This is Squid. He has a behavioral issue of barking out the window at passersby and other dogs on the other side of the fence. His protective nature makes him too aggressive. We talk a lot about his behavior. He says, “I think that what could calm me down is seeing myself more.” He means being more conscious of his behavior.

He goes on to say, “I feel like I am all screwed up. This part of me feels like my whole life, I have thought my mom and dad need protection. They need me to watch the house and make sure nothing ever intrudes. Now I feel like they just need a companion to love and be calm with.”

Bradley (my formerly feral dog) said to me that animals should have less anxiety, not more. He said that “when you feel anxious all the time, it’s because you don’t understand. You are saying I should understand, and now I am thinking how to understand is to just do what I already know what to do and not what my body feels like I should do.”

Squid has an innate desire to protect his family. This drive has been so strong in him that his people have struggled with helping him for years. I am so proud of Bradley that he could offer some advice. Squid is four now. He may be mature enough to understand learning and behavior on a new level. May this be the beginning of significant steps towards peace and calm.