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Emotional Freedom TechniquesWhere emotional relief brings physical health
Self help method often works where nothing else will No Drugs Involved ~ High Success Rate
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Wheelchair user finds unique way to calm down her Service Dog
Hi Everyone,
Cyndy Clay is a wheelchair user and, like many such people, employs the use of a Service Dog. As it turns out, her Service Dog was particularly aggressive and needed to be calmed down at times. Note how Cyndy establishes EFT with her dog and is able to trigger it (and thus calm down her dog) by simply saying "tap, tap, tap."
Hugs, Gary
Dear Gary,
I was introduced to EFT at a Gail Boyne Workshop in Glendale California. A woman named Anne, hailing from Canada was one of the attendees and worked with me to apply EFT. I had an ex-boyfriend issue and learned EFT in a few minutes. As I was driving home that day I wondered if the meridian points were the same on dogs as they were on humans.
I am the program director, lead trainer, and founder of Leashes for Living Assistance dog school. (a.k.a. Clay's Canine Side Kicks ADS). We teach/coach physically challenged people (35 teams presently) to train and communicate with their own Service Dogs. It is a two-year program. My own personal Service Dog, a chocolate lab, is very protective (due to some trauma we went through last spring). If anyone gazes at us from a distance, longer than a passing glance, he takes it as a challenge. He is 120 pounds of muscle and his growl is imposing. I knew I had to work on this issue.
When I returned from the workshop, I looked up the meridian points on dogs. Then I started applying the EFT to my dog, Keebler. Previously, we were using positive reinforcement with clicker training to keep an aggressive dog's attention on the handler rather than the other dog they were aggressing at. Often great service dogs are released from training programs due to other dog aggression, from a bad experience.
The clicker, in this situation bothered me, as the timing of the clicker was so important. And the people I work with are physically challenged. Often the dogs took the clicker as reinforcement for aggressing.
So I introduced EFT to my Lab, saying, "Keebler, I totally love you and accept you the way you are." I introduced it before he had a stressful moment. I wanted him to get used to the tapping before I really needed it. I also added the words “tap, tap, tap”, since the word "Tap" could be a distinguished and recognized word in the command list.
Several days later I was in the grocery store (I am a wheelchair user) and my arms were full with boxes and bottles. I was starting to drop everything and a lady 20 feet away started toward me and Keebler to help us. Keebler took the posture to ward her off and bark. I quietly said tap, tap, tap ... not being able to touch him with my arms full.
He immediately settled and welcomed her with a wagging tail. PHEW, relief. I praised him. The next day I was talking to my veterinarian. She uses acupuncture as part of her healing. I explained EFT. She said, "Well proof is in the pudding!"
EFT has been so successful with my dog I now include it in my teaching manuals so it is learned early before anyone/dog has a negative experience. You see the EFT is neither rewarding (like the clicker) nor punishing like a harsh command or correction. It is non-emotional … neutral.
Dogs live on emotion, and any emotion, good or bad is reinforcing. But EFT simply brings the dog back into the PACK drive rather than defense drive, allowing the dog to return to working like a pack member in wonderful synchronistic harmony.
Cyndy Clay, MA, LMFT, CCH
