Amanda De Warren Medium, Healer & Animal Communicator

Pet Problems

Amanda De Warren is currently writing her book called our precious pets which covers many different subjects relating to our much loved pets.

About 80% of Amanda’s pet connections are regarding behaviour problems. Most of these problems are solved when the pet reveals to Amanda De Warren the cause of this behaviour. There are so many different reasons why our pets can all of a sudden behave in a strange and alarming manner. Some of the problems are deep rooted and are often hard to detect until the major problem surfaces in many different forms. When a pet is behaving badly we need to ask some of the following questions as this may hold the key to the answer.

  • Are you frustrated with your relationship with your pet?
  • Do you think your pet gets bored easily?
  • Does he get enough exercise or mind stimulation
  • Has there been a change in his surroundings or has a member of the family left the household.
  • Is there an issue with a previous owner which has not been dealt with or recognised yet?
  • Are there other pets in the household or the addition of a new pet member?
  • Are you the leader of your pack?
  • Does your pet respect you?
  • Do they follow simple instructions?
  • Are they ignoring you when trying to discipline them?
  • Could your pet be suffering from an illness?

Dogs

Cats

Horses
Tips

Dogs

Patience and understanding is the key to many problems being solved as a quick fix is very rare. Changing the thought pattern which has been in motion for many years is often a lifetime commitment on the owner’s behalf. Pets are often not so understanding of words such as a continuous and repetitive NO NO NO but more of guidance and body language. You as the owner owe it to them to be in control as they appreciate direction and guidance. There is always a reason behind the unacceptable behaviour and finding that reason is the easy part. The hard part is correcting it for the rest of their lives as they can quickly and easily revert back to their bad behaviour patterns. Begin by being assertive with your commands. Would you let a child get away with ignoring you or being disrespectful to you? I think not so why do you let your dog, horse or cat get away with it. A simple instruction for them to follow is called click and reward. This is used to get your pets attention. You must click and then reward within a second as they need to relate the two together. This is often used for excitable dogs to correct this behaviour. For example if a friend visits the house and the dog jumps all over them then make them sit being very assertive pointing to the ground. Once the dog is in a calm state then click and reward. The dog then relates to the clicking noise and this way you can get their attention. Do not reward an excited or misbehaving dog as this only encourages the behaviour. Once you have practiced this many times over a simple click will automatically send them into a clam state.

Aggressive Dogs

Dogs can display aggressive behaviour from a very, very young age which can become progressively worse as they get older. These problems can even lead to the pet having to be put down. The solution is not always a simple one as long term aggression can be very hard to remove. It is not always the breed which can be aggressive as some of the more powerful breeds like pitbulls and Rottweilers can be very submissive, trustworthy and gentle. Any dog is capable of agression if not corrected from the first signs. A lot of aggressive pets Amanda has dealt with over the years have been very confronting at first by bearing their teeth and a display of anger. Dogs can sense fear from at least 5 metres away and as their primal instincts set in they become fearful and confused at your energy and then turn into the local school ground bully that intimidates you into a flight mode. If you do own an aggressive dog here are a few tips on how to take control. Most dogs with this type of behaviour nearly always back away if you show you are in control of your space. This does not mean to say that you confront the meanest and most ferocious dog in the street as that could be very dangerous. Do not give your dog eye contact and ignore them but still standing your ground with a very strong energy. Most of the time they will back away from you in a rather confused state as your body energy has all of a sudden changed, rather like confronting the not so tough schoolyard bully and watching him run home with his tale between his legs. Always be in total aware of your dog’s energy and the changes which may suddenly occur. If your dog is one which for no apparent reason has a tendency to attack out of the blue you must strike first. At the first sign of this type of aggression you must act quickly to take control. This certainly does not mean any physical harm to your pet. A simple quick grab to the side of the neck like a mother dog would do is very affective as this distracts them for a moment giving you a second or two to then pin them down on their side until they are calm. In no way does this harm the dog in any way as it is more of a taking control of the situation and showing them that this is not acceptable behaviour. This often makes them submissive and they quickly relax. Making your pet realise you are the boss is very important and if this can happen then you will be able to achieve a very happy and relaxed pet as the pets themselves often do not want to be in this state.

