by Sasha Riess | 19.04.26. | Behaviour
Many owners dream of having a dog who “listens perfectly”. Yet we rarely ask ourselves what the real price of such obedience is and what emotional experiences may be hidden behind it. Is a dog obedient because he understands the structure and feels safe, or because he is afraid of the consequences? This question is much deeper than it seems, because obedience built on fear can leave invisible but life-shaping marks within a dog.
The Price of an Obedient Dog When Obedience Comes from Fear
When a dog experiences your sudden influence—a slap, yelling, a rough grab—he does not understand what is happening. He registers it as a moment of primal fear. For a dog, even a “small slap” can be experienced as the closeness of death. A dog’s physiology does not understand our intention. His brain registers only one thing: suddenness, pain, threat, danger. If a dog senses that a blow “just a little stronger” could have endangered his life, that moment becomes deeply imprinted in his nervous system.
Why Trauma Can Look Like Obedience
A punished dog often appears “perfect”:
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He walks glued to your leg
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He reacts instantly to commands
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He never causes trouble
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He does not express his needs
But this is not obedience; it is learned helplessness. The dog is not choosing cooperation. The dog is simply trying to avoid new pain. And that is the greatest price of an obedient dog—he is not living a relaxed life but a life of constant anticipation of danger.
How Trauma Affects a Dog’s Body
Traumatic fear does not remain only in the mind. It enters the dog’s physiology:
A dog may look “obedient”, but his inner world is filled with tension.
True obedience only begins when a dog feels safety, not fear.
Obedience Born from Love and Safety
True obedience never comes from fear. It comes from a relationship in which the dog feels safety, stability, predictability, consistency, calmness, and respect. A dog who feels safe chooses to follow his person—not because he must, but because he wants to.
What Is the Real Price of Obedience
Obedience itself is not the problem. The problem is the path we take to get there. A dog can learn rules through punishment, fear, pain, and threat—or through rituals, consistency, a calm tone, clear boundaries, and peaceful energy. If a dog is obedient because he trusts you, not because he is surviving, then the price of obedience is not trauma but a relationship built on love and stability.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we know that true beauty and behavior come from a state of internal peace. When the price of an obedient dog is fear, everyone loses. Choose trust and pureloveandharmony: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 17.04.26. | Wellbeing
Many dog owners wonder what kind of water should dogs drink — bottled brands like Rosa or Prolom, or plain tap water. Veterinarians often disagree, but Sasha Riess offers a clear and practical answer: The best water for dogs is tap water that has been left to stand.
Why Tap Water Is the Best Choice
Tap water goes through a strict control and safety system. Although many people doubt its quality because of various “conspiracy theories” about chemicals and treatments, tap water actually undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it’s safe for consumption.
To make it even better, let it sit for a few hours — this allows volatile molecules and disinfecting chemicals to evaporate naturally.
“I always prefer tap water — the kind that’s been standing and to which I add a pinch of parsley. That’s the safest water for dogs.” — Sasha Riess
The Problem with Bottled Water
Although bottled water might seem cleaner and safer, it usually comes in plastic containers that go through sterilization processes. These include chemical and physical treatments (sometimes even UV radiation), which can affect the water’s composition. Plastic must be completely sterile to prevent the growth of bacteria, fungi, or pathogens in the water.
A dog drinks clean water from a glass bowl – a healthy, plastic-free choice.
However, over time, the interaction between plastic and water causes the release of micro-degraded particles into the liquid. That’s why long-term consumption of bottled water isn’t ideal — for dogs or for humans.
The Ideal Solution — Filtered Tap Water
If possible, use a water filter. It will purify tap water even further, providing your dog with clean, natural water — free from plastic and chemical residues. When considering what kind of water should dogs drink, filtered tap water stands out as the premium choice for long-term health. Clean water supports better digestion, kidney health, and overall vitality. Sometimes, the simplest choice is truly the healthiest.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that health starts with the simplest elements. From the water they drink to the energy we share, every detail matters for pureloveandharmony. Learn more about our holistic approach:Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 17.04.26. | Emotions
When a dog dies, time seems to stop. What remains is silence in the house, an empty spot on the couch, and an indescribable feeling that a part of you is gone. People often say “It’s just a dog.” But anyone who has ever loved a dog knows it’s much more than that. It’s a being that breathed with you every day, followed you with its eyes, slept by your feet, and quietly carried a piece of your soul.
