Who says our four-legged friends have no soul? They also need a therapist, in order to reach their balance and inner peace. Please, meet the first Bulgarian pet psychologist Alexander Georgiev:

One can’t learn how to get along with dogs at the university. It is enough to carry some psychology inside. Alexander found out about his vocation when he received his first dog during his early childhood years:

“My father brought me a dog at the age of 5. He told me that in case I couldn’t deal on my own, he would gift it to someone else. This looked like a serious threat to me. That is how it all started…”

Alexander observed what the dogs did as children would and tried to figure out their behavior. When he grew up, he realized that all animals were guided by their instincts and genetic information. That is why it is wrong to view them as stubborn and naughty kids. Georgiev established the first in Bulgaria school for training of dogs on duty. Later on the man went to Austria where he worked as a pet trainer. One day a shepherd appeared with his aggressive dog that was a threat for both people and animals. However, the Bulgarian managed to calm the animal down and his mastery brought him the title pet psychologist. We should listen to the pieces of advice on a dog’s education if we want the latter to obey.

“The main rule is to avoid thinking that the dog is a man,” the expert explains. “Then we should place it last in the family hierarchy. Third, we should have strict control with good, strong and qualitative commands, requiring the dog’s obedience, as this makes us the dog’s guides. After all, we need to be consistent and honest with the animal, without pouring out our anger on it, as it has done nothing against us.”

Unfortunately we can’t explain the conventions of the world to the dog – the meaning of rules, laws, morality, ethics… However, we can show the proper behavior in certain situations. Alexander says that each dog should know the meaning of commands such as Stop!, Wait!, Not there!, Not like this!, Sit!, Lie down!, Let go! and Come here! It is also important to realize that the animal has no abstract thinking andis unaware of causal connections. This means that it is senseless to punish it, but we can react to its reaction, Alexander says and adds:

“Thus we show to the dog our attitude to what it is doing – when a command is followed, we show joy and the dog registers this as something positive. Then it will be a pleasure for the animal to obey, if it gets its rewards each time – appraisal, love and affection…”

The therapy session is a meeting of three: an expert, an owner and a dog. This is the only way to succeed. However, who makes more trouble?

“The owners,” Alexander laughs. “Dogs are easier and the right attitude results in their quick response. At the same time owners usually want to mix my suggestions with whatever they want to do. The most common example: don’t let the dog on the bed. And the answer is: “Well, it has already got used to it…”

The pet therapist says the dog is not some accessory and that is why one should reconsider carefully the breed – the smaller ones are better for apartments. Alexander himself lives with Chihuahua Mon Cherry and Dobermans Darma Livia and Cherry-Marie Antoanette.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev