Enlightened By Dogs: Living with Cooperation, Not Obedience

do we jump to conclusions, thinking that our dogs are refusing to listen or choosing to be difficult? This week's podcast episode invites us to see our dogs in a new light - as beings HAVING a hard time, NOT giving us a hard time. It's all about creating "a life of compassion, connection, and cooperation with our dogs. And everyone else in our life too!"   Tune in and explore how we can be more fo...

In this episode, Kathy explores the profound connection between our thoughts, feelings, and actions and the way they shape our lives with our dogs. We're delving into how powerful our minds really are and how we can better utilize our brains to help us.   Our old 'Lizzie' brain often throws us off course, highlighting the hurdles and tough bits, convincing us to stick to the status quo, even when...

In today's heartwarming episode, we dive into the essence of consent and freedom in our relationship with our dogs. Reflecting on a coaching session from the Brilliant Partners Academy, we discuss how reimagining our approach towards dogs can build a deep-rooted trust and a cooperative partnership.    Many of our dogs face anxiety at the vet and with difficult caregiving procedures, and this episo...

In this episode of the "Enlightened by Dogs" podcast, Kathy sheds light on what might be keeping us from having that trusting, heart-to-heart connection with our dogs. Often, without realizing it, we may be building walls between ourselves and our dogs, in spite of our true intentions.   Being stuck in our heads, worrying, or fearing mistakes can hinder the genuine connection that we crave. Kathy...

Experiencing the true depth of connection with our dogs lies in understanding our own feelings and mindset.   This episode revolves around a pivotal thought: What if we could manifest the emotions we wish to experience in the future, right in this moment? And what would that mean for our future relationship and partnership life with our dogs?   It's not about waiting for our dogs to behave a certa...

At the heart of every reactive behavior our dogs display is a stress spiral – a chain of emotions and misunderstandings. As dog moms, we often face challenges, especially when confronted with the seeming unpredictability of our dogs' reactions. But what if the key to resolving these reactions isn't in training your dog, but in retraining your brain?   We explore the powerful concept that taking re...

In today's episode, we look at the world of natural communication and connection with our canine companions. Think back to when you first brought your pup home, that initial bond, the trust, and the love that started to flourish. However, as life happens, unpredictable and potentially traumatic events can strain that bond. So, how do we foster a relationship that ensures our dogs look to us as tru...

In this first episode of a three-part series, Kathy highlights the importance of building your dog's social confidence. She uses a variety of scenarios to explain what it means and when it's necessary to be an advocate for your dog.   The series takes a closer look at ways you can stay connected with your dog in awkward and somewhat unpleasant social situations.   Did you know that your puppy or y...

We often make unconscious decisions about what our dog's unwanted behavior means, and then jump to conclusions and take actions based on those assumptions. But what if their behavior doesn't mean what we think it means?   In today's episode, we're going to take a look at why dogs behave certain ways, and how we commonly respond to those behaviors, without even thinking much about it.   When you ha...

When we take a deeper look at what it means to walk in partnership with our dogs, we find opportunities for bonding, connection, mutual respect and kindness.   Most of us dog moms envision walking our dogs as an enjoyable experience … but that's not always how it goes!    For many dog moms, walking their dogs can be a stressful and frustrating experience, rather than a beautiful bonding opportunit...

In this episode of Enlightened By Dogs, Kathy dives into using the power of your thinking to reach the full potential of becoming a brilliant partner with your dog.    Sharing some of her favorite strategies, Kathy makes a case for taking responsibility for our thoughts, feelings, and actions as key for having a successful and happy relationship with our canine partners.    Visualizing the life we...

All behavior is communication, so how your dog responds to you (or doesn't respond to you) is how they are trying to tell you how they feel in the moment.  When your dog seemingly refuses to listen to you, it can be really frustrating. Sometimes, it can even feel like your dog isn't listening to you on purpose, which makes you even more frustrated.  Thankfully, Kathy knows just what you need to do...

In this episode Kathy will help you identify the root cause of your dog's excessive barking, and guide you through the eight steps of her Bark Busting Protocol to prevent and rehab unwanted barking, the partnership way.   Pretty much every dog mom has a story of their dog's over-the-top barking. Kathy certainly has a few stories of her own, and she shares the exact steps she took with unwanted bar...

