Every Dog Should Have His Say
You should listen to your pets - sometimes they are smarter than you.
Rutherford, New Jersey - Gus is a well-adjusted English Bulldog who would do well as a therapy dog. Bert, a Silky Terrier, on the other hand, was stripped of his “puppydom” by his first owners and should have a daily dose of Star of Bethlehem and Chestnut Bud to relieve stress.
These are just some of the diagnoses set forth by Catherine Ferguson, Ph.D. and pet psychic. Ferguson held court last week at Shaggy Chic dog salon in Rutherford as about 30 pet owners shelled out $25 for 15 minutes to find out what’s really on their pet’s mind.
In cases where pet parents are attuned to their pets, the role of a pet psychic is to give a second opinion, or neutral opinion of the pet’s psyche.
Those in attendance said they wanted to discover how their pet felt about their relationship or how to deal with current issues.
Gus’s owners were happy with their reading and left feeling they were doing well with Gus.
“Life is a ball for Gus. I am seeing him with frogs, he dreams of them and the way they jump. He’s a big love,” says Ferguson, who recommended that Gus do therapy with senior citizens or sick children.
When there is unacceptable behavior, she may find a possible deep-rooted cause and suggest avenues of correction, says Ferguson.
In Bert’s case, his parents were saddened to hear that Bert’s sometimes unpredictable behavior, especially over food, was due to the stress left over from his days with another family, who although did not abuse him, didn’t give him the attention he craved. But his parents were happy to hear he was adjusting well to a home where he was loved and played with.
Since animals tend to adapt to and try to accommodate homo sapiens, most thoughts about their environments are positive. And since they live in the present moment, they do not dwell on the past, Ferguson says.
“You need to tell him every day that he is wanted and loved,” Ferguson says to his owner. “As for your rabbit, he tells Bert that your home is a good one. But Bert spent his golden years not getting much attention.”
Bert’s owners left with a list of herbal tinctures that are supposed to ease his stress, and agreed with the fact Bert’s first owners didn’t have the time to devote to him.
It was Ferguson’s love of her own pets that led her to “hearing” pets. Already a Reiki consultant, she wanted to “hear” what her pets were thinking. She understands people are skeptical, but says her communication skills grow with every reading. Many pet parents in attendance at Shaggy Chic agreed.
Daphne’s parents said Ferguson described the place where they walk every night: a cemetery. Ferguson warned that there was drop-off that the Labrador Retriever should be steered clear of. Daphne’s parent was happy for the warning.
“The more I do the readings the more I see how well some pet owners (I would prefer to call you “pet parents") understand their companions’ feelings,” she says.
So what’s really on the minds of our four-footed friends?
“A large part of the information my four-footed and feathered clients relay to me is mundane. Birds may tell me they love the view from their window. Dogs convey how much fun they have digging in their yards,” says Ferguson.
Her message to pet parents is simple: we too can communicate with our pets. And the Golden Rule of treating others as you would have them treat you applies to all species, not just homo sapiens.
“Communication is a two-way street. We can’t simply issue orders. We have to listen to what the other party has to say. Would you want to have a conversation with someone who talked at you and ignored your ideas?” Ferguson says.
“There is a bonus for listening. We are richly rewarded for listening to our animal friends. Some may tell us to go to bed early when we’re not smart enough to keep from burning our candles at both ends. Others keep us from barging out into the street when they sense a car is coming. Still others warn us to be leery of apparently wholesome people who are masking a dark side.”
In other words, dogs are truly man’s best friends, especially if we really listen.
Image: Catherine Ferguson does a laying-on of hands on Gus, the English Bulldog, to read his thoughts
Author: Jaimie Julia Winters
Source - http://www.southbergenite.com/
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