Hello and welcome.
My name is Biggie Junge.
I'm a certified dog trainer and coach for Dog Guardians,
Specializing in sensitive and reactive dogs.
Over the years,
Both professionally and through living with my own dogs,
I began to understand something important.
That behavior is not where change begins.
Underneath behavior is the autonomic nervous system.
Its job is to keep us safe,
And when the body begins to feel safe,
Everything else can shift from there.
This short practice is a somatic pause,
A way to settle your own body and calmly share that steadiness with your pet.
And this matters,
Because our animals feel these shifts.
Take a moment to come into a comfortable position.
You might be sitting,
Standing.
If your pet is nearby,
That's wonderful.
If not,
You can still do this practice.
Let your posture be relaxed yet upright,
And feel yourself supported by the ground beneath you.
The somatic pause is a simple three-part practice.
Breath,
Body and presence.
We'll begin with your breath.
Let your inhale be natural.
There is nothing you need to change,
And nothing you need to control.
Just breathe in through your nose,
And out through your mouth.
And again,
In through your nose,
And out through your mouth.
If you want to,
You can let your exhale become a little longer.
No effort,
No pushing.
Just allowing your breath to slow.
In through your nose,
And out through your mouth.
Stay with that for a few more cycles.
Now bring awareness to your body.
Notice how you are sitting or standing in this moment.
Start with your shoulders,
And if you can,
Let them soften slightly.
As if they could melt down and away from your ears.
Then bring your attention to your chest,
Slowly moving with your breath.
Your arms,
Your hands,
Your belly.
The way your body is being supported.
Simply notice what is there,
And if you find any areas of tension,
There is nothing you need to do.
No need to make it go away.
Just allow more space around it,
And see if it softens in its own time.
If your pet is nearby,
Allow yourself to be here with them,
Not by looking at them directly,
But by sharing the same space.
Let your awareness expand,
And sense the quiet presence between you.
Rest in open awareness of your animal's presence.
Nothing to ask,
Nothing to cue,
Nothing to expect.
Just being,
Here,
Together.
Now continue with all three parts together,
For a little while longer.
A slow breath in,
A longer breath out.
A softening through your body,
And a quiet awareness of your pet's presence.
This is co-regulation.
Not something you do to your animal,
But something you allow through your own steadiness.
And,
As your nervous system settles,
The atmosphere around you can begin to shift.
You are offering a calm,
Steady presence your pet can feel.
They may respond.
They may soften,
Come closer,
Or simply continue with what they were doing.
All of that is completely okay.
Because,
Even if nothing changes on the outside,
Something may be shifting on the inside.
And the shift begins here,
With you.
Let's take a few more slow breaths together.
Breathing in.
And again.
In.
And one more time.
Breathing in.
And slowly out again.
This is a somatic pause.
Just a small moment,
But one that can have a powerful effect.
You can return to this practice any time during your day,
Before interacting with your pet,
During a stressful moment,
Or simply to reconnect.
Because calm and connection don't come from control.
They grow from felt safety.
And if you'd like to explore this work more deeply,
You're warmly invited to join my course,
The Somatic Bond Nervous System Support for Pet Parents.
There,
We explore more deeply how calm,
Safety,
And connection are shared between you and your pet,
Recognizing signals of stress and safety,
And practicing simple body-based tools that support calm and connection for both of you.
Take one more slow breath in.
And the last,
Longer breath out.
And when you're ready,
Return to your day.
