The Human End of the Leash: How Trauma Impacts Emotional Health

Again, this is- in no way- a complete list.

What the great majority of people are referring to as "mental health" and "mental health issues" are NOT. They're emotional health and emotional health issues (e.g. disordered eating, addiction, anxiety, perfectionism, hyper-independence and "lone-wolfing", depression, hoarding, "control issues", obsessive compulsive behaviors, etc.).

The impact trauma has on our emotional health is massive... and varied - affecting our physical and mental bodies, our relationships, and is responsible for creating the great majority of the *behaviors* we see (which is no different for dogs).

These behaviors develop because trauma changes how we begin to see ourselves.

The stories and narratives we tell ourselves.

It's responsible for the beliefs and filters that start to take form- through which perceptions are born, all incoming information is interpreted, and the nature of our responses and reactions (as well as the intensity of them).

The behaviors we see are reflective of this, as well as our perceived level of *safety* - in all our relationships (parents, siblings, friends, love interests, co-workers, employers, etc.), in the world around us and in life.... and especially in our own skin.

Most behavior develops as a means of coping, protection, and avoiding what we don't want to face or feel. This includes projecting, off-loading, blaming and finger-pointing, escape tactics, how we communicate and express ourselves ... even how we process things and the healing journey.

Emotional health impacts everyone, and is also the side of "behavior" that is the most neglected and unspoken to (on both ends of the leash).

Some will hold others responsible for what they never received emotionally, which also translates into their reasons for getting dogs. And when dogs don't measure up to meet their expectations or needs, they're labeled, blamed, bounced around, and left behind at shelters.

This ingredient also influences the nature of the trainer - client dynamic.

Many will hire trainers to help with their canine behavioral issues, but expect to be removed from the process. There's a popular belief that "it's the dog with the problem" and "the dog that needs training." When, in reality, "training the dog" is just a fraction of the overall problem. Throwing money at a problem won't make it go away.

There are also trainers who will take on cases that far exceed their level of skill, understanding, and expertise. It's so important trainers "train in their lanes."

An exceptional percentage of our clients find us after having been through 3 trainers or more. By the time they reach us, they're financially depleted, frustrated, struggling to trust, and losing hope. I too, lived this reality once before (https://www.packfit.net/lobos-story).

What the general public doesn't realize (and what professionals aren't helping them to understand), is "obedience training" makes up just a small fraction of dog equipping, training, and raising. Much like a child going to school to learn math, history, and science plays a small role in actually raising and equipping them.

Truly effective behavioral training involves *everyone* in the household, as well as a trainer who understands human behavior as much as canine behavior... if not more.

A dog's behavior is influenced by a number of factors and ingredients, the human/s he or she lives with being a major player for a multitude of reasons.

Dogs are highly in tune with us, and are also 100% impacted by the choices we're making every day, what we're aware of and providing vs. what we're not aware of and providing, the habits we have in play, and the energy we bring into their immediate space each day (anxiety? worry? stress? nervousness? tensions? etc.). The state of our emotional health. How we're conducting ourselves, dealing with situations and circumstances, responding and reacting, and how we feel in any given moment.

How we're dealing with our own "stuff" also impacts how open and receptive we are to receiving instruction, guidance, and coaching... as well as our ability to provide it.

Denial, avoidance, resistance, ego (which is the byproduct of the unhealed parts of us).... all pop up and are very common in behavioral training. Which isn't a "bad" thing... it's *information* and a call for attention.

Working with dogs and their behaviors means we also have to get honest with and face ourselves.

Behavioral training is a shade of dog training that rarely gets done early on (usually it's just "puppy" or "obedience" training, which is only attaching meaning to cues and directives; although **compliance** is connected to other things that need to be developed outside of obedience), and does involve emotional literacy.

We dive more into this in our upcoming release, "The Human End of the Leash: Dog Training's Missing Link" (pre-orders can be made here: https://packfit.thinkific.com/.../the-human-end-of-the-leash )