Preview Article for Enjoy Whole Health Magazine, Jan – Feb 2007 issue

When Dr Joey contacted me, he wanted my help with his dogs. He had been putting up with really bad behavior from them for a long time. He was grieving terribly for his Forever Dog Friend, Satin, who had passed away. And his other best dog friend, Shami, had also recently passed away after a terrible and mysterious illness.

He told me his heart was so heavy with grief that he just didn’t know how he could go on. His health was very bad and he could hardly move he was in so much pain. To complicate matters, his remaining 3 dogs were out of control. They jumped on everyone, which was terribly embarrassing. They barked and would not shut up, and they urinated in the house. One dog would go outside then come back inside to pee!

Dutchess would physically launch an attack on the front door when someone just walked by, and since the door was largely glass, Dr Joey was afraid she’d break the door! He couldn’t take them for walks because they would pull in all directions and one he would have to drag behind him… terribly frustrating and dangerous for all of them. Plus, little Zena and Zoey were afraid to go outside. And, to make matters even worse, they had begun fighting amongst themselves.

He desperately wanted them to behave and didn’t understand why they weren’t. He also worried that they weren’t happy. And because of the tragic loss of 2 of his dog companions, he was very concerned about their health.

The vets had told him that Zena needed knee surgery and he was terrified she would not survive the surgery. He just couldn’t face losing another dog.

After several intensive sessions with Dr Joey and his dogs, I am happy to report that all is well in his household. The dogs are much better behaved, no more inappropriate indoor urination, they are happy to greet visitors more appropriately, Dr Joey is healthier himself, and to date, Zena has not had to have surgery as her symptoms are so much improved.

 I received this note a few months later:

Val - Yesterday was the 1 year anniversary of Satin's passing (my dog). I moved my clinic this summer. And My Health has received a miracle. NO more cancer of the bone marrow. My dogs, Dutchess and Zoey and Zena are all doing fine. I cannot tell you how much you have changed my life with the dogs and how I have become alpha once again. Thank You. -- Dr Joey L, South Padre Island

It’s amazing to me how much we put up with from our animals. We somehow think they’ll change someday, somehow. We don’t have a clue what to do differently and so we keep doing the same things over and over, expecting a different result. And we don’t stop to ask for help. That’s insane!

Have you ever estimated how many stress inducing things you just put up with in your life, not making any real effort to change the way things are? Can you imagine what it costs you to live this way?

When I got to thinking about this, I discovered I was allowing the stress from almost every thing and everyone in my life to overwhelm me. My days had become all about surviving, just putting up with stuff, from my friends, my family, my animals – and not about how I truly wanted things to be. My taking a back seat to others, putting others first (or what I imagined others might want), was costing me my joy, my life force, literally eroding away what time I have left here in this body. Just trying to get by one more day.

And who knows how much time we have left? I asked myself if “this” was how I wanted to spend what time I have left to live? The answer was clearly, No!

Which opened the way to the question: what do I truly want? What do I value most in my life? The answer to that guides me to where I want to spend the majority of my energy and time.

I want to live my life with courage, with clarity of intention and purpose, feeling fulfilled, congruent with my heart, my spirit and God. I want to communicate clearly with others, with compassion and understanding, in such a way that we all are rebalanced, healed – made more whole by our interactions. I want to live well, with joy, peace, in balance and harmony with the earth, with all the beings I share this planet and time with.It is amazing to me that we don’t ask for more out of ourselves, our lives, our relationships.

It’s like we just take what we get and make the best of it without ever questioning if this is truly what we really want.

Did you know that sometimes all it takes to change our life is to stop and ask how it could be done differently? Ask for help when it’s needed? Take the time to create more clarity about what we truly want to have happen in our lives?

So what do you want? I invite you to consider how things could be different, for you, your family, and your animal friends.

And if you find you can use some help changing your life, contact me. I can help.I specialize in helping people get unstuck in their lives, whether it’s with themselves, their animal friends, jobs, health or relationships. Since 1993, I have managed a successful practice working with over 5,000 animals and their owners, trainers and even veterinarians all over the nation on health issues, personality problems, helping them accomplish their goals with performance, training & behavior modification. Many vets refer to me, and I’m happy to tell you that more than 80% of my 5,000 clients have achieved successful results!

In addition to private sessions, I’m now teaching a variety of content rich, exciting and informative telephone classes designed to help you better understand yourself and your animal friends, communicate more easily, get help resolving issues, learn exercises you can practice with your animal friends, and deepen your connection and love for each other. Just go to my website to learn more.

I love to assist people, both in their own life’s journey and with their animals. So if you can use some help, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Val Heart, MBA, PaCBP – Specializing in the Human Animal BodyMind Connection, working with chronic pain, illness, trauma, resolving health & behavior challenges for humans & animals. Speaker, Teacher, Columnist, PaRama BodyTalk Practitioner, seen on TV and heard on radio. Empathic Animal Behaviorist since 1993, offering help with Performance, Competition, Behavior, Health, Training, Euthanasia. Workshops, TeleSeminars, Free Weekly Pet Tips and Newsletter. Call (210) 863-7928, www.valheart.com or www.animalteleseminars.com email: AskVal.ValHeart.com

© Copyright 2007, Val Heart & Friends.