For those of you in the Northern Colorado or Southern Wyoming areas, join Kelly in support of Lit'l Bit of Love Animal Rescue on Saturday, June 6, 2009.

Kelly will be offering consultations at Murdoch's Ranch and Home Supply in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information and to schedule, please contact Marci at Lit'l Bit of Love ~ 307.389.7120

There is no doubt about it, we are in difficult times right now. Newspapers, television news programs, and even the water cooler discussions are focused on the economic crisis and other difficulties throughout the world. Most of us are looking for a reprieve, a way to feel good about *something* at the end of the day. Enter stage left our beloved animal companions. If we let them, they can elevate a mood in no time flat!

Animals are loyal, loving, intelligent creatures who generally aim to please. No matter our preferred species - cats, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, horses, or others - they are in our lives for companionship and mutual nurturing. When there is uncertainty in the world, it is comforting to know that our animals are waiting for us at home or at the stable. They are looking forward to seeing us as soon as possible. Wouldn't it be nice, for them AND for us, if every encounter with our animals was easy, harmonious, and peaceful? Now that would go a long way in washing away the difficulties of the day.

We know, however, that as joyful as it is to have animals in our lives, it isn't always easy. Youngsters take hard work and constant attention to train properly. Rescue animals often come to us with a variety of issues which take time to resolve. Aging animals can be distressing to us if we feel that we are not caretaking to the best of our ability. All of this can add more stress to our already stressful lives. In the midst of all the world's chaos and the many stressors in our lives, there is something we can do to promote balance and peacefulness in our home environment.

Our animals are little sponges, soaking up the energies we exude. If we enter our home or stable feeling anxious, frustrated, or confused, our pets pick up on these emotions and ways of being. They also pick up on our joy, peacefulness, and grounded way of being. If you can wash away the stresses of your day before you walk in the door that evening, you very well may notice a calmer, more attentive pet greeting you.

Another tip for a calmer living environment is the intentional way in which you speak to your animals. Animals respond much more readily to positive commands. When setting an expectation with your animals, attempt to frame the command in a positive manner. Try this exercise. For each of the statements or commands below, notice what energy, emotion, and feelings are present (some may be subtle) and notice what reading the statement brings up - the little visions in your mind - as you experience each.

"Fido, stop picking on Miss Kitty right now! Stop it!" or "Fido, come. Come over here and keep me company and let Miss Kitty have some peaceful time." Do you feel the difference in emotion and intention? With the first statement, did the mental pictures in your mind relate to the experience of chaos and a frightened cat trying to hide from a rambunctious dog? Perhaps the second statement brought up visions of a well-behaved dog coming toward you and the peaceful, harmonious co-existence of your two beloved animal companions.

Now the next set of commands; "Fluffy, do not use the sofa as your scratching post ever, ever, never!" or "Fluffy, come over here and use the very special scratching post that I got just for you. This is where you can always exercise your claws whenever you want to." Not only are the second commands in each of these examples more pleasant for you, the animal, and others who may be witnessing the exchange, animals can more quickly process what you asking of them when stated in a way to explain what you want them to do, not what you don't want them to do. Give them clear direction and re-direction away from the offending behavior and toward what the replacement behavior should be.

When my dad was teaching me to ride long ago, I remember him telling me to simply glance in the direction that I wanted to go, and the horse would start to move in that direction. I was astounded that often this really did work. He explained that the movement of me turning my head in a particular direction caused a subtle shift in the reins and my body position and gave the horse the clue of where I wanted to go. True enough, but that explanation didn't help when I experimented, with all my might, to only move my eyes to the right or left. Sure enough, especially with the more mature and well-trained horses on the ranch, just fixing my eyes, with no perceptible head movement, frequently helped to guide the horse also. I understand now that animals are constantly reading our brainwaves in addition to our body language. If we recognize this and can fix in our minds the mental images associated with the appropriate behavior, we'll be far ahead of the curve in redirecting to a more positive outcome.

Along with positive commands with clear intention, consider the simplicity of the command. If you are a horse and receive this command: "Mr. Ed, I want to go over there to that nice spot by the creek, but first let's go in this direction, but wait I might want to go here instead, and in the end I might change my mind completely and want to go to the other part of the pasture anyway." I don't know about you, but I'd stop all forward motion immediately and wait for a command that would result in a better chance for success!

Yes, the world and our lives are busy and stressful, these days especially. It's easy to feel out of control. Our animals can be a bright spot in our day, and these simple guidelines can help to create an oasis of peacefulness in your home. Certainly our young and challenging animals need consistent, professional training. Positive commands and strong intention do not replace being a responsible guardian. But for the animals who have an occasional anxious evening, or need a little course-correction every now and then, take a deep breath and approach the situation by first calming yourself, then working with your animals with positive commands. Envision the successful outcome rather than the current disobedience. It may not seem like much, but one calm, harmonious evening with your animals may change your whole outlook on life!