“With mindfulness, you can establish
yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are
available in that moment.”
~ Nhat Hanh ~
Finding our Peace
with Packs
Definition of mind·ful·ness
mīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/
Noun
1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
"their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition"
2. a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
I have been participating in a
class called Peace with Packs which is
a six week class at the main shelter of KC Pet Project focusing on mindfulness
and I want to share this experience with you. The idea behind the class is to
explore the symbiotic benefits of the human-canine bond in a one on one and a
pack setting. This is very beneficial to the humans in attendance while also
benefiting the shelter dogs who themselves may be feeling stress, anxiety and
trust issues from their past experience.
The facilitators of the class are
Anthony Barnett (10 years of experience
working with dogs) who got the idea while he was outside hanging with a group
of dogs, Jill Reese who is a licensed
therapist, and Matt Holt who runs the
playgroups at KC Pet Project.
Being in an area with or walking
a dog, and simply being there; not adding any energy to the situation by
clapping or calling the dog, simply being present and in the moment. If the dog
avoids you during this time it is important to be an observer and be present
with your senses. What do you notice about the dogs fur, face, ears, eyes, and
so on?
The dog I was with the first time
did not come to me and the first thing I noticed was his eyes. He looked
somewhat sad, withdrawn and unsure when I walked in and sat down in the chair.
He walked around and got a little closer each time but never came over to me
until we all went into one play yard and he brushed my leg on the way by but
that was the extent of it.
The second time with an
individual dog just happened to be with a dog that was new to the shelter he was not sure
about me at first (I assure you that most dogs like me). We eventually got time
to interact during an exercise but until then, my mind did not wander from the
space and present moment I was occupying. I watched the dog explore, the bugs,
birds, plants, and even the berries that fell from the tree. Everything remained
clear to me for a short time and my mind did not wander.
It is interesting to be in with a
pack of dogs and be present as they explore the area, each other, and the
humans with them. Some play with each other, while one or two seek the
attention of the humans and one retreats to a quiet spot under a table to
observe. I first was amused by everything going on and then felt relaxed to be
simply observing. Someone asked why one of the dogs had purple spots on her and
I thought of the berries that dropped out of the tree earlier, she had rolled
on the ground while playing.
During the fourth class we did a
mindfulness walk, during which we followed Matt and one of the dogs. The whole
object was to let the dog lead and stay in the moment as an observer. I noticed
every rock I stepped on like the soles of my shoes were paper thin (not in a
painful way), the trees turn out to be more dimensional with additional shades
of green, and I observed the creek that runs under the bridge. I was aware of
the passing cars and other noises but in a brief, undistracted way. I am
realizing that being mindful does not always mean that everything is perfect
and Zen like. Sometimes it is simply being aware that things are not perfect
and how that is affecting your body.
The last class was a mindfulness
walk on our own with a dog. The dog I walked with a nine month old extremely
sweet Pit Bull named Flamingo, who thankfully was adopted this weekend. It was
very different walking mindfully while holding the leash, because now you are
responsible for that dog but trying to be mindful. Once we got near the street
I could see that she was somewhat nervous, so we stayed around the driveway
area, which was fine because we were not there to do anything.
I have been practicing with my
own dog and I have noticed that walks are better if I stay mindful and relaxed.
If I feel pressed for time or frustrated, he definitely responds by being tense
with me and our walks tend to stall somewhere along the way. He has moments
where he freezes up and if I react with anything but patience, he takes longer
to snap out of it. So again, my dog is my mindfulness teacher and the great thing about dogs is, you can tell them anything. They will not judge you or make fun of you and they can't tell anyone what you said.
Resource List:
KC Pet Project: 4400 Raytown Road KCMO 64129
KCPP
Mission
To
end the killing of healthy and treatable pets in Kansas City, Missouri by using
the most progressive and lifesaving programs and promoting effective animal
control policies.
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GameDog Guardian:
The Game Dog Guardian
Why “Game
Dog Guardian”?
My
respect for the pit bull does not come from his ability to lash out
at the world, but rather his ability to stay the course when the world lashes
out at him.
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Symbiotic Behavioral Treatment Center:
Our Mission: To
enhance the mental health and well-being of people through evidenced-based
treatment and to aid in the physical and psychological recovery of abused and
traumatized dogs with interactive training and the application of the
human-canine bond in a therapeutic environment.