Feeding Dogs

This can often lead to fights between pets as the most calm and submissive dog suddenly turns into cujo at meal times. This food aggressive pet is always the first to eat and can strike anything and anyone including their owner if feeling threatened regarding their food. Once again body language is the key to correcting this behaviour. One of the most important rules is that you feed yourself and the family first. Once a pet sees this they understand that in the food chain they are second. Feeding them first often leads them to believing that they are at the top of the feeding order and then alternately leads them to believing that they are the ones in control. When feeding a food aggressive pet here are a few tips. Do not under any circumstances feed a pet which is not calm. They must learn to wait for their food when you are ready to give it to them and cannot eat until you give them the command. It is also a bad idea for your pets to be in the kitchen while preparing their food as this also leads to excitement. Your pet must wait until you have placed their food bowl on the floor and have moved away from it, only then can they proceed to eat. This encourages them to have respect around meal times and then in turn leads discipline in other areas.

Having Visitors

Having a visitor to your home can sometimes be nothing short of a nightmare and can get to the point of some people not inviting anyone over due to this quite serious problem.. The first thing you must do before anyone enters the house is to calm your dog down as letting someone in while your dog is in a state will lead to a disaster. Calming the dog is easier said than done as most of the time they are protecting their territory. Once again being calm and using a strong energy make them sit and block the door so they are unable to get to it by standing between them and the door. Let them know that this behaviour is not acceptable. Once the visitor has entered the home after the dog is calm do not let them make any contact with the dog. Your dog is allowed to sniff them but watch their energy very closely as sometimes what looks like a calm silence can lead to a sudden bite. Welcome your visitor in and let your dog go to them when they feel comfortable enough. The energy of your visitor must not show fear as this encourages them to be dominant over the visitor. After a while let the visitor acknowledge your pet and if your pet projects a very well mannered behaviour get the visitor to give them a little treat. This associates visitors with a positive experience. You may need to practice this many times over but your visitors will thankyou in the end.

Fighting Other Dogs

If your dog is a fighter then this can be a hard one to fix as fighters are very dominant and will protest at the slightest hint that you may be trying to resolve this problem. Fighters put up a lot of resistance in the beginning so this type of rehab needs to be constant. Yelling at them only excites them even more so quite a lot of body language is needed here. You also need to ask the question of who is the instigator here. is it your dog or is it another that is causing the problem. An extremely strong energy is needed right from the beginning letting them know right away that this is unacceptable behaviour and you are not going to tolerate it anymore. From this point on I am the boss not you. Your dog needs to take you seriously from the beginning or you are wasting your time. When a dog gets to an aggressive stage you need to ground them immediately and this can sometimes be done by pulling one of the front legs out from underneath them bringing them to the ground on their side. Sudden movement quickly distracts them from the aggression stage. This sounds very cruel but it does not hurt them and is far better then having a badly injured dog with an enormous amount of vet bills or worse still a human suing you for damages and their hospital bills too. Once you have your pet on the ground keep him there by digging your fingers into his neck and disabling him to get up. Do not remove the fingers until he is calm. This also humiliates them in front of other dogs and he quickly learns that this will be repeated as much as is needed to stop this problem. If there are two dogs which are aggressive and fighting both need to be grounded at the same time and then made to face each other while on the ground and you will find that both will become submissive.

Walking & Exercise

Exercise is a great way to release a lot of build up tension and energy. Once again this must be conducted with a calm but strong energy. If there is tension in the lead your dog senses this and then reacts to it by lunging and misbehaving. Walking can be fun but it can also be very challenging. Do not allow your dog to dictate to you where they go. If they do not want to go down a certain street because there is an object which frightens them then they must be made to face that fear as this is more about your pet trying to control you. Dogs also love a change of scenery so taking different routes often is more enjoyable for them as they see new things, smell new smells and enjoy the new experience and even taking them in the car to a beach or a river is an even more stimulating experience for them and they appreciate it. Dogs need mind stimulation as being in the same environment 23 and a half hours a day can make them destructive as they look for ways to release this pent up energy. Before you even think about a walk your dog must be calm before putting on the lead then you must exit through the door first. Your dog must learn to walk beside you not in front of you dragging you along behind as this is dominance. When your dog starts to pull make them stop and sit until they are calm and then continue the walk and they soon get the picture of what you are expecting of them and by having no tension on the leash this also creates a much more enjoyable walk. Speed is also very important as a slow walk is nice but if you have the type of pet which needs a lot of exercise they would get a great deal more benefit from a fast paced exercise and a good run.

