The Magic of Movement

Movement is magical when it comes to rehabilitating dogs. Among the many benefits, it helps decompress nervous energy and plays an integral role in the most dramatic cases of transformation.  The movement we're talking about here must be structured and purpose driven if it's to address the state of mind.

Based on past experiences dogs can hold trauma in the form of nervous energy that's been locked in the nervous system. When any creature is becoming overwhelmed by a trigger or situation, the nervous system prepares the body for a survival maneuver.  This is instinctual and occurs in the primal region of the brain. It is involuntary because nature equipped us with a quick way to respond to threats in our environment so we can take immediate purposeful action.

In nature the action taken to survive perceived threats decompresses the nervous energy needed to provide the body with a quick physical response. Furthermore, it builds confidence in the behavior that was perceived to work.  This helps us survive potentially dangerous situations in the future.

Where no purposeful action was taken, the body retains the nervous energy so it festers and becomes amplified with each new fearful experience. This creates a snowball effect.

The remedy is teaching our dog purposeful structured movement and then using that movement as a coping mechanism when we expose the dog to it's triggers.  The movement experienced in the early training process is often enough to free locked trauma and build confidence in better behaviors. In the situations they struggle most, it gives them a meaningful way to deal with triggers that engenders self reliability and courage.

Never underestimate the power of purposeful movement when forming your strategy to fulfill your dog's needs.  Unwanted behavior isn't personal. It's instinctual. The key is understanding your dog's instincts and needs.