Trust with your dog begins at home

You can tell a lot about a human by looking at their dog. I’ve had friends joke they got one as an emotional support animal, but ended up as the dog’s emotional support human.

Something I’ve noticed while photographing dogs is how deeply attuned they are to the emotion of their owners. Some dogs walk into a new environment cautiously, constantly checking back for reassurance. Others move through the world with this quiet confidence that seems to come from knowing they’re safe.

And more often than not, that trust starts at home.

Yet, even before that, most of the time it begins with us, their humans— in the way we feel within our own skin.

Years ago, I heard the saying: The way we do anything is the way we do everything.

For me, that question usually functions as an uncomfortable wake-up call: Have I drifted from my routine? Am I moving in the direction of my goals, or have I been drifting to-and-fro on the winds of impulsivity? Am I intentional with my energy? Am I present with myself, my pup, and others? Most importantly, do I listen to my intuition?

I’ve noticed in my relationship with my Blue-Heeler pup that the more disconnected with myself I become, the more disconnected from me he becomes (and the more disconnected from him I feel as well). I often joke that he’s smarter than me, and from a certain perspective, that’s likely true. He has become an extension of my intuition, and thus exposes my incongruence.

It’s possible the less we are connected with ourselves and the less we move with purpose, the less our pets feel connected to us and the less they move toward and trust us. And consequently, the less they will trust others. I sense this is true with my dog.

Our dogs often become reflections of the emotional environment they live in. That environment, whether or not intentionally cultivated, serves as a mirror for our relationships (dogs and humans alike) and manifests in the way our furry counterparts play, handle stress, eat, and meet new people, just to name a few. If they sense a congruent human, they’ll likely feel more grounded, and thus, more trusting.

And trusting dogs always make for better photographs.