The Day After – The Emptiness After a Dog’s Death
The first day without them is the hardest. You instinctively hear footsteps that no longer exist, you reach for a bowl that’s now empty. The house breathes differently. The body remembers the routine, but the heart refuses to accept the absence. Grief for a dog isn’t “just sadness”, it’s physical, real, and follows its own rhythm.
“It’s Just a Dog” – Why Society Doesn’t Understand Our Grief
Many people won’t understand why you cry “so much over a dog.” But your pain is real because the relationship was real. A dog never pretends to love. It loves you purely, without masks, and that’s why its absence hurts deeper than words can express.
When a Dog Dies, a Part of Us Goes With Them
Every dog carries a piece of our lives. The first apartment, heartbreak, joy, moving homes—they witness all our changes. When they go, it feels as though a part of our past disappears with them. That’s why grief feels endless, because we lose not only them, but the memories that breathed with them.
The Death of a Dog as a Trigger for Hidden Emotions
Sometimes a dog’s death opens the door to emotions we’ve long kept buried. We grieve for them, but also for everything we never had the courage to feel. Their departure forces us to face parts of ourselves we’ve been avoiding, and that’s part of healing.
The Body Knows Grief – The Physical Side of Losing a Dog
Grief doesn’t stay only in the mind; the body carries it. People often feel insomnia, chest pain, or heaviness in the stomach. It’s the body’s way of processing loss. Allow yourself to feel it all, because suppressed grief stays in the body as silence that never fades.
The memory of a dog remains in every glance, movement, and silence.
Family Dynamics – The Dog Who Carried Our Emotions
A dog is never just a pet. It carries the family’s energy, reflecting its rhythm and tensions. When they’re gone, we often realize how much their presence held balance in the home. Their absence exposes our inner imbalances, the ones we no longer have anyone to project onto.
A Dog as Our Last Honest Love
Dogs are often the only beings we love without fear of being hurt. They accept us completely, and their loss reveals how much we’ve missed that kind of unconditional love from humans. They are the mirror of our ability to love purely.
How to Grieve and Allow Yourself to Feel
Grief has no deadline and no right way to go through it. Some people make a photo album, some light a candle, some just sit in silence. What matters is to give yourself permission to feel. Don’t cut off your sadness with “I have to pull myself together.” Grief is proof that love existed.
The Order of Harmony – When It’s Time to Let Go
Letting your dog go doesn’t mean forgetting them. It means giving them freedom to leave, and giving yourself peace to continue. That’s when grief stops suffocating and starts healing. Love doesn’t disappear; it simply changes form.
The Day After Is Not the End – Love Remains
They may no longer be physically here, but their place in your life remains forever, in every walk and in every glance toward the sky. It’s not the end. It’s a new form of connection, quieter but no less real. Love for a dog never ends. You just learn to breathe with it.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that the bond between a human and a dog transcends the physical. When that bond changes form, we are here to help you find the path back to harmony. Love is eternal: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 16.04.26. | Emotions
Pretending that everything is fine has become one of the most expensive modern habits. When we enter this game of hiding the truth, from ourselves, from our partner, from our children, even from our dogs, our life slowly loses authenticity. Instead of living from our inner truth, we begin shaping situations out of fear.
Where will I live if I leave? How will I pay rent? What if I lose my job? What if everything falls apart? These questions seem rational, but they actually push us into emotional paralysis. Instead of choosing truth, we choose survival. And when we choose survival, the cost is always the same—health.
The Emotional Cost of Pretending
Every time we suppress what we feel, the body begins to react. Through stress, insomnia, fatigue, weakened immunity, tension, and even chronic illness. Our dogs and our children are the clearest witnesses of this. They intuitively feel everything we hide. A dog that is always restless, a child that does not listen, a home that constantly feels like a battlefield. All of it is a reflection of what we refuse to acknowledge.
Dogs feel every unspoken emotion in the family.
Why Children and Dogs Are Mirrors of Our Truth
There is no child that becomes spoiled on its own. There is no dog that becomes demanding without a reason. They become who we are in the moment when we send them messages that are not aligned with our inner state.
If a mother takes what is not hers—for example, stays in a marriage that has long been over, stays out of fear, out of need, out of convenience—the child will seek the same, what does not belong to them. If we pretend everything is fine when it is not, the dog will live in the energy of tension and imbalance, and will behave “problematically”, even though it is only mirroring our state. Children and dogs are not spoiled; they are our mirror.
