I’m going to step back in time and speak to you about my sweet boy Guinness.
As a Healing Touch for Animals® practitioner, I believe deeply in what I do. We are all energetic beings — human and animal — and sometimes our energy gets thrown out of balance. My work is about gently guiding the body back to a place of harmony. I’ve seen the difference it makes… and I’ve lived it, too.
In December 2016, I learned just how powerful energy healing could be — not from a book or a training session, but from my dog, Guinness.
When Everything Changed
On December 8, 2016, Guinness had dental surgery. What should have been a fairly routine procedure turned into one of the most difficult experiences of our lives. Not long after surgery, he had a neurological reaction to one of the medications. He began to sway while standing still, as if the ground beneath him couldn’t be trusted. He paced aimlessly, confused and unsteady. His eyes searched mine, full of fear, silently asking, What’s happening to me? On December 24th, he was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease.
Losing His Spark
The worst came next — he stopped eating.
My food-loving boy, who normally sat under the table during meals waiting for something to drop, now lay quietly on his bed, too weak and disconnected to care. I cooked everything I could think of: scrambled eggs, oatmeal, chicken and rice, beef and sweet potatoes — but nothing worked. He might take a bite, maybe two. That was it.
Days passed. Then a week. Nearly two weeks. And still, he barely ate more than a few spoonfuls of peanut butter. All of this happened right before Christmas, my busiest season for pet sitting. I was exhausted, scared, and completely overwhelmed.
The Moment Everything Shifted
Then I remembered something important: I wasn’t alone.
I called my friend Shelley, a fellow Healing Touch for Animals® practitioner, and asked if she could help. She began working with Guinness the next day. The shift in the room was immediate — he relaxed. His breathing slowed. You could feel something in the energy change.
About 15 minutes into the session, Guinness stood up, walked over to me, and looked me right in the eyes. I asked, “Are you hungry?” — and he thumped his tail twice.
It was the most response I’d seen from him in nearly two weeks.
He walked to his bowl, I filled it with the food I’d been trying to offer him, and he ate every last bite.
A Lesson I’ll Never Forget
That moment stayed with me. What if I had never called Shelley? I couldn’t do the energy work, my mind was too scattered, and Guinness would not have benefitted. I had him with me for another 13 months. We did energy work periodically throughout the rest of his time on the planet. I am forever grateful for that experience.
We are more than just physical bodies.
We are energy.
We are connection.
We are light.
And our animals — they know that, too.
Guinness reminded me why I do what I do. Healing isn’t always loud or fast. Sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s the gentle presence of someone who sees the whole being — not just the symptoms.
Benji enjoys energy work. Sometimes “purposeful pets” are all he needs to soothe and calm his energy.
I am a Healing Touch for Animals® practitioner, and this work is part of my heart. If you’re curious to learn more or explore holistic resources for your pet, visit:
Black Dog Bakehouse – Healing Touch & Holistic Resources
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