by Sasha Riess | 22.06.26. | Behaviour
In a world that often frightens and paralyzes us with its circumstances, it is easy to lose contact with what truly matters. We have become a generation that has surrendered, forgetting the deep, primal strength that each of us carries within.
Life with a dog is not just a hobby or an obligation. It is a path back to that strength, the kind that can move mountains when they stand in our way.
A Lesson in the Endurance of Our Ancestors
We often complain about the difficulty of life, about bills or everyday inconveniences, forgetting what our ancestors endured. They survived wars, illness, and unimaginable hardship so that we could exist today. While we focus on material concerns, we lose sight of the essence of existence.
This is where the companion enters. Embracing life with a dog pushes us out of our frozen state and reconnects us with nature and with a reality that is simpler and stronger than our fears.
The Dog as a Bridge to Primal Strength
When you have dogs, contact with life becomes more beautiful and easier. They do not know about curfews or unpaid bills. They know only movement, presence, and the strength of survival.
Getting back to what really matters.
Through them, we are reminded that life is not about collecting bags from the store, but about moving forward despite everything. With them, the mountain that once seemed immovable suddenly becomes just a small obstacle we can bypass or move. Life with a dog is, in essence, life lived in the full capacity of our human and animal nature.
At Sasha Riess, we recognize that our animals are the ultimate mirrors of presence and resilience. Returning to nature alongside your companion restores your inner power, grounding your entire household in pureloveandharmony. Reclaim your ancestral strength:Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 19.06.26. | Behaviour
The question of how to get a dog used to a cat is one of the most common among pet owners. Most people look for tricks, barriers, or scents, but the essence is much deeper. If your dog chases a cat, it often does so because it feels the need to protect you or its territory. A dog’s behavior in this situation is a direct message to you: “You are not the center of my world, so I have to decide who is welcome here.”
A Dog That Protects Its Owner From the Cat
Many people do not realize that aggression or intolerance toward a cat often comes from a dog’s instinct to protect its human. If the dog does not see you as an unquestionable leader, it takes responsibility for the safety of the pack.
To resolve this conflict, you do not need to train the dog to “sit” next to the cat. You need to go back to the beginning and rebuild that mutual relationship by placing yourself at the very center of your dog’s attention.
You Are the Greatest Reward, Not a Treat
Forget about bribing your dog with cheese or toys so it accepts the cat. A true relationship is built when you become the greatest possible reward for your dog.
When the dog sees you as its “god” and absolute authority, its need to chase the cat or react to external stimuli disappears. It wants to follow you and please you because you are the leader of its life.
Be the leader for your dog and he will stop feeling the need to „solve“ the cat situation.
Leadership in Your Own Life
Dogs long for a leader who moves through the world with stability. The hardest thing for a human is to do what must be done, to be consistent and calm.
When you master yourself and your life, your dog will feel it. At that moment, the presence of a cat is no longer a threat or a target, because the dog knows that the leader is the one who decides what peace in the home looks like.
by Sasha Riess | 16.06.26. | Behaviour
Dog Parks: A Time Bomb of Anthropomorphism
There is something deeply appealing in the image of a dog park. Open space, grass, freedom, play, encounters, “socialization.” People stand on the side, smiling, relaxed, convinced they are doing the best possible thing for their dog. The idea seems pure, humane, modern. And that is exactly why it is dangerous. Not because it is malicious, but because it is based on a misunderstanding of the dog’s nature.
The question is not whether a problem will occur. The question is when, and what the cost will be.
Over the past ten years, dog parks have become a standard of urban culture. In many cities, they are seen as a symbol of care for animals. However, alongside this growth, the number of incidents has also increased. Various studies and data from veterinary practice show that a significant percentage of owners report that their dog has experienced an attack in such environments. Estimates go as far as suggesting that approximately every seventh dog has had a negative experience in a dog park. Scientific research further confirms that conflicts between dogs in these settings are a real and frequent occurrence.
But what cannot be seen in statistics is far more important. It is the invisible cost paid by the dog’s nervous system. It is the micro-stresses that accumulate. It is the behavioral changes that appear later, when no one connects cause and effect anymore. And here we arrive at the key point: the dog park is not the problem. The problem is the idea we have placed into it.
Anthropomorphism and the Truth About Dog Parks
Anthropomorphism means attributing human characteristics to beings that are not human. When a dog owner observes a dog through a human lens, we do two things at once: we lose contact with its nature and project our own needs onto it. We believe it needs the company of other dogs because we need the company of other people. We believe that a large group equals joy. We believe that more contact means more “socialization.”
But a dog is not a human in a dog’s body.
A dog did not originate in a dog park. A dog comes from a structure that has deep roots, from relationships that carry order, boundaries, and meaning. The dog is a descendant of the wolf, and although it lives alongside us today, its instincts have not disappeared. They are still there, quiet, present, patient.
