Soul Touched by Dogs

Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs
Podcast, the show for dog lovers who

see dogs not as toys or tools, but
wise souls worth our respect and care.

I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.

I talk to poor some humans, people who
do great work for dogs and their people.

So come and join us for
today's conversation.

Anke: Hello, and welcome, Jennifer.

I'm super excited to have
you here with me today.

Jennifer: Thank you.

I'm so excited to be here.

Yay.

Anke: So before we, you know, talk dogs,
uh, let's talk Jennifer for a second.

Um, you know, give people a
2 minute bird's eye overview.

Where are you based?

And, you know, what's

Jennifer: your connection with dogs?

Sure.

I am based in Morristown, New
Jersey, and you might be able

to hear my dog at the moment.

Um, I was a cat person all of my life
until about, uh, 4 years ago where my

boyfriend decided well, he's wanted
1 forever, an Australian blue heeler.

And, uh, she took 1 look at me, and I
took 1 look at her, and we realized we

were soulmates, and she became my dog.

So, uh, it's really having this connection
with dogs really changed my life.

Wow.

How the boys would take that?

So, you know, he's like
honestly, he's like, I always

pick the dugout for you anyway.

So, um, he loves it now.

You know, I mean, he's still the papa,
so there's always a lot of wagging

of the tail and kissing of the face.

And, uh, uh, you know, he tends to be,
you know, the fave when, uh, he's around.

And then when I if I go to the
grocery store while he's home,

she just sits by the door and
waits and doesn't do anything.

So, uh, it's a good
relationship all around.

You know?

We consider ourselves a family.

So, yeah, I'm pretty happy with it.

Yeah.

I love it.

Love it.

Anke: So so what has
she taught you that you

Jennifer: didn't expect?

Well, she's our second dog.

So, uh, each 1 of them has
taught us different things.

So Roxy, our first dog, taught
us all about, you know, really

opening our hearts for love.

And heart taught taught us, you
know, how to not close our hearts

and open us to being patient.

This dog takes a lot of patience.

She's a big barker.

Uh, she's a big talker.

And, uh, yet she's really
sweet and really loving.

So she's really taught me how to, like,
be patient and be calm and really not

really let go of control more of things.

Anke: Yeah.

I think that that being with what is.

Right?

I think those are, like, the most
brilliant teacher that that like,

you see it a lot when you when when
a dog has some kind of disability.

You know?

Like, there's a lick missing ant.

Like, you know?

Like, I can knock on ways of you know,
they just don't have all that thinking

about what that will mean and you know?

So I think it's really beautiful to see.

Jennifer: Yeah.

I mean, there was this there was
this dog at the dog park that was

in a little wheelchair, and he
was running with the big dogs.

I mean, running, and it was just
like we're all like, that's amazing.

Like, none of the dogs paid
attention to the difference.

They would they were just like, come on.

Yeah.

It was a really beautiful thing.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's that's

Anke: fascinating.

So how how would like, in what
way are your your dogs different?

And, you know, so what what is the the,

Jennifer: yeah, tell me about that.

Yeah.

Well, Australia, you know, if you
look at the Blue Heeler, like,

Facebook groups, everyone agrees
it's like living with a wild dog.

Right?

You know?

So, I mean, they're super
freaking smart, super smart.

She knows how to open the bathroom door.

She, uh, you know, brings up her leash.

It's the funniest thing.

She knows a lot of words.

The other day, I said,
Hart, go get Rebecca.

We were out in Rebecca's backyard, and she
went up to the back door and just stood

there until Rebecca came, uh, to the door.

Like, super smart.

I think what what's really amazing about
really being touched by dogs is that I

think they open you up to a whole side
that most people keep really hidden.

Right?

Because they it is that unconditional
love, right, that people often talk about.

It is just being with what is
and really learning to what you,

you know, their reflection of
how you think about yourself.

I recently watched the movie Stray Dogs.

And if you guys haven't
seen it, you should.

Uh, it's really raunchy, but it
really made me think about how I

talk to my dog and what goes on in
their head about how I talk to them,

which also made me think even more
about how I talk to human beings.

