Healthy Mind Canine - Separation Anxiety Blog

  I hope you found value in my last blog about how to nurture a secure attachment from the dog's POV. If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to click this link before you dive into this post so you can understand what I mean by this and why it's so incredibly important. How you feel about your dog is important. It sets the tone for everything and can make or break your dog guardianship experience. Here are some actionable tips to help you nurture a secure attachment with your dog! 1. Shift your mindset about your dog's behavior. Shifting your mindset can completely change the game in your relationship with your dog. We need to recognize that dog's are an entirely different species than us and are often struggling to fit into our human-centric world. They have different social norms, wants, needs, life experiences, and genetic drives. They communicate solely through their behavior. Their behavior is all they have.  Consider that jumping, barking, growling, pulli

What do we mean by "secure attachment" anyway? "Secure attachment refers to a bond where individuals feel safe, supported, and connected, enabling them to express emotions freely, seek comfort from their partner, and confidently explore their environment knowing they have a reliable base to return to." - Misha Jan (Carleton University) So why does this matter so much in our relationships with our dogs? "Dogs have been shown to develop attachment bonds with humans. This relationship allows them to interact securely with their environment in the presence of the owner and show less distress in response to threatening events...  Owner attitudes have been connected to dog behavior and stress, insecure human–dog relationships may be related to poor stress coping in dogs, thereby compromising welfare and contributing to relinquishment... Additionally, owners who are predisposed to view their interactions with their dog as negative may be more likely to fall victim to