A Relationship That Has Ended, but Still Continues
The greatest emotional cost of pretending comes from a relationship that ended long ago, yet still exists. A partnership reduced to logistics. Love that remains only in form, not in substance. A household that continues simply because no one has the courage to speak the truth.
This is where the most emotional resistance is born. And the dog feels every second of that tension. The child feels every unspoken sentence. Pretending costs us peace. Truth gives us life back.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we know that energy never lies. Your dog doesn’t react to your words, but to your truth. To heal the bond, you must first heal the silence: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 16.04.26. | Nutrition
Understanding the benefits of organ meats for dogs is essential for every owner. Many dog owners believe they are doing something good for their pet when they serve them high-quality steak or meat cuts. But the truth is very different. If you constantly give your dog meat you would eat yourself, you are actually damaging their health over time. Here is why you should choose organ meats instead of steaks.
Why Organ Meats for Dogs Are Better Than Steaks
When someone asks me what is better for a dog, steaks or organ meats, my answer is always immediate: organ meats, without question. It may sound strange to many. People often think that if something is “good for humans,” it must be good for dogs too. But a dog is not a human. And that is where the biggest mistake of modern dog owners begins.
How Wolves Do It in Nature
Wolves, the moment they catch prey, eat the organs first. Not the muscles, not the “nice” cuts of meat, but the soft inner organs full of nutrients. These organs contain proteins, vitamins, minerals, all in a form that is natural and easily digestible for dogs.
And what do we do today? We open the fridge, take a steak or a fillet and think, “My dog eats better than I do.” In reality, we are slowly harming their system. Muscle meat, especially when not organic, is often full of water, hormones, antibiotics, and things a dog in nature would never eat. And most importantly, muscle meat does not contain the life energy that organ meats provide.
Health Benefits of Organ Meats for Dogs
When I give my dog a piece of liver, heart, or stomach, I know I am giving food that his ancestor, the wolf, would eat. There is no luxury in that, but there is everything a dog needs: pure proteins, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, iron, and enzymes. A dog does not eat to experience “fine taste.” A dog eats to be healthy, strong, and long-lived.
Fresh organ meats – a natural source of protein for dogs.
Why “Human Grade Food” Is the Wrong Approach
Today, especially in America, it’s trendy to feed dogs “human grade” food. But to me, that is completely wrong. When you give a dog human-grade food, you’re telling them, “You are a human.” But they are not. Their digestive system, energy, and nutritional needs are completely different from ours.
That is why in my home there are no luxury steaks for dogs. There are organ meats, bones, fruits, vegetables, and plenty of love. And you know what? The dog is healthy, strong, shiny, and bright-eyed. And that means more to me than any expensive pet-shop meal.
Feed Your Dog as a Dog, Not as a Human
If you want your dog to live long and healthy, feed them as a dog, not as a human. It may sound harsh, but it is a truth anyone who loves animals should know. A dog is not a creature that eats like us. It doesn’t want fancy portions or spices. It wants energy from natural foods, the kind it would eat in the wild.
Do not forget: always feed dogs from white ceramic bowls.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that nutrition is the foundation of energy. To understand your dog, you must first respect their biology. Feed the nature, not the ego: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Behaviour
The evolution of canine companionship began with stray dogs—animals that live on the streets and adapt to both urban and natural environments. Unlike abandoned dogs placed in shelters, stray dogs have their own place within the street ecosystem and follow a natural survival dynamic.
Who Are Stray Dogs
Stray dogs are not “abandoned” in the traditional sense. They belong to the street. They wander in search of food and shelter, constantly adapting to changes in their surroundings. When they find a source of food, they stay near it for as long as it is available, and when it disappears, they move on.
These dogs are part of the urban ecosystem. Along with birds, mice, rats, and cats, they form a living chain within the streets. It is important to understand that taking a street dog and placing it in a shelter disrupts its natural life path and creates additional challenges such as long term feeding, health care, and housing.
The History and Evolution of Canine Companionship
Modern dog breeds actually originate from street dogs that lived alongside humans thousands of years ago. These early dogs were semi dependent on humans and selectively used for specific tasks. Domestic dog breeds were created through the selection of traits found in street dogs, not the other way around.
