Breathe…Like a Dog!

Somewhere along the way, adult people forget how to breathe. We take short, shallow breaths from our chest. When worried or nervous, those shallow breaths become fast, making our breathing even worse. And when those short, shallow breaths are the result of any anxiety, our anxiety becomes worse as our breathing becomes worse. One feeds the other until we’re forced to just stop.

Young children don’t breathe like this; they even laugh from deep in their bellies. And neither does your dog—he also breathes from deep in his belly.

It’s easy to see it in action. Let your dog curl up next to you or in your lap and wait for him to relax while you pet him or wait for him to fall asleep. Put your hand on his chest and you’ll feel nothing. But move your hand down to her belly and you’ll feel a soft, deep, rhythmic rise and fall as he takes those full, relaxed breaths. Wait for him to start dreaming and you’ll see his belly rise and fall even more as he takes in more air to chase and whimper at the dreamland bunny.

Your dog isn’t worried or thinking about the next day. He’s just in the moment, one breath at a time. Breathing properly should help keep us in the moment, when we’re able to do it. Start by practicing with your dog.   

As you sit together with your hand on your dog’s rising and falling belly, take some deep belly breaths of your own and watch how your breathing slows down—I think it just takes longer to breathe this way! Notice how much more relaxed you feel. You’ll learn to relax while you build an even better bond with your napping dog.

If you find that you can’t focus enough on meditation, try breathing with your dog. And one day, maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to breathe properly all on your own.