There is a hilarious scene from Dr Doolittle with Eddie Murphy, in which a hyper dog is desperate to have Eddie’s character throw a ball. The dog is seen jumping up and down begging for the ball to be thrown and when it finally is thrown, the dog erupts with joy screaming “I love you!” over and over again as it races back with the ball in its mouth, eager to have the ball thrown again, and again and again….you get the idea. In a movie it’s funny, but in real life that is exhausting, especially when an animal is like that most of the time. If this example reminds you of your beloved pet and you would like to help your pet, consider Pet Reiki to encourage calmness.

Why are some animals so hyper in the first place? Some are by nature high strung with lots of energy, others are feeling stress and anxiety brought on by changes in circumstances such as a move or being left alone all day, while others may need extra attention and they are not getting it.

 So what is Pet Reiki you may ask, and how is it going to help my hyper pet?  First let me explain what Reiki is. Reiki is Japanese energy healing that uses the energy that is around us to facilitate healing. The basis of the principal behind Reiki is to take the energy that we physically create in our body and the energy that is all around and using special techniques, the Practitioner or Reiki Master channels that energy to the client. If all of this sounds ridiculous to you, I have a small test for you. Hold your hands, palms facing each other about 1-2 inches apart. Now slowly bring your hands together but do not let them touch each other. Now slowly pull your hands back to their starting position. Repeat this process several times until you begin to feel a heaviness or resistance between your hands. Do you feel it? That is the energy that your own body produces. That is some of the energy that is channeled.

 Animals are able to tune into subtle energy shifts, and are therefore very receptive to Reiki energy. Do your pets know when there is going to be a storm before you do? That is because they can feel the energy shift. Many times within a few minutes of the healing session with a pet, the changes can be seen right away. For example: I had one client who had a very unhappy, hyperactive rabbit. Within a few minutes of beginning treatment from a distance as the rabbit could not be still, he came to me, laid down in front of me and completely relaxed. His owner was shocked and told me that he never did that; in fact he would only ever do anything like that when he was in his cage at the end of the day.  Why did the rabbit do that? The simple answer is that he knew that he needed it.  For some time after, this particular rabbit became calmer and more co-operative according to his owner.

I do not want to give the impression that Reiki is a quick fix though. With people or animals there also needs to be changes made in lifestyle, environment and behaviour that embrace the change that Reiki facilities.  By this I mean, just as people need a healthy diet, exercise and a comfortable, safe, loving and supportive place to rest at the end of the day, so do our pets. Without such an environment, any treatment whether it is for humans or pets, will have only short term effects.

So if you would like a calmer pet without resorting to chemical treatments or restrictive methods, consider trying Pet Reiki.

They can dig up you lawn, eat your flowers, tear apart your new leather shoes, scratch a beloved piece of furniture, drop your precious china on the floor, and generally make messes and more work for you, but you love them anyway. Who is this creature? It’s none other than the family pet. Whether they have fur or feathers, scales or spikes, for many of us, our pets become part of our family. We tolerate their occasional disasters or early morning wake up calls because we receive a rare and precious gift back, the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.

Okay so it may be hard to tell if your pet fish or exotic lizard really loves you, but they do trust you to take care of them and they depend on you. An Ipsos Reid poll shows that 83% of Canadians consider their pet to be a family member with 4 in 10 believing that pets can be a good substitute for human companionship.  So your pet is seen as a member of your family. You make sure it has all its basic needs met, now what?

What about your pets Spiritual well being? Don’t worry, I am not going to say that should meditate with your cat or try to find your dogs inner puppy!  For some people who want to try and do that, I say more power to you! What I want to offer you is something to try, that is a little more tangible and easier to do.  I find that it is especially helpful for pets that can be held and touched comfortably. I have only used this technique on furry friends, but if you want to try it on your lizard or fish or other type of pet, please use appropriate cautions, and a gentle touch as always.