This shows how adaptable stray dogs are and how their characteristics have influenced the evolution of canine companionship.
Street dogs often end up in shelters, where they lose a part of their freedom and daily life.
Why It Is Important to Respect the Nature of Street Dogs
Taking a stray dog into a shelter may seem humane, but in reality it confines a free living animal to a limited space. Stray dogs are used to exploring, moving freely, and choosing where they want to be. In a shelter they lose their freedom, and responsibility for their well being shifts entirely to humans.
Understanding their nature helps people make better decisions when they encounter dogs on the street, whether through careful observation, education, or humane approaches to addressing the challenges related to stray dog populations.
The Future and Evolution of Canine Companionship
Stray dogs are independent animals and part of the urban ecosystem. Modern dog breeds were created by selecting traits from street dogs, which demonstrates their adaptability and intelligence. Respecting their nature and understanding their needs is essential for building an ethical and compassionate relationship toward these animals. Through the evolution of canine companionship, we learn that harmony is found in respecting the freedom and place each being holds in the world.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we respect the origin of every bond. Understanding the street dog is the first step toward understanding the true nature of the companion by your side. Honor the journey: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
Urinary incontinence in dogs, especially in spayed females, is a common and unpleasant issue that can seriously affect quality of life. Although it is usually treated with medications such as Propalin, there are natural methods that can help regenerate and strengthen the bladder.
Why Incontinence Occurs After Spaying
After spaying, female dogs experience a decrease in estrogen, the hormone that helps keep the muscles around the bladder strong. When there is not enough estrogen, the sphincter, the muscle that closes the bladder, weakens and urine leaks uncontrollably, most often while the dog is sleeping or relaxed. This is not a disease in itself but a consequence of hormonal imbalance and physiological change in the body.
Conventional and Holistic Therapy
Veterinarians usually recommend hormonal drugs that replace estrogen, such as Propalin syrup. These often help, but long-term use can burden the adrenal glands. The holistic approach combines mild phytotherapy, proper nutrition, and emotional support. The goal is for the body to regain strength and restore natural balance on its own.
Initial Assessment and Observation
Before starting natural therapy, it is necessary to have a veterinary examination to rule out infections, bladder stones, tumors, or neurological issues. Then observe:
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When leakage occurs (during sleep, excitement, or after drinking water)
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Whether the dog shows stress, sadness, or insecurity
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Whether the problem appeared after sterilization
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The type of diet and level of physical activity
Lifestyle Adjustments
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A calm environment: a dog that lives without stress regulates body functions more easily. Never punish a dog for urination, as it only worsens the condition.
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Hydration: use filtered water and add a little aloe vera juice or chlorophyll.
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Movement and massage: gentle belly and back massages improve circulation and muscle tone.
Natural supplements and herbs help strengthen the sphincter and restore hormonal balance in spayed dogs.
Nutrition and Herbal Support
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Phytoestrogens – natural hormonal balance
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Ground flaxseed: 1/2 teaspoon daily
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Red clover tea: add 1–2 tablespoons to the meal
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Fermented soy or tempeh: 1 tablespoon twice a week
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Corn silk (Zea mays): 1/4 teaspoon powder per 5 kg of body weight, twice a day
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Saw Palmetto: 100 mg per 10 kg of body weight daily
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Chinese formula – Sang Piao Xiao San: Used for older dogs and spayed females (consult a professional in Chinese phytotherapy).
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Additional support: Nettle tea, pumpkin seeds, cranberry extract.
Homeopathic Support
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Causticum 30C – for leakage during sleep
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Sepia 30C – for females after spaying
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Pulsatilla 30C – for emotional dogs under stress
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Give 1–2 pellets daily for seven days, then take a break and observe.
Skin and Hygiene Care
Trim the hair around the genital area and tail. Use wet wipes with chamomile, calendula, or aloe vera. Bathe the dog regularly with a mild shampoo and conditioner. Wash bedding with the addition of vinegar for natural disinfection.
Emotional Support and Monitoring
Incontinence often reflects emotional states such as fear of abandonment, sadness, or insecurity. A dog who receives attention, affection, and calm surroundings improves more quickly. Keep a diary: note changes, behavior, and leakage frequency. Progress usually appears within four to six weeks.
Prevention
Do not rush with sterilization until the dog is physically mature. Maintain an ideal body weight. Use fresh, natural nutrition and regular activity.
