Sometimes I wish Chester and Gretel knew how to speak human-ese so they could tell me what they are thinking. Instead I am left trying to infer meaning from their body language. It’s totally a guessing game.
Do those kisses mean that Gretel loves me or just that it’s dinner time? Does Chester’s starting and grumping mean he wants you to cover him with blankets or that he needs to go potty? And what about Gretel’s anxiety? Was it simply that she was not properly socialized or did something traumatic happen to her before the dog flipper sold her to the people who later surrendered her to a rescue?
I recently met an animal communicator named Karen. I had heard of animal communicators before but wasn’t really sure what they did.
Karen explained to me that animals communicate with each other using body language and telepathy – sending words, feelings or pictures by “thinking” them. Some humans, whether it be through a “gift”, intuition, or training, can receive and send telepathic signals. Some people have learned to do this with animals.
People use animal communicators for several reasons: tocheck in on their pet’s health; to seek an explanation for a recent behavior change; to help communicate with their pets when they bring a new pet or baby home; to help locate their lost pet; to reconnect; or address unanswered questions with a deceased pet.
I don’t believe I can communicate telepathically (I can sometimes pick up on what other people are thinking but certainly not Chester and Gretel) but I have an open mind and believe that other people may have the ability to do so. I thought I would try a session with an animal communicator to see what I thought. If nothing else, it would be fun to imagine I knew what Chester and Gretel were really thinking.
What Did Chester Have to Say?
Karen came to my house to communicate with Chester first. We discussed a few questions I had for him and then she sat still and closed her eyes. During that time she connected with Chester and had a mental conversation with him. Afterward, we discussed what she had learned. Some of what she said made sense based on his personality and some things were new and insightful.
Chester told her that “I am kind of the King but they don’t seem to recognize that”. That is funny because, although Gretel is needy, Chester certainly does have an aloof and superior air about him. I also suspect that he thinks his human parents aren’t very bright. I bet Karen was right when she said that Chester feels like he is not served as much as he would like to be!
Chester said that it was no accident that he ended up coming with me when my roommate (his original owner) and I moved apart. He thinks that he was meant to be in my life to be my teacher and Gretel’s teacher after she came to live with us. I do believe that things happen for a reason, and know that him being in the household as a “mentor” was one of the primary reasons that the rescue chose us as Gretel’s forever home.
Chester said he is spoiled but he misses going places with me like he used to. I used to take him EVERYWHERE when I was younger and always gallivanting around. It’s often Gretel that goes with me now when I only take one dog. Maybe I should re-think that. Chester is such a good boy (oh, you can be sure that he threw that one in there too but he said “very”) and I miss the ease of being out in public with just him.
I had asked Karen why in the heck he barks so much. It’s annoying. Lately it doesn’t seem to matter if the “knocking” is me closing a cupboard or the UPS guy is coming up the steps – he goes absolutely nuts. I was concerned it had to do with this old eyes or ears failing him (even thought the vet has checked him out and found nothing amiss). Nope, Karen said he told her that he barks so much just because he likes to me heard. It’s also a bit of a game for him because he doesn’t quite believe that no one is there and likes me to jump up and open the door to show him (he sure has me trained).
What Did Gretel Have to Say?
Karen came back a second time to talk to Gretel. Gretel said that her life started out in a happy place where she was being groomed or prepared for something and then an accident happened that upended her life. Karen couldn’t tell if the “accident” was an illness, death, or injury but Gretel had to leave her home after it happened and things got bad for her.
The dog flipper that eventually got her and sold her for a profit was getting free dogs, and preying on people in unfortunate situations, on Craigslist to sell. Perhaps Gretel’s first owner, or family members of that owner, were reaching out to people on Craigslist to rehome her and the dog-flipper snatched her up.
The “grooming” thing made me hopeful that Gretel came from a breeder and not a puppy mill but I have serious doubts. She was clearly not socialized well when she was young and every reputable breeder I know puts in tireless effort to make sure their puppies are well adjusted and socialized. So where she came from will remain a mystery but Karen did tell me that Gretel is so needy because she is afraid something bad will happen and she will have to leave our happy home – waiting for the other shoe to drop as the saying goes.