Whether it is a Chihuahua, a German Shepherd, or a mixed breed, in every dog there is a layer that does not belong to the modern world, but to the nature that shaped its nervous system over thousands of years. What we often do not know is what exactly is required to activate that layer. Which look, which movement, which scent, or which tension in the space can become a trigger.
And this is where the problem begins. Because when those primordial instincts awaken, the dog does not react as a pet. It reacts as a being guided by survival, hierarchy, protection, and defense. At that point, there is no longer “play” in the human sense. What begins is what people later describe with sentences like: “I don’t know what happened,” or “He has never behaved like that before.”
But it is not something new. It has always been there. And when it emerges, the consequences can be serious. A dog can injure another dog. It can injure a human. It can also be injured or even killed. At that moment, the cost of anthropomorphism becomes real.
Why Socialization and Dog Parks Do Not Go Together
One of the most common arguments in favor of dog parks is socialization. However, the way this concept is used is often completely misunderstood.
Socialization is not the amount of contact. It is not the number of dogs a dog has met. It is not the intensity of play. Socialization is the dog’s ability to remain regulated, stable, and functional in the presence of other beings.
This means that a dog can see another dog and remain within itself. It does not need to approach every dog. It does not need to react to every stimulus. It means the dog has an internal structure that allows it to exist in the world without the need to control it or escape from it.
In dog parks, this is exactly what is lost. The dog is taught the opposite: that every encounter requires a reaction, that intensity is normal, that boundaries are unclear, that excitement is desirable. This is not socialization. This is destabilization.
A large part of the problem lies in the fact that people do not recognize signs of stress in dogs. A dog that runs, jumps, and barks appears happy. But a highly activated nervous system is not the same as wellbeing. A dog can be in a state of overload while appearing to enjoy itself.
In dog parks, dogs are exposed to constant signals: looks, movements, approaches, scents, and the tension of other dogs. Their system must continuously evaluate and react. When that system can no longer process everything, an explosion occurs. People then say it happened out of nowhere. But it did not. It happened within a system that was overloaded.
Clear structure and calm build a more stable dog than chaotic play.
Belonging to a Group, Not a Crowd
This is why it is important to understand another key point: a dog is not a being that seeks to be part of a crowd. A dog seeks belonging. And belonging does not exist in chaos.
A dog feels safest, most stable, and most relaxed within its small group. This can be a family, a household, or a small circle of known relationships where it understands its place and where boundaries are clear. This does not mean isolation. It means a clear and meaningful position within relationships.
When a dog has its place, it can move through the external world without needing to react to every stimulus. Encounters with other dogs then do not become a matter of survival, but simply part of the environment that it can register and let pass. Otherwise, every encounter becomes a potential trigger. And at that point, the dog park stops being a space of freedom. It becomes a space of uncertainty.
One of the biggest problems with dog parks is that the consequences often do not appear immediately. A dog may seem “social” for a long time, without visible issues. And then one day, something changes. The dog becomes reactive. It begins to avoid contact or enters a state of excessive tension. Every dog owner then looks for the cause in the last event. But the cause is often cumulative.
Every stress, every unclear interaction, every situation without structure leaves a trace. These traces accumulate until the system reaches a breaking point. And then we come to the question: what is the cost?
The cost can be injury. It can be behavioral change. It can be the loss of trust between the dog and the human. It can be a long recovery process that requires time, knowledge, and patience. And it all began with the idea that we were doing something good.
Why We Choose a Dog and Postpone Having a Child
The Dog Groomer’s Dilemma: Journey Trough Burnout, Belonging and Becoming
What Is the Alternative?
The answer is not isolation. A dog needs contact with the world. But that contact must be structured, gradual, and meaningful.
Instead of random encounters, we choose quality relationships. One or two stable dogs with whom our dog can develop a familiar and predictable connection. Instead of chaotic play, we introduce clear boundaries and rhythm. Instead of constant stimulation, we allow the dog to learn how to be calm in the presence of others.
Walks where the dog learns to observe the world without the need to react have greater value than an hour of chaotic play. Short, controlled encounters build security. Work on regulation becomes the foundation. In other words, we do not build a dog that is “social” in the human sense of the word. We build a dog that is stable.
In the end, the question of dog parks is not a question of space. It is a question of awareness. How willing is a dog owner to truly understand the dog, instead of adapting it to ourselves? How willing are we to admit that good intentions are not enough if they are not supported by knowledge?
A dog park may look like a place of freedom. But without understanding the nature of the dog, it becomes a space where freedom turns into chaos. That is why perhaps the most important question is not where we take the dog, but how we guide it through the world.
A dog does not ask for more freedom. It asks for more clarity. And clarity does not exist in chaos.
At Sasha Riess, we step away from the crowd to offer your dog the security of structure and leadership. True socialization means teaching your pet to remain calm and regulated, ensuring genuine pureloveandharmony. Discover your path to clarity: Linktree Sasha Riess
The Dog Groomer’s Letter of the Month Club with Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 10.06.26. | Behaviour
Trauma in dogs is often overlooked in modern training because we rely too heavily on treats. When a dog receives a reward for something it did “right,” we rarely notice the other side of that process: the moment when the reward is absent.