Final Message
Urinary incontinence is not just a physical issue but often a message from the body and soul. By caring for your dog’s diet, emotional balance, and environment, you support healing from within.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we look at the whole being. When the body speaks through symptoms, we listen with care and science. Support your dog’s natural balance: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
There are messages that are easy to like and messages that create resistance. The difference between them is not quality but how deeply they touch our need for safety. When we talk about dog nutrition relationships family or personal boundaries we quickly reach a point where the topic stops being about the dog and becomes about the human being. And that is where discomfort begins.
When Knowledge Stops Being Comfortable
The greatest response and the most questions always appear when simple solutions are offered: what to cook, how to feed, what is allowed and what is not. That phase gives a sense of control. However, as the conversation goes deeper, it becomes clear that the problem is often not in the food but in the life we live while preparing that food.
In conversations, topics open that have nothing to do with the dog:
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relationships that cannot be digested
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fear of change
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a feeling of being trapped
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dependence on a sense of safety that no longer exists
At that point, knowledge stops being pleasant and truth begins to create resistance.
Popularity Is Not the Same as Responsibility
The goal is not for a message to please everyone. A platform exists to allow speech whether one person listens or five thousand. Popularity is temporary but responsibility for the spoken word remains. When truth is spoken, especially truth that requires personal change, natural resistance appears. That is not a sign that something is wrong with the message. On the contrary, it is often a sign that the message is true.
Resistance is often a sign that we have touched the essence of the problem.
Manipulation as a Survival Strategy
At the moment we face the possibility of losing safety, love, finances, status, or familiar surroundings, people often reach for manipulative patterns. Not because they are bad but because they are trying to survive. Fear of loss becomes stronger than the need for truth.
In that context:
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problems are shifted onto the dog
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symptoms are treated instead of causes
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external solutions are sought for internal conflicts
Why Truth Hurts But Frees
Truth does not offer comfort. It offers choice. And choice means responsibility. That is why it creates resistance. But that resistance shows exactly where the point of growth is.
When we stop looking for easy explanations and accept that change does not happen without personal decision, knowledge begins to make sense. Not as a recipe but as a tool. This approach is not meant for everyone. And it does not need to be. Its value is not in the number of people who like it but in the depth it reaches in those who are ready to hear.
Because truth has never been popular. But it has always been necessary.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we don’t offer shortcuts, only the truth. When you are ready to stop treating symptoms and start addressing causes, we are here. Face the truth: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 15.04.26. | Wellbeing
When therapy dogs help humans, where does love end and burden begin? In the new episode of the series Sometimes at Eight, Sasha Riess talks with Svetozar Stevin, founder of the organization Friendly Paw, about the role of therapy dogs in people’s lives and their wellbeing. The full video conversation is available below, and here are the key points and messages from this open and sincere discussion.
How Therapy Dogs Help Children and the Community
Svetozar Stevin, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist by profession, has worked for years with both typically developing children and those with developmental challenges. As he explains, his love for dogs merged naturally with his professional calling.
“Even during my studies, I tried to combine working with children and my love for dogs. That was when I first heard about therapy dogs and guide dogs for the blind. I began learning, connecting with professionals abroad, because at that time, there was almost nothing like that in our country.”
Together with veterinarian and behaviorist Dunja Kovac, Svetozar formed the first team in Serbia focused on including dogs in work with children, both in individual and group settings. As he says, the goal is not only to provide support for children but also to educate the community about what dogs truly are and what their real needs are.
The Legal Status of Therapy Dogs in Serbia
One of the key topics discussed was the lack of legal regulation regarding the status of therapy dogs in Serbia. “In our legal system, the terms rehabilitation dogs and therapy dogs appear, but nowhere is it precisely defined what they are allowed to do, under which conditions, and who is qualified to train them.“
Unlike in countries such as Croatia, where therapy dogs can freely enter hospitals, in Serbia this work is still mostly limited to kindergartens. Since 2017, Friendly Paw has succeeded in introducing therapy dog programs into public kindergartens in Novi Sad, where children learn about dogs, emotions, and empathy.
When Therapy Dogs Absorb Human Emotions
Later in the conversation, Sasha Riess raises a rarely discussed question: do dogs actually suffer because they are placed in service to humans? “Are dogs truly serving humans, or have they become victims of that service? When a dog takes on our emotions, stress, and trauma, what is the cost to its health?”
