Dog lovers know that doting on their prized pets makes for a happy pup, yet there’s something you might be missing, in terms of giving your dog a chance at sublime happiness.
An animal communicator shared the one thing you can do to make your dog feel super happy.
Danielle MacKinnon revealed that there’s one particular action dog owners can do to amplify the bond they have with their furry friend.
“This one thing can be really, really hard for people, because we are taught not to do it. We are taught that it’s not okay,” she explained. To keep a close bond with your dog, you have to be “very transparent” about your feelings.
“Your pet is intuitively connected to you, so when your inside and your outside don’t match, they pick it up, and it makes you less trustworthy,” MacKinnon said.
If we’re not open with our pets about our emotions, they can pick up on the shift in our energy. MacKinnon believes that holding our energy back, whether it’s negative or positive, leads our dogs to ask, “Why isn’t my human being honest with me?”
Photo: Pixabay / Pexels
“If you’re happy, be happy,” she advised. “But a lot of the time, we’re human, we’re not happy.”
Letting your dog know how you feel relieves the pressure of keeping it all inside, while strengthening the bond between you and your pup.
“If you’re sad, be sad, and say it to your pet… If you’re depressed, if you’re confused, if you’re worried, just say it out loud to your pet,” MacKinnon advised.
Owning a dog can improve your physical and mental health: Daily walks can lower your blood pressure, and improve overall heart health while combatting depression and anxiety.
The companionship a dog provides is a proven mood-booster. According to a survey from the American Psychiatric Association, 87% of dog owners believe their pet has a positive impact on their mental health. Additionally, 69% of dog owners reported that their pups provide unconditional love and support, and 66% said their dogs offer a calming presence.
Photo: Humphrey Muleba / Pexels
If we rely on our dogs to give us love, affection, and a sense of security, we owe it to them to be honest about our internal landscape.
Our dogs can tell when we’re feeling off. Pretending otherwise just makes us feel worse and leaves our pups wondering why our words don't actually match our mood.
By being honest with our dogs, we’re also being more honest with ourselves. It’s more than okay to have a hard day — acknowledging it might just make that emotional burden a little lighter.
“When you are transparent when your inside and your outside matches, you’re no longer holding energy inside you, and it actually opens you up to have that love connection with your beloved pet, even if you’re kind of having a bad day,” MacKinnon concluded.
Our pets are sources of support and beloved members of our families. Practicing a form of radical honesty with our pups is a valuable way to work that muscle and get comfortable with owning the full range of our emotions.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.