Destructive Pets

These pets are normally well behaved and from nowhere can totally write off your whole yard and house in just one moment of destruction. These pets are the type that need a great deal of mind stimulation and can really test your patience as a pet owner. Inside and outside needs to be an obstacle course being changed around quite regularly to keep the interest up. This can be done simply by giving them a challenge for example a ball that has food in it and they need to get the food out of the holes. As long as it diverts their attention they will not be chewing up your favourite lounge. This problem can also be attributed to getting your attention or just showing you dominance or disapproval. Once again showing your pet that this is not acceptable can also be very frustrating as they normally destroy when we are not looking and it is pointless disciplining a dog the day after the fact. This is when you need to be sneaky and be cunning about it as they know when you are watching even if you think they don’t know. Catching them in the act should never ever involve any kind of physical punishment. The way to treat this problem is a very strong energy showing them this is not acceptable. They already know that they are doing the wrong thing but being caught in the act is nothing short of humiliating for them. Show them the object of destruction and let them know you will not tolerate them destroying your property.

Obsessive Behaviour

This kind of behaviour can be so very frustrating to owners as their pets obsessive behaviour can be anything from a special toy to continuously spinning in circles. Sometimes there is a lot more to this problem than there seems to be on the surface. Amanda came across a case recently which involved a dog who continually chewed at his owners table legs causing a great deal of damage. As the owners attempted to remove him from the dining room his normally passive nature turned to aggression. The pet then revealed to Amanda that it did not like the new table as the old one had the family smells on it from many years of daily meals and this new table represented a threat to the dog. He was afraid that it was the table was stopping his family from eating together. The big table had recently been moved and replaced by a smaller extendable table. The pet wanted the new table out and the only way he knew how was to destroy it, which he did. The owners felt so bad they brought the old table back in and the chewing stopped immediately. If your dog does have an obsessive behaviour it is always necessary to deal with the problem as avoiding it can often lead to more problems. A very strong energy is once again needed and if the obsession is an object then do not tug at the object as this creates more tension. Make your dog give you the object by encouraging him and rewarding him.

Pets In Cars

Driving with an unstable pet in the car is not only frustrating and distracting but it can also be very dangerous. This type of behaviour can easily be corrected by making the car ride a positive experience. Some pets just dislike the motion movement of the vehicle so creating a distraction is very important. You can start by putting them in a stationary vehicle and sitting in the car with them playing with them and reassuring them by showing them that this is not a bad experience. If this exercise is repeated on a regular basis your pet then begins to understand and relax in the car creating a more pleasant car ride for all.

Constant Barking

This type of behaviour is very frustrating not only for the owners but all who live in the surrounding area. Unfortunately this unpleasant experience has led to many a neighbourhood dispute often resulting in authorities being contacted. There are many reasons why a dog will bark continuously. It may be lack of exercise, dominance over his territory or just frustration as he lacks mind stimulation.

The problem is a problem whatever the cause and there is never a quick fix. Patience is very important when correcting a continually barking dog. As an animal communicator Amanda has found that each case is different and some are more extreme than others. The key to solving this problem is constant corrective behaviour. This is achieved by again showing them you are not tolerating this kind of behaviour. Most of the time the dogs do not realise that their barking is a problem and once shown that this is not acceptable will then allow correction to happen. When your dog starts barking do not show frustration and start yelling as this only escalates them. Distract them by making them lay down in front of you on their belly with their paws in front. Allow them to get up after a few moments and continue the process until they have stopped the barking. Be very firm and assertive with your command. This will need to be repeated each time the dog starts the barking. All dogs bark to a certain degree but owners can tell the difference between a consistent bark and a “somebody’s here” type of bark.

Desexing

Desexing is very important for obvious reasons but Desexing can also help with aggressive pets too especially the males. Desexed males are far more less likely to display behaviour problems than undesexed males. Some pet owners feel that desexing is unnecessary but in some aggression cases it is essential. Desexing changes the hormone balance and therefore creating a much more balanced and calm pet.

