Creating a Soul Connection With Your Animal Companion

Honey Bear and Dax, my babies

I’ve always needed animals in my life. Dogs, cats, birds, rodents, fish. Each one different. Each one a companion, not a possession.

Growing up, the message around me was clear: animals were pets. They needed to behave, fit in, and stay in their place. They weren’t equals. They were ornamental. Useful. Replaceable.

That never felt right to me.

Even as a child, I felt a connection with animals that went beyond ownership. They felt like friends. Like beings with inner lives of their own.

When I was in the Air Force, I had a pet rat named Fred. He was brilliant, playful, and deeply bonded to me. He rode on my shoulder while I roller skated around the base or walked outside. We played games. We communicated in our own way. He was my best friend, and I’ve never forgotten that relationship.

In my thirties, I became a dog groomer. That’s when this understanding began to sharpen.

I learned quickly that overpowering animals didn’t work. Forcing them only created fear and resistance. But when I slowed down, paid attention, and worked with them instead of against them, everything changed. Grooming became easier. Animals relaxed. Trust formed.

At the time, I didn’t have language for what I was doing. Now I do.

I was building a soul connection.

Through years of working professionally with animals and having many as companions, I learned three foundational truths:

• Trust must come first

• Calm is everything

• Listening creates collaboration

Those lessons are still the foundation of how I relate to animals today.

Now, in my sixties, as I study animal communication more intentionally, I see how much of this I already knew. I’m just more conscious of it now.

Creating Trust

My current dogs came to me with difficult histories. Both carry trauma. Both struggle with trust.

Structure and consistency matter. Error-free training has its place. But trust goes deeper than routines.

Trust grows when an animal feels seen, respected, and given agency.

Honey Bear is anxious and extremely picky about food. She will sometimes refuse a treat for no obvious reason. I don’t insist. I don’t turn it into a power struggle. I simply offer a different option.

Why? Because choice builds trust.

Dax hates anything near her head. She also has a short coat and needs protection in cold weather. I never rush her. I let her take all the time she needs to put her head through her coat. I reward her patience. She knows she won’t be forced.

These moments may seem small, but they matter. Trust is built through hundreds of tiny interactions where the animal learns: You are safe with me.

Stay Calm

Animals read energy before they ever process words or actions.

When you lose your calm, they don’t understand why. They don’t connect your anger to a specific behavior. They only feel threat.

When you stay grounded and centered, you meet them in the space they already inhabit. The heart space. The present moment.

Anger erodes trust. Calm strengthens connection.

Listen

Animals communicate constantly. Listening doesn’t mean hearing words. It means observing preferences, honoring boundaries, and adjusting your behavior accordingly.

Dax doesn’t enjoy a lot of physical touch. I love cuddling. So we compromised.

I can rest my hand on her body without moving it. Sometimes she allows a brief scratch on the top of her head. That’s her limit, and I respect it.

Listening means learning what they love and offering that freely. It means letting go of what you want when it conflicts with what they need.

When I feel myself getting frustrated, I remind myself:
Listen and learn.

Creating a soul connection with an animal is a process of the heart. It takes patience, humility, and presence.

Don’t give up on your animal.

You hold the power in this relationship. Use it to protect, not control.

Build trust.
Stay calm.
Listen.

That’s the path.