The more you start looking at animals as equals and seeing their emotions, behaviors and quirks from their point of view, the happier they will be. They will engage more. They will open up more. Their personalities will shine more. They will behavior “better”. They will understand more.
I was always a gentle, patient, and kind guardian. 20 years ago I had happy pets. But I was seeing them from a human perspective. I was humanizing them. Placing my emotions and thoughts on them instead of trying to see their own thoughts and emotions and perspectives. I was placing my human ideas of why they behaved a certain way.
Now, holy cow! My pets are a level of happy that I never knew existed! All because I started seeing things from THEIR perspective, THEIR understanding, THEIR thoughts and emotions and most importantly their WHY behind their behaviors. Not the why I placed on their behavior, from a human perspective. I thought I was seeing things from their perspective often, but I wasn’t. I let human thoughts and emotions get in the way.
It’s changed the way I teach them (aka train). Its changed the way I engage with them. It’s changed the way I love them. It’s changed everything. Everything is a million times better. My animals are SO much more expressive. They are allowed freedom to be who they are and to do the jobs they want to do.
I never knew the difference, until I experienced the difference. I adopted 100% “their perspective”. Every single situation. Every single behavior. Every single “issue”. Every single engagement I have with them. 100% of the time. Every time.
It takes some retraining of yourself at first. But quickly it becomes natural and you don’t have to think about it anymore.
It’s worth it. You will not believe the change you see in your pets.