Cats

If you own a feline you will most probably know by now that some of them can be very unpredictable and you can be scratched or bitten or even viciously attacked at any time for no apparent reason. Cats are challenging creatures and it is in their nature to be independent. They can also be quite dominating at times letting you know in no uncertain terms that they do not want a cuddle or to be picked up. Some pet owners take this personally and misinterpret that as their cat dislikes them when in actually fact this is not the case. Cats instinctively know when they are on a good thing and do have a genuine love for their owner. Most really do enjoy being pampered and looked after but do not appreciate you trying to humanise them as this will make some run and hide. Most cats are not overly affectionate and if they do want affection it has to be on their terms not yours. If your cat behaves like this then you would know by now when you can and when you cannot pick them up for a cuddle. This behaviour does not mean your cat has an attitude problem. It simply shows us a quality of your cat that we may not agree with sometimes but is there whether we like it or not. You can buy all the expensive accessories under the sun but your cat does not understand that you have just gone out and blown your weekly grocery money on something to keep him happy. Cats are amused by even the smallest things which don’t have to be expensive. This does not mean to say don’t go out and buy them a treat as that always makes us and them feel good. Cats go by our energies and feelings. You will notice that when you are feeling sad or lonely that your cat appears from nowhere only to sit on your lap and get a good old pat. Cats are renowned for hiding or disappearing for days only to resurface again days or even months later. Many a frustrated cat owner has contacted Amanda in a desperate search to find their missing moggy. In many cases Amanda has found in her animal communications to these cats that all they are doing is returning back to their natural instincts as they feel they are in danger of losing them. They are often found in a bush area using all their natural instincts for survival. To us as humans this sounds ludicrous as why would you want to leave a perfectly happy, comfy home for a cold and dangerous bush. Cats need to prove to themselves that they can still make it on their own without the help of their human owners.

Cats Fighting

Cats fighting each other in the home can be very unnerving as the stronger of the feline tends to pick on the others or go out looking for a fight. This can be either male or female and most of these tend to have issues since they were young. It is not a good idea to separate them all the time as this creates an awareness of the stronger that he has won the battle to rid the home of the other cat or cats. Instead place them all in the same room so you can keep an eye on them at every moment. This may make the weaker one very nervous but you are not trying to upset the weaker one, you are just merely trying to create a peaceful existence for all to live in. At the first sign of a fight do not take sides and yell at the cat that instigated the problem even though he is the cause. The best and most effective way deal with this is through your energy. You do not need to make a sound but showing him through body language that this is not acceptable behaviour creates a challenge for the challenger and he will back down quickly. Face him and look him straight in the eye showing him a look of well if you want a fight then lets get it on, but of course no physical exchange happens. Cats are very intelligent creatures and understand very quickly that you are not happy with that kind of energy in your home and he had better change it or else.

Cats That Wee In The House

This is actually a common problem for cat owners factoring in that it can be a result of one reason or many reasons. Some cats have been known to wee in the house all through their lives and for others it is a problem which crops up occasionally. Firstly you need to eliminate if it is a medical problem or not. If a medical problem is ruled out then the next step is to assume that it is an emotional problem which needs to be corrected. Has there been another pet addition to the house? Are they afraid to go outside through fear of an attack from a neighbourhood cat? Are you going through an emotional stage in your life?. It may seem odd but cats pick up on our emotional state and react to this in different ways. If you have ruled out any of these reasons then you can probably bet your bottom dollar that it is just plain bad behaviour. If this is the case and the cat continues to wee in the house regardless of how much you try and stop it and not to mention spending a fortune on all those gimmicks that claim to stop this from happening, then you must be beside yourself with frustration. In many of Amanda’s animal communications in regard to weeing cats it often comes down to attitude. Most of these cats know they are not doing the right thing by their owner but continue to behave in this manner. Amanda’s direct connections can usually convince the cat to stop this disgusting behaviour by shaming them into submission. Another of Amanda’s suggestions is adding a bit of privacy to their litter box. Some cats have admitted to Amanda that their litter box is something of an entertainment centre for all to see as they conduct their private business. Try to keep the box hidden behind plants and in an out of the way place in your home. Others have told her that the smell of the cat litter itself is what’s stopping them from using it. Try a few drops of lavender oil in a cotton wool ball and place them around the tray and try adding a little dirt from the garden to create an illusion of doing their business outside instead of in.

Horses

As an animal communicator Amanda has been working with quite a number of horses and their riders. The horse and rider combination can be considered to be one of a fulfilling experience. If the horse and rider combination is not balanced this in turn can create a lot of tension and the horse does not respond to the riders requests. Horses are very intuitive creatures and will become frustrated and disillusioned with the rider if they feel they are not given the proper opportunity to be involved in how they are to be trained. Amanda has found in a lot of cases that if the connection between horse and rider is not a true understanding of each other then there is no point in continuing. Horses like any other creature can misbehave and become a confronting nightmare. If this is the case then you need to adjust your thinking and see what your horses capabilities are and not to try and exceed them until your horse feels confident enough to continue to the next stage in their learning.