Right?

And really not snapping, really
being conscious of my words, really

understanding what I'm putting out
into the universe in every aspects.

And the dog is a great
reflection for that.

And plus, you know, dogs are really funny.

I mean, they can really make us
laugh and not take life so seriously.

And I have warrior energy, so I
tend to take life really seriously.

So she kinda forces me not to
take life seriously at all.

I mean, that's like I was just

Anke: thinking of the funny thing
that is that is so true, isn't it?

Jennifer: Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean, she has this little toy.

It's a mister Bill from
Saturday Night Live.

And last night, I was like,
what do you got in your mouth?

And she's asked mister Bill by the head.

It's the only toy that
she hasn't murdered.

And she's literally chewing on it
and falling asleep, and, like, she

falls asleep with it on her mouth.

Like, that cracks me up.

Right?

The other day, I walked into
the bedroom, and she's asleep

with her head on a pillow.

And I'm like, oh my god.

Maybe I should get you your own pillow.

Like, you really like
lean sleeping on a pillow.

And I think, you know, especially
if you take the dog to the

dog park, there's so much.

Uh, the dogs tend not
to be, like, on display.

It's like the humans.

And, you know, you get to really
understand your own personal

beliefs and limiting beliefs when
you deal with dogs and with the

human pack element at the dog park.

So the dogs have taught me a lot.

They've helped me evolve,
uh, my consciousness and

get out of my own way a lot.

Anke: I mean, you know, I'm really
curious how because, like, when

I think of, like, soul language
belong beyond words, I think of you.

Right?

So that's how we met initially.

And and so I would love to, like you
know, how how how does that relate to

dogs for you, or or how did that maybe,
like, you know having the dogs, how

did that help feed the other side of

Jennifer: it?

So, you know, I created a paradigm
called soul language, which puts

tangibility to soul so I can identify
everyone's 3 core energies of soul.

And when I first got the
first dog, Roxy, I thought, I

wonder what Roxy's here to do.

And I identified her soul languages.

Uh, and her soul languages gave
me an understanding of really

what her role was in my life.

And as a responsibility, how was I
going to evolve from that role, and

how was how was I going to treat her?

She was literally my soulmate.

She ran up the stairs the first
time I met her from, uh, Werner

taking her out of the car.

She ran right up the
stairs, right up to me.

Didn't see her at all up until that point.

She ran up to me and cocked her
head, and I went, oh my god.

I totally know you.

And we were inseparable
from that moment on.

So she really and I'm getting choked
up because she got she got hit by a

car about a year and a half later.

And in that moment, understanding
that she was here through her soul,

through understanding her languages,
that she was here to teach me

about love helped me through the
darkest moments of that experience.

And even in her death where every neighbor
in every neighbor and I didn't even

know anybody by the when I had the dog.

Every neighbor came out to help us,
to give us flowers, to support us.

That was huge.

Right?

Even in her her releasing
her life, she helped us.

And I think understanding her soul
languages helped me understand

and really not get mad at her.

Now with heart, that's totally the truth.

Because I go, oh, okay.

Wait.

You're here to, you know, provide
patience and help me understand.

Okay.

Let me pause.

Right?

Let me not get mad.

And it's kind of dumb to get mad at
a dog anyway because they're a dog.

Right?

They're not having that it's not like
they have free will to stop barking.

I mean, she technically
does, but she doesn't.

Right?

You know, it allows me to go, okay.

Wait.

We're here to evolve, and
you're here to help me evolve.

So I know what your role here is on the
planet and what your soul is here to do.

And understanding and having that
knowledge in any aspect of relationship,

whether it's for your your business
or with another person or a dog,

really understands how you wanna
react, what you wanna put into the

relationship field between you and
that animal person business, whatever.

It gives you a way to really change
your life and really to put to

be in the consciousness of the
solution rather than putting pain

in programming in everything you do.

Mhmm.

Yeah.

Anke: I love that.

So how how can somebody, like, find out?