Gretel told Karen that she is very smart and likes to be appreciated for her beauty. She felt like that was taken from her when she had to leave her home after the accident. She wishes she had more opportunities to show us how smart she is. After our nosework class fell through I have been making lame attempts to use nosework principles to challenge her around the house. I feel like the more that I challenge her the more she “rises to the occasion” and uses her thinking cap to figure things out. I WANT to see how smart she is because, so far, I haven’t found any limits. I am going to look for bigger and bigger challenges for her.
Anyway, my verdict on the whole animal communicator thing is that it is worth a try. Each communicator has a different style and “accuracy level” I am sure but I think it is valuable whether you are just doing it for fun or you believe wholeheartedly that certain people can communicate directly with animals. It’s something that would make a unique gift for the animal lover in your life too.
What do you think your dog is thinking? Have you ever used an animal communicator?
Mary says
December 2, 2014 at 6:25 AMVery interesting. Seems she was pretty accurate on what they think.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:25 AMI certainly feel like there were things she shared that could not have been “sussed out” from something I told her but that I made connections to. She checked in with Chester’s health and said he was healthy but his shoulder hurts sometimes from a previous injury. 4 or 5 years ago he fell down the stairs at our house and got hurt. He would squeal with pain every time he tried to get up and I was never sure if it was his back or shoulder (my vet surgeon neighbor examined him and prescribed crate rest. He got better). I am relieved to know it was his shoulder that hurt and not his back because that is a big deal for Dachshunds.
Lara Elizabeth says
December 2, 2014 at 8:10 AMI did take Ruby to a short session at my local pet supply store, just for fun. I’ve always been pretty skeptical of animal communicators, especially after one came to a barn I worked at and told a bunch of people that their horses wanted other names. The woman told me that Ruby was worried about me, and asked if I took good care of myself – I said yes and thought that she was way off. The next day I nearly cut my finger off while working on my Halloween costume, so I thought that was pretty funny.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:21 AMThat’s not funny but funny about your finger. Related to your communicator/horse story: I have seen several naturopaths. The first lady literally looked at me and started humming and then gave a diagnosis. Look, I am not saying that doesn’t work for her but it certainly doesn’t work for me. I have one now that is more like a western doctor but used natural methods whenever possible. I think the key is finding someone that works with your personality type and within you belief system.
Bethany says
December 2, 2014 at 8:22 AMI had an animal communicator come as a novelty birthday gift for myself a few years ago. It turned out that she solved some behavior problems we had been having for years- behavior problems that I had spent over a thousand dollars on positive reinforcement trainers and behaviorists for and countless hours on trying to fix. She fixed the problem permanently, in two hours! I always tell everyone about my awesome experience; an animal communicator was the best money I have ever spent on anything for my pets, ever. So obviously I think finding a good one is always worth a try.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:16 AMThat is so cool. I mean, to be skeptical and then have it work so well. That just goes to prove that, although there are different skills and abilities, animal communication can be a great experience.
Sue says
December 2, 2014 at 9:43 AMLove your article! I’ve consulted an animal communicator and definitely believe it can be very helpful. Most recently it helped with some of Jeffie’s anxiety issues.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:13 AMThat’s my biggest concern with Gretel too – her anxiety. Thanks for letting me know that it helped you and Jeffie.
Pamela | Something Wagging This Way Comes says
December 2, 2014 at 2:08 PMI’m uncertain if I believe that animal communicators are getting direct messages from pets. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t very insightful and can open us up to new ideas. Sometimes a new person can see things about our relationships that we’re blind to.
Either way, it seems like you had a good experience. And it looks like you’re considering different ways you can make your already excellent relationship with Chester and Gretel even better.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:11 AMExactly Pamela! To me, it is more about the result than the method to get there. Do I feel like my relationship with Chester and Gretel has changed for the better since my experience? Yes? The neatest thing is that I have reconnected with Gretel’s owner before she went to the rescue (we had reconnected soon after the adoption when the dog flipper lady was exposed but then not talked) and we are going to meet in person! I am going to get to learn more about Gretel’s past before she came to me…which is totally awesome. Karen had nothing to do with that directly but it was my experience with her that led me to something great. That is a win for me and makes it totally worth it!
