Kindness

You are truly blessed to have a primary Earth dog. They melt your heart with their sweetness. They are kind to puppies and children. They are snuggly when their bodies feel good. They are gentle, loving, devoted, sweet, sweet souls. They pay attention to how you really feel and they want to help you feel happy.

An Earth dog is the one most likely to interrupt you when you’ve spent too many hours at your computer, by looking especially cute and shoving a toy or leash into your hand. They’re irresistible and they know it. It may appear that their request is about them, but rest assured that the interruption is about you. They are taking care of you by reminding you to take care of yourself.

They make excellent therapy dogs, and they benefit from a human partner who can discern when they are enjoying themselves and when they are simply tolerating the job. Humans can inadvertently take advantage of an Earth dog’s tolerance.

Earth dogs can pick up and hold onto energies from others. You can help them release what’s not theirs by doing “energy sweeps” with intention. Start with a rub at the base of their ears, then just sweep down their neck, across their back, and off their tail with your hand. Sweep down each leg and silently remind them to ground their energy into the earth.

Earth dogs prefer not to be rushed. Let them take their time on a pee walk. They may need to pee multiple times. They certainly have some sniffing to get in. They are a model for taking in the world around you at a pace that won’t spike your blood pressure. For literally stopping to smell the roses.

Training is usually not the most fun thing for an Earth dog. They are doing it for you. They appreciate short sessions and being asked to learn one partial behavior at a time. They benefit more from an easygoing private trainer than a group class where too much will be asked of them in an environment that’s likely overwhelming. They are perfectly capable of learning many things. Just slow your roll and you’ll both arrive happier at the goal.

While training with treats can be tricky for some Earth dogs, positive reinforcement is the preferred method for these sensitive souls. Earth dogs do love to be praised, so if your dog finds praise genuinely rewarding, go with that. If using treats, you might fare better with “low value” treats rather than your dog’s very favorite thing. Put the treats out of sight or pull the treat pouch behind you, and try not to hold a treat in your hand to get behaviors. Some dogs can focus so much on the treat and then not getting the treat(!) that they become anxious. Treat-dispensing toys or puzzles that are too difficult for them to solve quickly can cause anxiety, as well.

Before I created the reports for each element, I connected with dogs of that primary element, as a group, to help me understand that element from the inside. Then I incorporated what they shared into what I know and have experienced of each element. For Earth dogs, I wanted to understand their fixation on food. All dogs need food, obviously, but food is a singular preoccupation for an Earth dog.

Food is. Very. Serious. Their hunger signal can feel more like “I’m starving!” If their history includes lack of food, their very survival can feel threatened. Even when well fed, eating something can feel like reassurance that they’re going to live. This is why Earth dogs tend to be a bit, or a lot, round. Be careful with the quantity and quality of the food you feed and don’t leave your food within their reach. They are sensitized to deprivation, so for the love of Earth dogs everywhere, provide for them responsibly while helping them not to feel deprived.

The defining characteristic of each element is the immediate response to stress. For Earth, the default stress response is worry, which can look like obsession in a dog. Earth out of balance may have lip corners pulled back in an anxious grimace, along with a tensely wrinkled forehead. They may engage in destructively repetitive chewing or licking. Pay attention to what came before the worried fretting and do what you can to relieve that stress.

Earth dogs thrive in low-stress households. They flourish when receiving what they give—kindness, gentle touch, and respectful care. They want to be with their people in a peaceful environment with a reliable routine.

Common stressors for Earth dogs are separation from you or their human or animal family members, moving to a new place, and changes in routine. One of the most upsetting changes in routine is a meal that is late. A late meal can lead to worry and anxiety for an Earth dog.

My Rat Terrier, Evie, was primary Earth, but I didn’t know that at the time. I didn’t recognize that her internal clock was not just a data point for her. It was an alarm. When she began wailing because I took too long making everyone’s custom meal or had not started yet at the usual hour, she was not being dramatic. She was in emotional pain. I eventually hit on giving her something to chew while waiting for her late dinner. But if I had an Earth dog today, my newfound dedication to punctuality would ease the nervous system in both of us.