In many of Amanda’s animal communications the horse just wants to be heard and do the best that they can. Most horses are perfectionists so unless they feel 100% confident about their training it will be rather like trying to attempt an important exam without studying or even understanding the subject. When a horse misbehaves it is usually their way of attracting your attention. Always make sure you are confident your horse is comfortable with what ever you are training them to do before you go onto the next step.

Some horses are quick learners and will pick things up almost immediately but for others it can take a little while longer so always be patient. Some will be able to take in everything they have learned and exceed in some area but in other areas needing a little bit more attention. A horse can have all the training in the world and exceed at everything but if they feel a disconnection to the rider this can change in a matter of moments. To have a harmonious relationship with your horse means you need to connect to him on all levels including physically and spiritually. They understand your body language and will feel nervous if you feel nervous so you need to first build trust between you and your horse then the rest will follow.

Tips

Here are some tips from Amanda which may help you to achieve a better behaving pet.

  • A sound or touch is a diversion if your pet is acting erratically and distracts them from the moment.
  • If your pet behaves badly inside then taking them outside and leaving them for a moment can calm them down. This way they will get the point that they are only allowed inside when they are calm. Humanising a pet may sound ok to us but is not so much fun for some pets as they can strongly object to this kind of treatment.
  • Do not let your pets rule your life no matter what they have been through and how much you love them.
  • Let go of their past as they need to move on too.
  • Lowering their head is often a way of showing you they are surrendering.
  • If there is an obvious problem never ever avoid it as it can escalate into something far worse if left untreated.
  • Your pets need to take you seriously when disciplining them.
  • When discipline is given whining and protesting is normal. Just focus on the end result and remember you are doing this for them.
  • Some dogs are naturally nervous, tense and fearful but most can be rehabilitated by changing that thought pattern.
  • A dogs aggression can escalate from 0 to 10 in a matter of moments.
  • Ask yourself are you turning a blind eye to the problem and only seeing the good things.
  • You must build trust between you and your pet before you embark on any discipline rehabilitation.
  • Most of the changes that need to be made are psychological and keeping this in mind can help you to understand what changes need to be made. You would do the same for any other member of your family.
  • Dominance in a dog can be very challenging to any pet owner. We are not out to break their spirit by any means.
  • If you have decided to take control of your misbehaving pet then you must be consistent with training.
  • If you are not consistent then more damage can be done.
  • Block unwanted behaviour and remember prevention is better than cure.
  • Challenge your dog back.
  • In achieving a well balanced pet do not show fear or weakness as he will sense it and all your efforts have gone to waste.
  • Always keep the tone of your voice low and consistent when correcting. Do not show anger.
  • When training a dog it has to be fun for them or they get bored easily.
  • Do not use their name when disciplining them.
  • Remember they don’t think like humans. They think like dogs.
  • When a dog is shaking after discipline it generally means they are releasing toxic energy.
  • If a dog is becoming aggressive you need to snap them out of it the moment you see the change in energy.
  • If you give in your dog becomes more powerful and see you as the weak one.
  • A dog which is exhibiting fear will not eat or take food.
  • Dogs appreciate a happy well balanced life.
  • Never take your pets problems personally.
  • They can only stay in that high intensity zone for a few moments. Wait until it passes before you move on to any other commands.
  • You have to fix all your pets problems not just a couple of them.
  • Start with the worst behaviour first.
  • It has to be team work with all members of the household not just one person.
  • Affection, affection and more affection only can turn them into monsters. They need a certain amount of discipline and direction in their lives.
  • Don’t be afraid that you are going to hurt your dogs feeling by correcting them.
  • A dog is not happy being unstable.
  • Massaging the head calms them down quickly.
  • There is a big difference between discipline and punishment.
  • Never ever discipline through punishment.
  • Even if a dog has had issues for years this can still be corrected.
  • They must realise that you are not going to give up.
  • In a dominant state a strong breed such as a pit bull can pull thirty times their weight.

Amanda De Warren can provide you with unique pet readings, communication, please read more on the services page.