Sasha adds that many people forget the physiological side of the story. Hormones, cortisol, stress, the sympathetic nervous system — all of these affect the dog just as they affect humans. Therapy dogs must often be sterilized to minimize hormonal imbalance and prevent stress responses. This highlights the importance of canine emotional labor, where the dog’s well-being must be the priority.
Therapy dogs help people in hospitals and schools every day.
How Education Supports Therapy Dogs and Their Handlers
“If we want to evolve in anything, we have to start with ourselves,“ says Svetozar. He emphasizes that every interaction with a dog carries the potential for learning but also the responsibility of self-reflection. Through a decade of work, he has often faced situations that reminded him that every encounter requires presence, attention, and continuous growth.
A Dog in Service to Humans – Choice or Destiny
The conversation also touches on the philosophical side of the human-dog relationship. Svetozar shares an example of a street dog from his neighborhood who voluntarily follows children to school. “He has his own mission. He chose to care.”
Sasha Riess adds that dogs, unlike humans, never lose connection with their nature. “Humans are the only species that can create an environment in which they themselves cannot survive. A dog, no matter how much it serves, always knows where it belongs.”
Open Questions That Remain
The conversation ends with many questions left to resonate:
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Is a therapy dog a helper or a victim?
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Can love justify the stress a dog absorbs?
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Where is the line between helping and exploiting?
“These are topics that cannot be exhausted,“ concludes Svetozar. This episode opens the eyes of dog owners, parents, and educators to the reality of canine emotional labor and the science behind the service.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that true therapy starts with respecting the dog’s autonomy. When we protect their peace, they can truly heal us. Explore the ethics of connection: Linktree Sasha Riess
by Sasha Riess | 14.04.26. | Emotions
Today we follow the third wave of dog evolution through dogs from the movie screen and the messages they bring us. Dear readers, last time I spoke about free will and the thin veil behind which the forces that guide us operate. These cinematic dogs are not just characters in stories, but archetypes of our era, reflections of our longings and fears. Each of them reveals a piece of our path toward harmony.
Movie Dogs as Teachers of Harmony
Every movie dog carries a lesson about connection, belonging, and harmony that goes beyond the story itself.
Rin Tin Tin and the Third Wave of Evolution
We remember Rin Tin Tin, the puppy found in the ruins of war. His story began at a time when the world was shattered and tired, when people wanted to believe that courage was still possible. Rin Tin Tin became a movie star and a symbol of loyalty. They say he saved an entire film studio from bankruptcy, but what he truly saved was people’s belief that there is someone who protects, someone who never gives up.
His character was not just a dog. He was the image of strength that people searched for within themselves but could not find. Did people choose Rin Tin Tin, or did the dog from the ruins choose them? Perhaps neither. Perhaps it was simply the moment when human fear and canine courage met in the same place. In that meeting, something called belonging was born. The feeling that we are not alone in our own despair. And there we find the first lesson of harmony: strength does not come from control, but from surrendering to the relationship.
Lassie – a return to belonging.
Lassie and the Return to Belonging
Then comes Lassie. Her journey home was much more than a movie plot. It was a return to everything that waits for us, everything that does not forget us. Lassie was the dog who crossed hills and rivers to return to her boy. Her journey awakened in people the memory of their own longing: to be seen, to be awaited, to be wanted.
In her return we see the other side of the human dog relationship. Here, the dog is not a projection of our strength but of our belonging. She goes toward the human, and in that movement we feel that we too are found. That is the moment when the dog shows that the relationship is never one sided. And when we watch Lassie, we know that the same instinct lives in us too, the instinct to find our way back to the one we love.
Dalmatians and the Messages of the Third Wave
In the sixties, the world was captivated by the story of the dalmatians. Hundreds of puppies on screen brought joy and laughter, and people rushed to buy dogs of that breed. Statistics show that demand increased by more than four hundred percent. But soon it became clear that not everyone was ready to live with that image. Dogs are not plush toys. Dogs are active, demanding, and require time and structure. Many ended up in shelters, because people wanted the feeling but could not carry the responsibility. This is the moment when harmony breaks. When we try to take joy without giving anything in return. And then the relationship collapses. The dalmatians became a mirror of human impatience, the desire to have everything immediately, without offering what the relationship demands.
