The Dog Whisperer

We have been enjoying a television show on the National Geographic channel: The Dog Whisperer. It's worth watching.

You may be thinking: if I'm not having problems with my dog, or I don't have a dog why should I care?

On the surface the show appears to be about how to handle problem dogs. But if you pay close attention you'll discover that The Dog Whisperer is really not about dogs at all.. .....but about how your beliefs impact everything (and everyone) around you.

The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, has a simple premise that he repeats over and over:  dog problems are not really about the animal but rather about how the humans respond to the situation with the dog.

When he visits the home, Cesar seems only mildly interested in what the dog is doing yet much more focused on what the humans are doing.

In one episode a dog is traumatized by the sound of an air compressor and tools making loud noises in the garage. Whenever the man is in the garage working, the dog hides behind the couch, or in the bathtub and whines. The dog is a friendly golden retriever, a great family dog, but the people are baffled at her behavior.

The Dog Whisperer comes over and interviews the couple to understand what the problem is. Then he asks the man's wife, "Do you like the garage?"

She looks at him like he's crazy.  But as the conversation deepens it is revealed that she hates the garage.  In fact she is resentful and angry at her husband because he is gone all day at work and right after dinner he goes into the garage and works on his motorcycle and car. She feels abandoned and ignored.

The Dog Whisperer has them all go into the garage and asks her, for the moment at least, to enjoy being in the garage.  Then he asks her to visualize and emotionally experience something she enjoys.  Within 30 minutes they are all in the garage together, with the air compressor running, and the dog is lying on the floor calm and balanced.

Cesar's teaching is that when trying to get an animal to repeat a certain behavior it is important to realize that they will respond to the energy we project. 

Each person projects energy based on how they see the world and what they decide about the situation they're in.  That energy is their intent.  The energy of their intent is their personal dream of life in that moment.  And the dog, the animal who does not think, is a perfect reflection of that dream. A mirror if you will.

I talk to many people who struggle with the little things (and sometimes big things) in life - money, kids, work, and relationship. Any struggle has a feeling component of being overwhelmed, stuck, or in emotional reaction.

We all have moments like that. But try and notice: In those moments what flavor of energy are you projecting?

The energy you project will always be reflected by the small world around you. If you are taking things personally, reacting, complaining, needing things to be different, or demanding to be right what do you suppose your world will reflect back to you?

This is the true beauty of Cesar's teaching. If you want an animal (or any group that you're leading) to repeat a certain behavior you have to be the leader. By practicing conscious intent, (being calm, assertive, knowing what you desire, and moving forward - instead of reacting) you become a consumate leader.

See, I told you this was really not about dogs......