We're making it real with this episode!  It's when we step into our place as trustworthy role models and loving leaders that our relationship with our dog truly blossoms.   When we and our dogs are feeling safe, calm and happy – Kathy calls that 'being in the green zone' – then we are able to connect, make better choices and interrupt the behavior spiral of stress that no one wants.   As Kathy emp...

Are you getting in the way of building the future of your dreams with your dog?   When we welcome a dog into our lives, we usually dream of living in perfect harmony together with (preferably) no 'unwanted behavior'. So, when things don't turn out the way we thought they would, it's easy to let ourselves get lost in a sea of negative thoughts.   We become so focused on everything that's 'wrong' wi...

In this guest edition of Enlightened by Dogs, Kathy introduces Erin who tells us about her journey with her unexpectedly intense Border Collie, Jess.   Erin, a lovely member of the Brilliant Partners Academy, picked up Jess with the hope of love, joy and adventure. To start off with, things were really hard! Jess' behaviors left Erin feeling anxious, stressed and even panicked at times.   It all s...

This week, Kathy turns the spotlight on a member of the Brilliant Partners Academy. Terri joins this Enlightened By Dogs episode to tell the tale of her beloved Bella and their shared transformation.   Terri's life was turned upside down when they decided to adopt Bella from the local shelter...and quickly found out that EVERYTHING over-aroused her. Bella's intensity and reactivity made almost eve...

You may think that you're listening to your dog's wants and needs, but listening isn't always what you think it is.   We all want to do what's best for our dogs. However, sometimes, in the quest for a successful relationship, we can get stuck pursuing traditional training methods that just aren't working. The reality is, truly listening to your dog can look very different from how you might have i...

Bettina's life was turned upside down when they decided to adopt Murphy, a deaf dog with OCD, after seeing his handsome face on a rescue website. It quickly became apparent that Murphy had a LOT more going on than a hearing impairment…   Bettina says…"We adopted Murphy knowing his deafness meant special needs, but quickly his OCD behaviors that included tearing out drywall and resource guarding tu...

Living with a reactive dog can be a frustrating experience, and as a first-time dog mom, it can be an overwhelming and seriously confusing one as well.   In this episode of Enlightened By Dogs, Kathy revisits a conversation she had with first-time dog mom Paulina Grzesinska-Mrozek.   Paulina was struggling with her dog Badi, who was very reactive to other dogs and people both in their apartment an...

If you've been struggling with understanding your dog and feeling uncertain about knowing what the right thing to do is,  I have got an episode for you! We're featuring dog moms, my amazing and brilliant students who had the same questions as you, the same struggles as some of you, and the same worry, overwhelm, frustration, disappointment as many of us feel, at least at times.  What I love about...

In this episode of Enlightened by Dogs, Kathy Kawalec delves into the concept of understanding our dogs' behavior as communication, helping us to move away from frustration. She teaches us how to reframe our thoughts and reactions to our dogs when they don't seem to listen, and to see their actions as an unmet need rather than defiance.    Kathy emphasizes the importance of connecting with our dog...

In this episode of "Enlightened by Dogs," Kathy takes us on a journey into the captivating world of dog communication and behavior by listening to whispers.    Together, we'll learn how understanding these subtle cues can significantly enhance the bond between you, the loving dog mom, and your canine companion. Discover the importance of recognizing your dog's "whispers" before they escalate into...

In this enlightening episode of "Enlightened by Dogs," host Kathy Kawalec explores the importance of communication as the foundation for building a successful, heart-centered relationship with your dog. Kathy delves into the various aspects of communication, including the exchange of information, ideas, and feelings between you and your dog. Throughout the episode, Kathy emphasizes the importance...

In this episode, we're digging deeper into what is happening when your dog is triggered, and how to interrupt meltdowns with a pause, breathe, connect technique. Kathy explores the concept of using the natural biology of connection to help our dogs calm down, emphasizing the importance of meeting both our own and our dogs' social needs. As social animals, humans and dogs share many needs, includin...