I mean, do you you know, like, other
than other than coming to you, you know,

or, you know, maybe that is the way.

Like, I mean, how does somebody okay.

I've got this though.

How do I figure out what
the soul languages are?

Jennifer: Tools?

Technically, we need to go to a a
soul language practitioner to have

any soul languages identified.

Uh, so that's the the formal way.

But the informal way is really
just to notice a big theme

of between you and your dog.

Right?

You know, what what do
you feel around your dog?

What what, uh, what is the dog triggering?

What you know, in your quiet
time, just you and them.

You can ask to have a
soul to soul conversation.

And just in meditation, go, what
are you here to help me evolve?

What role are you here to play in my life,
and what is my responsibility besides

taking care of the dog's survival needs?

Right?

What is my responsibility
to be with this dog?

You know, a couple months after I
got heart, I was I was really angry.

I was angry because we live on a
very busy street, and nobody seems

to care that it's 25 miles an hour,
and they speed down the street.

And I remember during the summer, this
woman we live near a park, and this

woman would let her dog off the leash
and then be on her phone in the dark.

And the the dog would, of course,
come out of the park and stand on

the curb, and I was getting so mad.

I was so mad.

And I was like, you gotta
put the dog on the leash.

And she's like, don't you
know, you don't blah blah blah.

And I was like, the dog is gonna get hit.

And it made me so angry.

And I think part of our dogs are
here to help us really release that

anger, really release what bothers
us in the world, and really help us

understand to truly love, not just
them compassionately and ourselves,

but approach the world world that way.

And that's a really good thing.

So I would spend some time just
being observation and to asking the

dog, what are you here to teach me?

The dog will let you know.

Anke: I I mean, I think there's
that part that that there's a

there's a saying in in Spain.

You know?

It's like, oh, if like, all all that's
missing like, they they just need to talk.

Right?

So it's like dogs are so amazing.

The only thing that's missing is language.

And I'm always like, well,
that makes no sense to me.

Like, they don't need language.

They communicate in a million ways, and
I think it's just about getting quiet.

I think I was always worried,
like, when when with my first dog.

Right?

So I was told, like, you know, when
he dies, like, how am I gonna know?

That was always, like,
that was my biggest fear.

Because it's like, I don't want to
kind of put him to sleep too early,

you know, just because, you know,
I don't know, he's old or whatever.

So I didn't wanna take life away from him.

And at the same time, I didn't
want him to suffer just because

I can't let go, you know.

And I was always worried how
I know, and boy did I know.

Yeah.

You know?

It was like, oh, yeah.

So there doesn't that
doesn't need to be yeah.

Like, words are just not needed.

And that's what I think that's the part
that always pulls me in when you talk

about soul language because it's not about

Jennifer: words.

It's not about words.

It's about understanding your key energy.

And most people, when I identify their
soul languages, they're like, yeah.

I totally resonate with that.

We know we are just humans, and humans
love to have words around things.

And I think that's what's important.

It helps create a bigger connection.

You know, I know the
different barks of my dog.

Right?

Uh, most of the time,
I know what she wants.

Right?

You know, I know the difference
between the inside bark, which is

and the, oh my god, the postman's
outside or the UPS side or whatever.

Right?

Right?

So I think that and I think
that's really important.

It also helps people understand a lot
of those silent cues that happen during

a relationship, and I'm not actually
telling people to assume anything.

But we really know a lot more than
we're consciously paying attention to.

And when we pause and we reflect,
we get a lot of information that

allows us to bubble up that will
help us, guide us, and support us.

I remember with Roxy, a friend
of mine said, oh my god.

This dog has been with you and your
soul and your family for centuries.

And I thought, oh, yeah.

She's and I always knew deep down
inside that Roxy wasn't gonna

be here for her for a long life.

I always knew that.

Um, and I think that giving this
opportunity to have a dog, to

completely allow ourselves to just let
go and love create so many wonderful

things in every aspect of our lives.

