A Dog's Purpose...Are They a Mirror of Ourselves?

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

-Anatole France

We all know that a dog is loyal and true until the very end, and anyone who has a dog knows a dog has a soul just as much as we do. Did dogs make soul agreements before entering this life to love us unconditionally, to stand by our sides no matter what, and to take some of the burden of life off of us? I think so…

I would also go so far as to say they take on our emotional baggage. I’ve seen dogs who have never had a hard day in their lives but still suffer from fear and anxiety. I’ve noticed how dogs mimic the behaviors of their parents. I have seen doggie parents struggle with a particular behavior in their dog, and no amount of training can get to the root of the problem. And the “problem” is really just the dog being a perfect reflection of their person’s deepest inner wounds, which they carry out of love.

Now, can dogs have their own personalities apart from their human family? Yes. But in most cases, a person will choose a dog that has similar energy to their own. Like attracts like. And by choosing a like-minded (or of similar energy) dog, a person may be subconsciously choosing to be reminded of the work they need to do within themselves because this dog, like their own child, will serve as a mirror for them.

Yes, our dogs can lead us to deeper and deeper levels of awareness! If you take the time to really be quiet and pay attention you’ll find that your dog’s soul has been serving its purpose just by being your reflection without judgement, and all the while loving you unconditionally...so that we may learn how to love ourselves, all the parts of us - even our shadows - u n c o n d i t i o n a l l y ...

If we can love our dog despite their reactivity, high anxiety, or cowardice, can we not also learn to love those aspects in ourselves? What if we did? What if we realized the mirror that they always were and realized that the solution to the “problem” was just to love those parts of ourselves that we have no problem loving in them? And when we do that, what do you think we will discover?

If we heal ourselves, we heal our dogs. It’s that simple. They have come here to assist in our awakening, to remind us of the unconditionally loving beings that we are, and to add joy to our lives. Now, isn’t that the most noble job you could think of? Let’s not let these hardworking pups' efforts go unrecognized. Do me a favor and thank your dog today for being the light in your life and for taking on your pain. Even if your dogs aren’t famously heroic like Balto or Rin Tin Tin for doing outrageous acts of courage, your dogs are heroic in their own ways by acting as your soul's mirror and being a beacon of light and love in your lives.

The devotion of a dog’s love is everlasting. They are here to remind us of the depth of our own love, who we truly are, underneath all the sadness, fear, and stress. They come here with a message: this pain is not who you are, but do not ignore it! It needs healing so that your soul can once again remember who you truly are. And that is LOVE. When your dog suffers from a negative emotion, stop and ask yourself: "Do I also suffer from this emotion in my day to day? What can I do to heal this within myself?" And remember, your dog wants this for you! And you'll see that when you change, your dog will change too. It may seem counterproductive, but give it a try and lets see what happens!