Research on animals emotions and behaviour

Animals, even those trained for therapeutic purposes, have their own emotional needs. Research shows that most species experience a wide range of emotions, including joy, fear, sadness, and anxiety. Additionally, it is also important to provide space and proper care for therapy animals to ensure they can continue offering their valuable support.

Studies, like one published in “Journal of Behavioral Medicine” (2017), suggest that a pet’s distress can be a mirror to our own. Yes, animals who are instinctively in tune with us are likely to reflect our emotional imbalances. This emotional exchange works both ways – a study in “Anthrozoös” (2018) showed positive interactions with people improved the emotional state of shelter animals. Improving the lives of animals is often a key to helping ourselves and vice versa.

Emotional challenges common to Animals:

• separation anxiety: many animals, especially dogs, cats, and horses, can experience separation anxiety when separated from their owners or companions, leading to emotional distress.
• fear and phobias: animals may develop fears or phobias related to specific situations, sounds, or objects, which can significantly impact their emotional well-being.
• aggression: aggressive behaviour in animals can be linked to emotional distress, whether due to fear, territorial issues, or past traumas.
• trauma and abuse: animals that have experienced trauma or abuse may carry emotional scars that affect their behaviour and overall emotional health.
• grief and loss: like humans, animals can experience grief and sadness when they lose a companion, whether it’s a fellow animal or a human caregiver.
• depression: some animals exhibit signs of depression, such as lethargy and withdrawal, which can be indicative of emotional struggles.
• emotional fatigue or exhaustion: therapy animals are selfless and untiring in their generosity and help those around them reach more balanced states. To support them in their work it is necessary to provide them with the tools for restoring and maintaining their physical and emotional balance. Allowing them to thrive while they assist others.
• animals that take on the role of care taker for humans or the sickness of humans: The connection between animals and the humans they cherish can be almost unfathomable. Some may decide to take on the unbalance of a human they deeply care for in order to assist the person to heal. This can result in the animal suffering emotionally and physically.

Therapeutic Tools to help you animal companion thrive:

Livvy offers these therapeutic tools to address the emotional challenges animals face:

• Bach Flower Remedies are customised to address specific emotional issues in your animal companion, helping them achieve emotional balance. Bach remedies are incredibly gentle and well tolerated by animals. While many animals can respond very quickly to Bach flower remedies, some take a little longer before a challenging behaviour or condition is resolved. Why is this? This depends on factors such as if your pet is highly sensitive, they have had multiple traumas, their current environment, age, personality, purpose (service dog) and physical factors such as disease and pain. But, with patience and consistency even animals with all these factors can increase their level of calm, peace and balance.
• Muscle Testing is a non-invasive technique used to identify imbalances in an animal’s energy system, as well as what is the most effective therapeutic tool.
• PRT (Perception Repatterning Technique) is a method used to release emotional blockages and traumas, promoting emotional healing. With training it can be easy to use the existing channel of communication you have with your pet to help them process trauma and feel greater safety and balance.

What does a session look like:
Livvy firstly listen’s to your concerns, observations and goals for your animal friend. Using muscle testing is used to add to this information and select the best tool to help you and your pet.

Sessions are very individualised and is tailored to the comfort of you and your pet. Sessions can be in person or online. If they are online, it is recommended that the animal is present or nearby. A calm environment facilitates a good outcome to the session.

It is likely that you will receive suggestions on adjustments to the environment, diet, interaction with others, and possibly addressing any emotional imbalances in those that are close to or who care for the animal, including yourself.

Livvy is very keen to help your animals’ to thrive. She is dedicated to providing them with the care and support they need. Livvy is so proud to offer effective tools that have proved not only helpful to animals but also the humans in their life. Animals can respond quickly when they are understood and given what they need. We do not tire of seeing the great success of these tools, leaving happy and healthy animals.