Dogs need more than walks and cuddles to have fulfilled, healthy lives. They need an alpha leader. While men often take on the alpha role with animals in the household, women hold just as much potential to be the leader their dog needs to thrive. In fact, 60% of pet owners are female, according to a recent study from Infogroup.
LittleThings spoke with Sasha Armstrong, founder and creator of the Canine State of Mind program, to discuss ways women can build stronger, mutually respectful relationships through body language and energetics with their pets. Sasha serves as a guide, creating a kinder, more intimate, and holistic lifestyle for her clients by helping them embody the essence of an alpha.
Her ranch is a safe haven for all animals, including a majestic and mystical wolf named Jupiter; Blue, a German shepherd and blue heeler cross; Panda, a border collie cross; Pippa, a border terrier and Jack Russell cross; Nashoba, a German shepherd; two farm cats; four off-track thoroughbreds; and one Welsh pony.
“It’s easy to be lulled into believing that commands and entertaining our dogs is what they need to be content, because we hear it from so many sources,” says Sasha. “But the truth is that while different breeds certainly have varying degrees of natural instincts, at their core, each canine functions with a need to peacefully fit into their place within the pack in order to prevent them from feeling like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders. This does not equate to a checklist that you are trying to complete each day in order for your canine to have the optimal existence. However, it does mean dropping the checklist and expectations and confidently creating connection with your dog through rituals of self-love, energetic openness, and tapping into your intuition.”
Sasha tells LittleThings that animals — specifically dogs — have always been a part of who she is, at her core. "I have been a canine and human relationship designer for decades, and my intuitive ability to communicate with dogs has been finely tuned through experiences ranging from rescue and rehabilitation to canine matchmaking and the fine art of guiding the creation of healthy relationships between dogs and humans," she says. "Perhaps equally as important as my connection with animals is my understanding and extensive background in personal growth and development, because it’s almost impossible to have healthy relationships with anyone, especially the sensitive and perceptive canine, until you have a healthy relationship with yourself."
Her own canines have come to her in a variety of ways. Jupiter came after being rescued from a gang-run dog-fighting ring in downtown Chicago where he was caged behind layers of barbed wire and survived “the most unimaginable treatment and circumstances.” Sasha recalls, “When finding his place in the pack at my ranch, I immediately had to step into the alpha role, to allow him to be at peace. When any canine experiences situations that induce anxiety, behavioral issues are nearly always the result, and his extreme circumstances could have created major issues for the two of us.”
However, when Jupiter arrived, Sasha put her proven strategies to work within the first 30 seconds of their exchange:
1. Stepping into her strong and instinctual alpha leadership
2. Embracing robust abundance and self-love
3. Abandoning all expectations, desire to control him, or self-judgment that may have been looming
“This inner work will actually bring both you and your dog an unparalleled level of peace, because when we are not operating in our role as the alpha, the canines don’t feel safe and instead feel the undue responsibility of leading and taking care of us, which leads to anxiety,” advises Sasha.
Next, when Sasha interacted with Jupiter, she recognized they were having an energetic exchange.
“Canines are far more sensitive than humans, so I became consciously aware of my thoughts and feelings,” she shares. “When I started to listen to my intuition, I stepped into action rather than reaction, creating rituals and understanding for the two of us and giving Jupiter the opportunity for calm and ease, for perhaps the first time in his life.”
As with every canine who comes to Armstrong’s ranch, Jupiter was also transitioned to a raw, clean diet. That’s her fourth tip.
“By helping the canine to function at their best, a healthy diet ultimately contributes to the masterpiece of an expertly designed human and canine connection,” notes Sasha. “Here, canines also have the opportunity to live in an environment that allows them to access and act on many of their natural instincts in nature. However, just because you live in an urban or metropolitan area doesn’t mean those same natural instincts don’t exist for your canine.”
Working in the trenches, Sasha says, “I often hear from clients whose dogs act out while on walks or the act of going on the walk creates high levels of anxiety for the canine. On average, dogs sleep more hours than they are awake and instinctively they preserve their energy for survival activities such as hunting, which may be what your dog is preparing for when you take them for a walk. When a human has anxiety about a walk, or is fearful, this can cause stress to be at an all-time high for dogs during their walk or, as I like to call it, ‘the hunt!’”
She paints a vivid picture, suggesting, “Imagine you are a dog who is surrounded by external stimulation in the form of machinery, automobiles, other humans, [and] other canines, and their alpha is being reactionary rather than leading in action. ‘The hunt’ may become a dreaded part of the canine’s day as opposed to what we have been conditioned to believe should be the best part of their day.”
When it comes down to choosing the right breed for your lifestyle, Armstrong has a unique take.
"Selecting the right dog has more to do with soulful connection than it does the breed. Canines are a wonderful companion and teacher and need to enter our lives based on the energetic exchange rather than the particular breed of the dog."
— Sasha Armstrong
"As a seasoned matchmaker for dogs and humans, I am more interested in the personality and the disposition of the canine rather than perceived traits of the breed," Sasha says. "So if you are planning to work with a shelter or a breeder when finding your dog, spend time with the dogs or the puppies and see if there is a connection. There are some simple concepts that you need to take into consideration, such as not choosing a large breed if you live in a very small home. Much like choosing a human partner, please don't make your choice on looks alone. The most important part of choosing the right dog is assessing the connection between human and canine."
To sum it up, choosing a dog that you have a connection with, stepping into your own alpha role and embracing self-love, abandoning all expectations, and keeping your pet in optimal mental and physical health will create a rewarding relationship between women and their dogs.
