Do you know what your pet's job is?

Did you know that many of our animal companions really want to have a job?

They want to know what their role is. They want to help us, or give back (especially pets who were rescued). Our animals often show up with a purpose they are meant to live out in our lives.

Jobs and roles often come up when I help people communicate with their animals.

Maruka said her job is to bring playfulness into her Mom’s life, and to help her take breaks so she doesn’t get overwhelmed by the work she is doing. Java supports his mom by being a grounded presence for her. Maggie & Liam have had jobs supporting clients during sessions with their mom, who is a therapist. Many pets have shared that they are (often self-appointed) the ones who make sure everything runs smoothly in the household. 😊

My cat Cookie is a healer cat, healing or bringing awareness to my son and myself and often helping me in healing work with others.  While my son was young she was also almost like a second mother to him, checking on him and keeping him company.

Sometimes our animals have one job for the entire family or home; sometimes it varies by person. Belle told us her job is to keep an eye on her dad and bring out his soft side.  With her mom, her job is to be her companion and someone to talk to.

Have you thought about what your pet’s job or role is?

Here are a few jobs I've seen:

🐾 Going on adventures

🐾 Getting you outside or active

🐾Helping you play or take life less seriously

🐾Reminding you to take care of yourself, and not just everyone else

🐾Reminding you to slow down

🐾Being your confidante or your

🐾Helping you to trust yourself or others

🐾Supporting you on your healing or spiritual journey

Then of course there are jobs such as doing agility, being a therapy dog or horse, protecting your home, family or your energy, watching over children or training or teaching other pets.

Your animal companion’s job might be simply to BE your loving companion. While that might sound simple, being themselves can have a powerful impact on your life – offering you unconditional love, or being a grounded presence.

Behavior issues are often related to not knowing their job, if they feel they aren't able to do their job, or because our animals have taken on a job such as protection or bringing things to our awareness.

When an animal or human member of the family leaves or dies, or a new member joins the family, there can also be confusion about what the roles are now.

We can have a conversation with our animals about this! If our animals are behaving in a way that is causing stress, we may need to talk to them about their job or give them a more appropriate job.

If you aren’t sure what your animal’s job would be, start by thinking about their strengths or gifts. What do you notice or appreciate about your animal companion?