They say our most important relationships teach us about ourselves, and our relationships with our companion animals are no different. Whether our pets teach us to be patient or playful, calm or creative, we learn a lot about life and ourselves just because they are part of our lives.

You’ve heard that saying (and maybe even seen for yourself) that people and their pets often look alike. But they often act alike too. It’s unclear if we tend to gravitate towards animals we (consciously or unconsciously) see as similar to ourselves or if we end up acting alike due to the sheer amount of time we spend together. Or both. Whatever the initial cause, there’s no denying that we can learn a lot from animals because they mirror our behaviors, personalities and fears.

Interestingly enough, some of the most important lessons we learn from our pets come from the behaviors they have that can irritate us the most. In fact, often when people come to me for pet psychic readings, it’s often because they’re concerned about or irritated by one or more of their pet’s behaviors. Such was the case with *Rochelle, whose Dalmatian, Jack, was showing signs of anxiety when she came to me. Rochelle was exasperated because she felt like she gave Jack a ton of attention and love, so she didn’t understand what the source of his anxiety could be. When I checked in with Jack, I found he really did feel Rochelle loved and cared for him, and he had no complaints about her. And while Dalmatians often have the reputation for being a high-strung breed, he didn’t feel anxious–except when he sensed Rochelle was anxious. In his mind, he felt he was helping her by sharing her emotional states, including the anxious ones. As I relayed this information to Rochelle, a light bulb figuratively went off over her head. She admitted to being treated for anxiety, but she hadn’t made the connection that her anxiety could affect Jack. Understanding that he was mirroring her helped her realize that she could help him by helping herself–and she felt better about their relationship overall. 

Jack the Dalmatian mirrored his human’s anxiety, helping her better take care of them both. Photo by Wikipedia.

Our animal companions don’t always mirror our behavior, but it’s a good idea to check to see if the behaviors, emotions or quirks you’re concerned about in your pet could be ones you’re modeling yourself. This can better help you understand and care for your companion animal. If you need further guidance, don’t hesitate to contact me for a pet psychic reading.

*Names changed for client privacy.