And by understanding your soul languages,
it gives you a way to consciously

connect with yourself, your higher
power, and it gives you a little more

insight about the inner workings of your

Anke: it's kinda easier to
understand somehow with with the dog.

You know, I think it feels like the
dog's a beautiful pathway there into

this whole world because I think
anything you said around the dogs, well,

yeah, that would apply to people too.

You know?

But I think it's
sometimes do you think so?

I mean, it it feels to me as if the
dog because they don't they don't have,

you know, they can't speak English.

And so you're almost like you're forced
to communicate on a different level, and

it just kind of gives you an entrance
an an entry into into this whole world

that that, you know, other beings kinda

Jennifer: can't give you.

Yeah.

I think it does.

It also we naturally assume
that our dog is gonna love us.

Right?

We don't naturally assume
that with human beings.

So we naturally assume the dog loves us
and wants to be around us us and and, you

know, is naturally a part of our family.

We we're really humans tend to
be really scared around what what

happens with other human beings.

My dog taught my dogs taught
me to love in a whole new way.

You know?

And they also told me, you know,
that you gotta let things go, that

everything is in a reflection of your
limiting self, that the world is really

here to shower you with goodness.

And then when you let go and allow
that to happen, it's pretty profound.

But you also have to make the effort.

You have to make the effort about
putting into that relationship

field that truth, or it's gonna be
reflection of the exact opposite.

Yeah.

I love that.

Yeah.

So

Anke: what if you I mean, what's
on the horizon for you and dogs?

Jennifer: Like, you know?

Well, Warner said this weekend, you know,
there's a blue heeler that needs adopting.

And I was like, Warner,
this apartment is small.

I was like, and I don't know
if Hart can be interested, you

know, to a dog in her space.

If we get a puppy, she would love that.

But a dog?

Well, I'm not so sure.

We really want.

We want a bigger space.

We want more dogs.

We'd like to breed them.

I think I will have a dog for the
rest of my life in 1 shape or another.

Um, Heart loves cats, loves them.

So I would love to get a little
kitten maybe at some point.

Um, you know, sometimes when, you know,
your work day is getting to you or you're

having a bad day, I think about, I'm
just gonna give it up and walk dogs.

Uh, that's really not in my future,
but I would like I would like I

would like to raise another puppy.

I didn't really get to enjoy
Hart's puppyhood because of the

post traumatic stress from Roxy.

So I was, like, always making
sure she was breathing.

I was checking on her, like,
you know, new mother syndrome.

So I'd really like to raise another puppy.

I think that would be fun.

Uh, so that's, I guess, in the future.

I love it.

Love it.

Anke: Actually, this
reminds me of my last puppy.

It was, like, the easiest
puppy to raise ever because the

middle dog was such a great mom.

You know, if you have that dog
in between like, she took the

brunt of all the puppy craziness.

You know, all the playing, all
the nipping, all this, like you

know, the other dog took all that.

You know?

So it was, um, yeah.

It's almost like that puppy kind
of raised herself in a sense.

Love that.

You know?

So it's, um, yeah.

Definitely definitely my comment.

I can't promise that it always goes
like, you know, always goes like that.

But, uh, at least that that's
how it that's how it works.

So if

Jennifer: somebody
wants to find, you know,

Anke: find out more about you, is
interested, like, heard something

in this whole idea of, like, you
know, the whole soul language in

relation to dogs or just just people.

You know, where can people

Jennifer: go and connect with you?

So it's soul language dot u s.

And if you've gone under the soul
language section, you can arrange

for discovery session, and we can
chat all about you and your docs.

I love

Anke: that.

Beautiful.

Well, thank you.

Thanks so much for for sharing it,
you know, and and giving us a, you

know, a little bit of a glimpse in
in into this world and into your

world with your beautiful pup.

And, um,

Jennifer: thanks for coming.

Thank you so much, and I
love what you're doing.

And, uh, yeah, I think it's so
powerful and so important that

people really understand how
their lives are changed by dogs.

Love it.

Thanks so much for listening.

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And if you know a pawsome human
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That's A N k E at Soul
touched by dogs.com.