Warning: this episode references euthanasia

What do you do when you have been dealt an emotional blow, and need time to process that, but time is the one thing you don't have?
Because you have to get back to work so you can make rent for example?
Or because you're parenting small children and you're happy to get 5 minutes of quiet time on the toilet?

This episode tries to give some practical tips as to what you can do in situations like that using the low-key of example of getting over a dog training set-back as well as the example of not having been able to rescue a dog from behavioral euthanasia as a dog professional.

Leah Lykos, a dog behaviorist out of Chattanooga Tennessee and guardian to three dogs, Eva, Biggie, and Mia explains how her focus is on movement and somatic work. That makes sense given that she operates from the philosophy that for dogs even more so than for humans there is no separation of mind and body.

We discuss something new to me: resistance feeding.

The idea behind resistance feeding is to not control the dog's behavior but to provide an appropriate outlet for it.

Everything is always on a spectrum, so we discuss how to know if you're allowing stress to dissipate or adding to the dog's stress.

In that same sense of knowing if something is helpful or not, we touch on the concept of your dog as a mirror. When is hurting to see it that way and when is it helping?

Leah explains how she differentiates between people who are already so aware of their own stress and so focused on solving for that, that it inhibits them in working with their dog,

and people who are so detached from their body and their feelings. that they have no idea they may be projecting onto their dog.

From there we dig into the inner work we get to do thanks to our dogs.

When you have trouble connecting with your dog, what part of yourself do you have trouble connecting with or accepting?

How does understanding your dog help to understand yourself?

How do we regulate our own nervous system?

Leah explains that it is her daily work to figure out how she can stay passionate about what she's doing, without getting completely wrapped up in every single case.

Links:

Leah's website: https://www.caninemovementlab.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caninemovementlab/

The YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSlbjJXVMBxSGBgkbNWXOZw

Episode website: https://kajsavanoverbeek.com/035-leah-lykos-of-canine-movement-lab-on-somatic-work-and-your-dog-as-your-mirror/

[The audio of this episode is a bit wonky, but I hope you'll put up with it because the content is great]

Matilda is a canine coach who creates all the things she wishes she would have had available when working with her dog Nala for her clients.

We talk about how Rafiki, her second dog, helped her grow into the person she is now.
(and what on earth possessed her to get a second dog after having a first dog who was Ruff Around the Edges)

When you listen to the episode you'll be blown away by her transformation and her approach to life.

Imagine being startled by barking... and ending up working with dogs.

We talk about the constant state of dysregulation living in a home with inter-dog aggression brings.
About the toll living with an aggressive dog takes on a relationship.
About what it takes to set boundaries with your loved ones and strangers.
About learning to love life without regrets.
About how freeing it is to have like-minded people by your side.

And so much more.

Find Matilda here:
Her website: https://www.matildathecaninecoach.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matildathecaninecoach/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matildathecaninecoach
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matildathecaninecoach

The episode website is here:
https://kajsavanoverbeek.com/035-matilda-kelsall-amp-nala-and-rafiki-on-dog-sparked-personal-growth-in-leaps-and-bounds/