Blog — Holistic Healing
Personal Play and Play Fighting: Co-Regulating with Your Dog
The polyvagal theory implies that more attention needs to be paid to the development of interventions that either promote activation of the social vagus or dampen sympathetic tone. One major implication is the need to pay closer attention the therapeutic use of play, rough and tumble behaviors that serve as preliminary exercises to develop adaptive defensive and aggressive behaviors, as a means of shifting people [and dogs] out of fight-or-flight reactions into loving and mutually engaged mobilization. --Bessel A. van der Kolk, in the foreword to: The Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen W. Porges Mirroring your dog during play...
As Your Dog's World Shrinks, So Does His Brain
Enrichment has been trending in the dog training for quite some time now, but do you know WHY it's actually so important? It's not just about providing your dog with puzzles and distractions to drain their energy. Environmental enrichment that provides breed-specific biological fulfillment actually changes your dog's brain! It makes your dog's brain more flexible and open to learning. This is ESPECIALLY important for behavior modification because we need your dog's brain to grow new neural pathways so they can learn and actively choose new behaviors. So while it may make sense for a short time to...
Resolving the Past
In Peter Levine's "Trauma and Memory" he explains that successful renegotiation of traumatic memories is accomplished by navigating the stressful experiences that trigger those memories. This leads to a feeling of triumph and mastery, and thus resolution of the past. In this way, we can move forward in life with vibrant energy, no longer stuck in the old patterns that our autonomic nervous system keeps replaying (fight/flight/freeze & appease).So with a dog who is reactive, we have to create the same possibility of successful renegotiation. This is different from counter-conditioning. This takes the original triggering experience, allows the dog to...
What is Dog Training?
Dog "training" is not a 6 week class and then you are done "training" your dog. Dog "training" is not a quick fix for a behavioral problem. Dog "training" is not: How do I get my dog to be obedient to me and 100% listen to his commands no matter what? Dog training is a lifelong study in RELATIONSHIP. So what can I call myself? I am not a dog trainer. I am a student of dogs. I am a student of energy, life, and the natural order of the universe. I am on a quest to become the most...
Somatic Hound Podcast: Karishma Warr, Calm Canine Academy
The Somatic Hound Podcast is all about how to use somatic technology with your canine companion, helping you and your best doggie friend co-regulate and live a happy life together! I was honored to speak with Karishma Warr from Calm Canine Academy, all about biological fulfillment for your dog and how this affects their nervous system. Subscribe on Spotify Support the show