It’s hard for most humans and even some dogs to stay calm under pressure and chaos. I don’t want to brag, but I have mastered staying chill in any circumstance and now I am going to pass my techniques on to you.

Let me just start by saying that I have observed that humans have a lot of opinions about all kinds of subjects. Not only do you have lots of opinions, but you like to express them out loud in person, in texts, on TV, pod casts and on every other type of social media. The chaos begins when other people then chime in and disagree. This leads to arguments, bruised egos and lots and lots of drama. Oy Vey! Theses opinions of course make it into counseling sessions where Doc has learned to listen quietly and then redirect the person to what is really bothering them. I assist by extending my paw, placing it on their leg or foot, to help calm them down. It can be difficult to get people to calm down sometimes, but hey, it’s my job.

So what do I do that helps me to stay calm? It starts with having your home be your sanctuary. Luckily, it’s quiet at Doc’s house and she has a very strict “no drama” rule. She even tells our patients the importance of having a place that is a sanctuary, even if it’s just one room in the house that you can go and have some peace and quiet. She also keeps our office at work a safe space not only for the patient’s but also so I can get a nap without being interrupted. Next, I don’t allow myself get involved in drama either with people or the dogs in the neighborhood. I have four dog friends I play with that are chill and the other ones that have that wild, aggressive energy and like to gossip are not on my friend list. I also get enough sleep, that’s important. You can’t make good choices when your brain is tired. As for social media, I only look at my own blog and have a strict rule that I don’t write about the negative. Only hearts, flowers and feel good stories on this page.

My advice to the humans is to take time and disengage sometimes. Turn off the tv, stop being pulled into the drama on social media and don’t allow yourself to be pulled into power struggles with those that don’t have any intention of listening to any point of view but their own. Life its too short. Be like a dog, spend some time outside on these beautiful spring days, rolling around in the grass without a care in the world.