”you are my beautiful and sweet 11 year old girl!” My loving relationship with her just got a little boost and my smile got a little bigger. Challenge yourself to a day of positive affirmations with your pets and see if you don’t have a better day for it. I bet your beloved pet will!

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Practice Communicating with Your Animals
• Article: Kelly Krueger Provides a Voice for Your Pet’s Needs and Emotions
• Our Well-Being Affects our Pets

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A name is a name to the animals, but it is the energetic reaction that we humans might have when hearing their name that they respond to. If an iguana named Rose is regularly faced with the reaction of “that’s a silly name for a lizard” then Rose the iguana may start to question her stature in the world. A horse named Chomper may make some of us wonder if a piece of our bicep might become his afternoon snack! If many people who meet “Chomper” have that same fear and energetic reaction of distancing themselves from his powerful teeth, what is that conveying to the horse over time?

Consider your immediate internal (i.e. energetic) reaction when meeting for the first time:

• a Rottweiler dog named Terminator
• the same Rottweiler dog now named Lovey
• a six month old kitten named Terror
• or the same kitten named Cuddles

Could you imagine yourself being cautious when meeting a dog named Terminator? And did you imagine yourself wanting to scoop up Cuddles the kitten to hold him or her? There really IS something in a name, and over time a cat named Terror may really start to live up to that name. Chomper the horse may become skittish and self-isolating, and Lovey the Rottweiler might become the most popular and adored pet of the neighborhood.

Most of us put a lot of thought into the names we choose for our beloved animals, and appropriately so. I’ve met several animals who truly do live up to their name, both positively and with some behavioral issues. So the next time you find yourself needing to name a new family pet, consider the energetic reaction their name might illicit, and remember that over time those reactions very likely may have a long-lasting affect on how your pet behaves.

Other posts which may be of interest:

• Take the 24-hour Pet Communication Challenge
• Our Well-Being Affects our Pets
• Keeping Our Pets Safe During the Holidays

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