Beethoven and the Evolution of Dogs Through Film
In the nineties, Beethoven the Saint Bernard entered our homes. His chaos was refreshing. He brought warmth into a family that was cold and rigid. The parents wanted control, the children were afraid, and the dog broke down the walls. Only when Beethoven arrived did the family find warmth again. He was not obedient, but he was true. His “chaos” was therapy. Beethoven teaches us that dogs do not come to please us, but to awaken us. He shows us where love is not flowing. Only when the parents learn to lead from the heart does the dog find peace. His stubbornness was the path toward the opening of the heart.
Hachiko – facing the pain.
Hachiko and Facing the Pain
And then Hachiko. His story is perhaps the deepest of all. The dog who, for years after his owner’s death, sat and waited at the train station. No adventure. No play. No chaos. Only waiting. People around the world cried at that image. But unlike all other movie dogs, no one rushed to buy a Japanese Akita afterward. Why? Because Hachiko does not give the illusion of happiness. He confronts us with pain. His image is not the image of joy, but of sorrow that goes beyond words. He reminds us that love includes parting. That a bond does not end with death, but continues even when there is no response. Hachiko showed a dimension people did not want to possess. Because it is not a story of ownership. It is a story of devotion.
Krypto and the Messages of the Third Wave of Dog Evolution
And today, Krypto. The dog of a superhero. His strength is not in his power, but in his gentleness. The film inspired thousands of people to adopt shelter dogs. Krypto did not awaken the desire for a breed, but for an act of love. He is not a symbol of heroism but a symbol of invitation. He reminds us that a community can be moved by a single dog. And there we see a clear sign that the third wave has arrived. The dog is no longer a hero we seek, nor a projection of fashion, nor the breaker of family coldness. He is the initiator of harmony. He is the connection between people. He is the one who unites.
The Third Wave of Dog Evolution
If we look at the entire journey, we see a line: from Rin Tin Tin to Krypto, from courage to belonging, from trend to chaos, from pain to unity. This is not just the history of film. It is the history of our relationship with dogs. But also the history of ourselves.
In the first wave, we wanted dogs to give us what we did not have: courage, safety, belonging. In the second wave, we projected our desires: play, joy, warmth. In the third wave, dogs are no longer projections. They are teachers. They come to connect us. And here the true strength of the Order of Harmony is revealed. Harmony does not mean only happiness. It also means pain, waiting, parting. It means that a dog can leave, that life can separate us, and that we do not control everything. When we accept this, the illusion of free will as the ability to avoid pain disappears. What remains is free will as the ability to say yes to what is.
Hachiko and Krypto together form the whole of the third wave. One leads us inward, toward silence and acceptance. The other leads us outward, toward community and giving. And both lead us toward harmony. Dogs never judge us. Their gaze, even when they leave, is not a gaze of judgment. They do not understand human concepts of betrayal. They simply exist, in the flow of life. And perhaps that gaze is what teaches us that love is not always pretty and easy, but often painful and paradoxical.
The third wave of dog evolution reminds us that relationships do not exist to fulfill our desires. They exist to teach us to accept life. Harmony is born not when we control, but when we say yes to what is, and to whatever comes. Perhaps that is why it is important to remember all the dogs from the movie screen. They are not just heroes of our childhoods. They are teachers of our lives.
Rin Tin Tin reminded us of courage in ruins. Lassie reminded us of the return to belonging. The dalmatians reminded us of the temptation of joy without responsibility. Beethoven reminded us of the need for warmth. Hachiko reminded us of pain and waiting. And Krypto reminded us of unity. Each of them is part of the same river of life. And each brings us back to the question: do we choose dogs, or do they choose us?
A Meeting in Harmony
Perhaps the answer is not important. In the third wave of evolution, in the Order of Harmony, the difference disappears. There is only the meeting. The meeting of a human and a dog. A meeting in which there is no longer a question of who leads and who follows. There is flow. There is harmony. And in that harmony the need to choose dissolves. What remains is simply to say yes to life. With all its joys and with all its pain. And then free will finds its true form, not as power, but as acceptance. And that is what dogs teach us, on the screen and in life. They bring us back to ourselves. They teach us how to live in the third wave, the wave of evolution in which there are no divisions, but only one great yes.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we see the dog not as a character, but as a guide. From the screen to your home, find the path to true connection. Join the evolution: Linktree Sasha Riess