Although the reward system is considered “positive,” for a dog’s physiology it can be deeply counterproductive.
Trauma Hidden in Expectation
Many people ask: what kind of trauma can occur when I reward my dog for being good? The problem is not in the moment of the reward itself. The problem arises in the moment when the dog is not “good” and the reward is missing.
For the dog, there is no theory or training method in that moment. There is only the experience of absence. Learning through pure conditioning directly affects the dog’s physiology, but not in the way we think. Positive stimulation through food is only one side of the coin. The other side is the negative effect that appears in the dog’s body when it does something and the expected reward does not come.
Relationship Above Method: Preventing Trauma in Dogs
The question is not only how we teach a dog, but what kind of relationship we build while conditioning it. Are we building a partnership based on understanding, or a dependency that disturbs inner balance?
Build a relationship that doesn’t depend on a piece of food in your pocket.
True communication with a dog does not come through a piece of food in your hand. It comes through alignment that leaves no space for physiological stress that later develops into chronic conditions. Remember, every time you rely on conditioning, you risk creating trauma in dogs that is difficult to resolve later.
At Sasha Riess, we believe true communication bypasses the stress of bribery. Moving beyond food conditioning prevents underlying trauma in dogs, paving the way for authentic pureloveandharmony. Build a real partnership: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 05.06.26. | Behaviour
In the modern world, we have become somewhat lost. We call dogs our babies, souls, and angels, yet we forget one essential fact: you are the dog owner. Between that role and a stable, happy companion, there is nothing except clear responsibility. For a dog to be balanced and able to follow your guidance, it must have a leader who understands not only its heart but also its biology.
The Right to Regulation and Perception
Being a conscious dog owner means giving yourself the right to self-regulation. You cannot guide a dog if you have not regulated your own energy and understanding of the world. This includes working with the physiology of the dog’s heart and respecting the way the dog perceives its surroundings. A dog does not experience the world through words, but through energy, minerals, and the biological processes taking place within its body.
The Price of Health and Mineral Balance
When we speak about health, people often question the cost of supplements and minerals. However, the real question for a responsible dog owner is: what is the cost if we do not provide them?
Mineral balance is not a luxury, but a biological foundation without which the organism cannot function properly. We cannot expect stable behavior from a dog whose physiology is out of balance. As a dog owner, it is your duty to understand that health cannot exist halfway. It is either present as a whole, or it is absent. That is the price we must be willing to pay for the true wellbeing of our dogs.
At Sasha Riess, we empower every dog owner to lead through biological understanding. True health is a whole, and it starts with pureloveandharmony. Take responsibility for their balance: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 03.06.26. | Behaviour
In recent years, one topic has been increasingly emerging in the world of human-dog relationships: the rise of anxiety in dogs. What was once considered an isolated issue is now becoming a pattern seen in almost every society where dogs live closely with humans.
This phenomenon is now discussed in scientific research, veterinary practice, and even in major media outlets. Recently, The New York Times dedicated an extensive report to this very issue, trying to understand why more and more dogs show signs of stress, fear, or separation anxiety in dogs.
Changed Living Conditions and Rising Stress
The modern dog often lives in an environment shaped by the human pace of life. Apartments, confined spaces, and the emotional pressure people carry from daily life all create a reality very different from the one in which the human-dog relationship developed over thousands of years. In such an environment, the dog is part of the system.
In my book About Dogs and Awakening (2018), I wrote that we would see more behavioral issues if we did not begin to understand the deeper connections between humans and animals. Today, we are living in that world.
Dogs as Carriers of Emotional Patterns
Dogs live within a relational field. Biologist Rupert Sheldrake described the concept of morphic fields—informational fields that connect living beings. In this context, anxiety in dogs may not always originate within the dog itself. Dogs respond to tension and insecurity in the human nervous system long before we become aware of them.
The dog is a mirror of the system in which it lives.
Symptoms That Require Understanding the System
When the dog’s nervous system becomes oversensitive, symptoms of anxiety in dogs appear: fear of sounds, distress when left alone, or constant tension. If the dog is part of a broader emotional system, then behavior is not just a matter of discipline. It is a signal that the relationship is seeking balance.
Perhaps the dog is the first to show that the system we live in is not in balance. If we see this as part of the relationship, it becomes valuable information.
Conclusion: A Shared Connection
Dogs have developed an extraordinary ability to read our emotions over thousands of years. The relationship between a human and a dog is not just a shared living space. It is a shared nervous system.
At Sasha Riess, we look beyond the symptoms to find the source of the imbalance. Addressing anxiety in dogs requires a holistic approach to the shared nervous system, leading back to pureloveandharmony. Find balance together:Linktree Sasha Riess
