9 weeks have passed since our puppies had been born and it has been one of the most exciting and magical times in my life.
It has been a completely new experience for me to have a pregnant dog at home, watching her belly grow, playing less, then changing her general attitudes and giving birth unexpectedly one evening on our sofa.
I had brought puppies home before, but never seen the first process of them learning to crawl, slowly opening their beautiful eyes, firstly still blind, then learning to see. I remember when I turned on the music too loud one day that they started screaming, that their ears had opened. The first attempts to walk, then climbing out of the box to explore new territory. Everything helped me during a difficult time in my life to reconnect to life and its beauty.
I loved observing the intensifying interaction with my other dogs. It wouldn’t take long that their independence grew, they started playing, jumping - and also destroying. Of course, how would they know, that it is the good sofa, which they are not supposed to chew on? Or the wooden staircase?
But there was and is so much more than beauty, joy and happiness with our 6 babies. As an animal intuitive I know too well that there are always learning lessons for humans involved, that there is something that they try to teach us. And here I watched quite some lessons pop up and one involved boundaries, something I have been struggling with all my life.
My husband and I had agreed that the pups would live outside in a beautiful big cosy and warm shed house when they started becoming too wild, and the puppies accepted our decision for a few days. But then: let´s push boundaries and enter the house, firstly quietly then more and more obviously in the middle of the nights, so we will see how Katja reacts.
And I felt: just let them sleep inside because I felt so sorry for them, was too tired or thought that they would be happier and warmer in the kitchen and in that way totally ignoring the boundaries that they pushed (although I knew this was a lesson to learn). My husband and I started arguing at times. He was pointing at my lack of persistence and authority, making myself small, when I tried to hide below the blanket pretending not to hear them. Of course they needed to overstep the line in order for me to change my attitude, when they started coming even upstairs in the middle of the night. I don´t pretend that it has cost me effort to step up, but it showed his results very quickly. The consequence? Nobody comes up any more, they even start sleeping in their house outside at times. Everything in the house it is much more peaceful and easygoing between all of us, something so necessary with 10 dogs and 2 humans.
You might think it is an easy lesson, but believe me, for me it isn´t. I must admit, it felt heartbreaking, undoable to set a boundary, but it is so necessary in all ways of our life, so people, circumstances or even animals make our life difficult and for some even unbearable. Not being able to set healthy boundaries had affected me in many life situations negatively, brought conflict and frustration, but I am learning and with help of the puppies I moved some steps forward again. Do you know your boundaries and if you do, do you stick to them?
Animals are great helpers and guides, who teach us through their actions and behaviours, what lessons we need to learn in order to shift, grow and evolve. Do you know, what lesson your animal is trying to teach you? Check out my website to find out more.
PS: They taught be even more. Check my next blog post to find out.