Jana Rade says
December 2, 2014 at 4:40 PMWe used three animal communicator. Really impressed with the last one an we keep using her periodically.
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:06 AMGreat to know that you have had success.
Leah says
December 3, 2014 at 9:37 AMIntriguing. I had not considered engaging a pet communicator before, now I think a session would make an excellent gift (a pet stocking stuffer), too. I wonder what qualifications to look for in a communicator?
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner says
December 3, 2014 at 10:05 AMTo be honest, I am not sure. I had never used one before because I was pretty skeptical. The meeting with Karen was by chance and I liked the way she explained what she did. I guess I would say go with someone who resonates with you and matches your personality. I looked around a little to learn more and definitely found some that seemed too “frou-frou” and over-promised in my book. I gravitate toward more logical explanations. I do know there are certifications for this but believe that some people naturally excel at animal communication so no formal training is not a deal breaker for me.
Surya Das says
December 3, 2014 at 4:36 PMI have known Karen for some twenty years, and we are good friends. In summer she visited us down in Camas, Washington and had lunch. We have a cat who is rather skittish around visitors and always hides when others are around. I found it interesting that during Karen’s visit and lunch our cat did not hide and in fact sat right next to her the whole time, something he never does. To me, this is a rather good indication Karen really has a feel for animals and her work as a communicator is a very good use of her talents.
Jessica Rhae says
December 3, 2014 at 5:12 PMThanks for sharing your experience. Interesting that you mention it too. Gretel is usually skittish around strangers too but she LOVED Karen. I knew she had a connection with her that she doesn’t with most peoole.
Christina Berry says
December 4, 2014 at 6:08 AMIt’s a novel concept, for sure. Maybe something I’d like to try someday.
But more importantly, is that a little castiron iron I see in the background of Chester’s photo? My grandma had one that she used as a doorstop.
Jessica Rhae says
December 5, 2014 at 9:57 AMIt is! I brought it from my Grandma’s house and figured I should give it a job 🙂 I also have a little Victorian boot made out of cast iron for one of our other doors.
Cupcake says
December 4, 2014 at 1:21 PMI think a communicator would listen and listen to me and hear nothing but crickets. With an occasional “Huh??” Or “I have no idea what you want from me.”
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Jessica Rhae says
December 5, 2014 at 9:58 AMHa! That is what I thought about Chester too. I suspect he feels he is above most humans and wouldn’t want to lower himself (I also suspect he speaks in a British accent). 🙂
Dolly the Doxie says
December 5, 2014 at 6:13 AMVery interesting! We have met similar people before it would be fun to give it a try! Its almost sad that your dogs are wanting things you don’t know they need. Like Gretel being challenged, mom feels like that with me sometimes, she knows if she spent a little time and patience with me I could do all sorts of things. Love Dolly
Jessica Rhae says
December 5, 2014 at 10:02 AMI do know some about dog body language but I feel like “guessing what they are feeling” is a game most of the time. It was interesting that the communicator mentioned that Gretel wanted to be more challenged (like with agility or something) because I never mentioned to Karen that we had or would do something like that. Be careful what you ask for thought because I kind of knew that Gretel would love a challenge like agility but, as you said, have not set aside the time and made a solid effort at it. Now that I know she wants it I feel worse for not doing it 🙂
Elaine says
December 5, 2014 at 3:16 PMThis is so interesting. I’m not sure I’m a believer but it sure would be fun to try and maybe be convinced. It’s interesting that she seemed to know a few things that you didn’t tell her. It definitely would make an interesting holiday gift for a dog lover.
Jason says
February 9, 2015 at 5:05 AMI have been practicing animal communication for the last year or so. After hearing about it I was really interested but the skeptical part of me wasn’t ready to fully believe it. After going on a day workshop I got information that there was no way I could have known. Since then the readings have got progressively better and I’m hoping to do it full time soon. It is real folks 🙂