I have found that a combination of Reiki and EFT has been beneficial for my pet. My pet is a super hyper, very talkative (when I say “talking” what I mean is meowing…a LOT!), 6 year old Tuxedo cat named Treun.  I don’t think she has really ever stopped talking since the day she was born except when she sleeps! I have used Reiki, which is a form of Japanese energy healing, on my cat for years with great success to the tune, that she is calmer and seems happier afterwards. With any animal, knowing their temperament is important before you start any sort of energy work or healing modality. I know that my cat will let me do pretty much anything I want to her, but please dear reader, if you have a volatile pet, or are trying to help someone else’s pet, please proceed with caution or call upon an experienced professional such as myself.

EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique is a form of acupressure, which is used to help with many emotional and physical issues. On pets, it can be used to help them to become calmer in general, and help them with anxiety, which is common in pets and often exhibited as separation anxiety when the owner leaves the home.  It can also be used to ease physical pains such as arthritis in elderly pets. When working with animals, generally it is better to gently massage the required points instead of tapping as that could lead to irritation and/or pain.

A recent example of how EFT and Reiki benefited my cat was that one particular day my cat Treun would not stop talking (again read this as meowing incessantly to the point where I could feel a migraine forming in my brain!), and followed me for every step I took, so much that I was tripping over her. I scooped her up and performed gentle EFT and then Reiki on her. She instantly became limp and relaxed and began to purr. After I was finished, and we could both think straight, she was much calmer for the rest of the day. The entire session with her lasted about 30 minutes as I incorporated both healing modalities on her, but because animals don’t like to stay in one spot it could take longer depending on your pet and how restless they are.  Most animals will respond positively to both Reiki and EFT as they can sense that you are not there to harm them, and only want the best for them.

They can dig up you lawn, eat your flowers, tear apart your new leather shoes, scratch a beloved piece of furniture, drop your precious china on the floor, and generally make messes and more work for you, but you love them anyway. Who is this creature? It’s none other than the family pet.

​Whether they have fur or feathers, scales or spikes, for many of us, our pets become part of our family. We tolerate their occasional disasters or early morning wake up calls because we receive a rare and precious gift back, the gift of unconditional love and acceptance. 

Okay so it may be hard to tell if your pet fish or exotic lizard really loves you, but they do trust you to take care of them and they depend on you. An Ipsos Reid poll shows that 83% of Canadians consider their pet to be a family member, with 4 in 10 believing that pets can be a good substitute for human companionship.  So your pet is seen as a member of your family. You make sure it has all its basic needs met, now what?  

 EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUES AND REIKI 

What about your pets spiritual well being? Don’t worry, you don't have to meditate with your cat or try to find your dogs inner puppy! (unless you really want to) A combination of Reiki and EFT can be beneficial for pets, and it is especially helpful for pets that can be held and touched comfortably. If you want to try it this your lizard, fish or other type of non furry pet, please use appropriate precautions, and a gentle touch as always.

HYPERACTIVE PETS

Reiki can be used on hyper pets with great success. The ancient practice of Japanese energy healing can help animals to become calmer, happier and more content. When working with any animal, knowing their temperament is important before you start any sort of energy work or healing modality.  if you have a volatile pet, or are trying to help someone else’s pet, always proceed with caution or call upon a professional with more experience.  

STRESSED PETS

​EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique is a form of acupressure which is used to help with many emotional and physical issues. Moving is one  life event that is very stressful for pets. EFT techniques designed specifically for pets can help them to be calmer in their new home, and relieve separation anxiety that may arise from being in new surroundings. 

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL 

If you are looking to hire an EFT expert to work with  your pet, you need to know that a  gently massage on the required points, instead of the standard "tapping" practice that is used on humans, is the best course of action for most pets, especially the elderly or nervous pet.

Remember, many animals will not stay still for long periods of time for treatments, so you may be looking at 5-10 minute sessions at a time over the course of a few weeks before you will see the full effects.  Although most animals will respond positively to both Reiki and EFT as they can sense that you are not there to harm them, and only want the best for them, some may be incredibly resistant, especially if they have suffered a prolonged illness or have a history of abuse. Be patient with them and send them positive energy and love.