1) Your animal is intelligent and has emotions much like you do.
Far from being a “lower order” animals are really members of cultures different from our human ones. Animals have emotions and intelligence just as we do. They have strong feelings for their parents, children, friends and the significant people in their lives and react emotionally just as people do. Their intelligence goes far beyond instinctual drives. They often have an astute understanding of other beings, human and non-human, and of complex emotional and spiritual matters. When we see animals in this way we can be far more effective in understanding and assisting them.
2) Your animal understands you better than you may think.
Animals understand much more of what goes on around them than most people think they do. They are very sensitive to the emotional states of those around them, human and animal. They monitor the emotions of loved ones closely. Your animal knows you as well or better than your intimate human friends. He (or she) understands your best qualities as well as the things with which you struggle. One of the wonderful things about animals is that, although they see all of our qualities, even those we dislike, they are endlessly compassionate and loving toward us and focus on the best in each of us.
3) Your animal has a purpose in your life.
Animals want to be of help to us in our own development and benefit when their people allow them to become close friends and confidantes. Some animals develop their own ideas of how they want to be of help to us; others would like to know more from their people about how they can be of help. Animals are very good at holding the energy for things to come to their people if their people let them know what they’re working toward. These can be material things, like a house or career advancement, or matters of personal development, such as overcoming a tendency to depression or anger. While animals don’t necessarily get every word we say to them, they’re very good at filling in what they don’t get from words with the emotional nuances they pick up; so many animals understand much of what is said to them. Talking to your animal increases the understanding and bond between the two of you and helps your animal know how he can be of greater help to you.
4) Your animal loves you and needs to know you are well and safe.
You love your animal and want him to be well and safe, and he has the same concerns about you. One of the things you can do to help your animal to stay healthy and strong is to take good care of yourself, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Like people animals can become ill out of concern for human loved ones. Similarly they can develop emotional and behavioral issues from worry or in an attempt to help a loved human by taking on matters that are troubling their person. Our animals also look to us as an example of how to handle things so taking good care of our selves helps them to do the same.
5) Your animal will cooperate much more fully with you if he knows the reasons why you want him to do things.
Just like people animals are much more willing to cooperate when they understand the “big picture” in a situation. When their person explains how their cooperation will contribute to their safety and well-being or that of others, animals are often much more willing to offer their cooperation.
