Dumb luck or spiritual connection?

[Alva]

Hello all,

I have thought about this incident for many of years. I am looking for honest opinions about an experience I had.

My ex-husband's family had a very aggressive dog. They got him from an uncle while he was a puppy. The dog grew up in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of town. The family consisted of my ex, his two brothers, and his parents. The uncle from which the dog came from spent much time at my ex's home along with many of the cousins which the dog would have lived with as a puppy. The dog was always on a chain in the yard by the front door. He had fresh food and water and plenty of shade from his tree. He also had a big doghouse for shelter. I met the dog as an adult (not sure how old he was) and he was very aggressive with everyone/thing except my ex, the brothers, and parents. He had already bit 2 friends of the family and by law had to be on a maximum length of 3 foot chain. The dog had also killed a cat that made the mistake of getting a drink from his water. To his family the dog was sweet and loving. I had only seen the dog about 3 times and he was barking and snarling at me and I went to the edge of his chain sat on the ground and let him smell me. After a minute I reached out both hands petted his fluffy fur. He eagerly licked my face and wagged his tail. My ex went inside and got his family to come out and see me. This day on I went within the dogs chain and played with him every chance I had. Until the day (years later) that the state put him down for one more biting, he never let any stranger pet him.

I had a similar experience, but not as extreme with my current husband's cat. My first day at his parents' home I did not know that his cat was very aggressive and bites everyone. I just seen a cute cat and sat on the floor to play with her. She was letting me pet her without hissing or growling and my husband and parents stared speechless.

[Emma Eldritch]

Hello all,

I have thought about this incident for many of years. I am looking for honest opinions about an experience I had.

My ex-husband's family had a very aggressive dog. They got him from an uncle while he was a puppy. The dog grew up in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of town. The family consisted of my ex, his two brothers, and his parents. The uncle from which the dog came from spent much time at my ex's home along with many of the cousins which the dog would have lived with as a puppy. The dog was always on a chain in the yard by the front door. He had fresh food and water and plenty of shade from his tree. He also had a big doghouse for shelter. I met the dog as an adult (not sure how old he was) and he was very aggressive with everyone/thing except my ex, the brothers, and parents. He had already bit 2 friends of the family and by law had to be on a maximum length of 3 foot chain. The dog had also killed a cat that made the mistake of getting a drink from his water. To his family the dog was sweet and loving. I had only seen the dog about 3 times and he was barking and snarling at me and I went to the edge of his chain sat on the ground and let him smell me. After a minute I reached out both hands petted his fluffy fur. He eagerly licked my face and wagged his tail. My ex went inside and got his family to come out and see me. This day on I went within the dogs chain and played with him every chance I had. Until the day (years later) that the state put him down for one more biting, he never let any stranger pet him.

I had a similar experience, but not as extreme with my current husband's cat. My first day at his parents' home I did not know that his cat was very aggressive and bites everyone. I just seen a cute cat and sat on the floor to play with her. She was letting me pet her without hissing or growling and my husband and parents stared speechless.

 
Sounds like you're good with animals. Maybe you approach them differently than their owners and other strangers tend to.

I don't think it sounds like it's spiritual, sorry, but it still seems pretty cool!

[Redfaery]

Hello all,

I have thought about this incident for many of years. I am looking for honest opinions about an experience I had.

My ex-husband's family had a very aggressive dog. They got him from an uncle while he was a puppy. The dog grew up in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of town. The family consisted of my ex, his two brothers, and his parents. The uncle from which the dog came from spent much time at my ex's home along with many of the cousins which the dog would have lived with as a puppy. The dog was always on a chain in the yard by the front door. He had fresh food and water and plenty of shade from his tree. He also had a big doghouse for shelter. I met the dog as an adult (not sure how old he was) and he was very aggressive with everyone/thing except my ex, the brothers, and parents. He had already bit 2 friends of the family and by law had to be on a maximum length of 3 foot chain. The dog had also killed a cat that made the mistake of getting a drink from his water. To his family the dog was sweet and loving. I had only seen the dog about 3 times and he was barking and snarling at me and I went to the edge of his chain sat on the ground and let him smell me. After a minute I reached out both hands petted his fluffy fur. He eagerly licked my face and wagged his tail. My ex went inside and got his family to come out and see me. This day on I went within the dogs chain and played with him every chance I had. Until the day (years later) that the state put him down for one more biting, he never let any stranger pet him.

I had a similar experience, but not as extreme with my current husband's cat. My first day at his parents' home I did not know that his cat was very aggressive and bites everyone. I just seen a cute cat and sat on the floor to play with her. She was letting me pet her without hissing or growling and my husband and parents stared speechless.

Some people just "know" how to treat animals. Sounds like you're one of them. Just because it's not some sooper-speshul spiritual gift doesn't mean you can't do a lot of good with it. Why don't you try helping your husband deal with his cat's behavioral problems? Aggression is never the animal's fault. Maybe you can work with your veterinarian to help it get better. That would make everyone happy - especially the cat!

[Alva]

Some people just "know" how to treat animals. Sounds like you're one of them. Just because it's not some sooper-speshul spiritual gift doesn't mean you can't do a lot of good with it. Why don't you try helping your husband deal with his cat's behavioral problems? Aggression is never the animal's fault. Maybe you can work with your veterinarian to help it get better. That would make everyone happy - especially the cat!

 
Unfortunately his cat passed away last year. I know aggression is not the animals fault but she did have a safe and loving home. I think she was just very pertective of her space.

[Redfaery]

Unfortunately his cat passed away last year. I know aggression is not the animals fault but she did have a safe and loving home. I think she was just very pertective of her space.

Heh...sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like I thought your husband was abusive or somehow at fault. It's easy enough to end up with a maladjusted animal, even if you raise them with the best of intentions. My family had a kitten who was super tiny, and very, very feisty. Since she was so, so tiny, EVERYONE (even guests) saw her playful kicking and clawing as "cute" and didn't correct it, with the result that when she got a little bigger, she'd leave you with bloodied hands, just from trying to "play" with you.

[Alva]

Heh...sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like I thought your husband was abusive or somehow at fault. It's easy enough to end up with a maladjusted animal, even if you raise them with the best of intentions. My family had a kitten who was super tiny, and very, very feisty. Since she was so, so tiny, EVERYONE (even guests) saw her playful kicking and clawing as "cute" and didn't correct it, with the result that when she got a little bigger, she'd leave you with bloodied hands, just from trying to "play" with you.

 
No worries.  I knew that you were not accusing him of anything. I think his family were just not home and affectionate enough to correct her behavior. His family just thought that it was fine because she was usually friendly with them.

[styr]

Hello all,

I have thought about this incident for many of years. I am looking for honest opinions about an experience I had.

My ex-husband's family had a very aggressive dog. They got him from an uncle while he was a puppy. The dog grew up in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of town. The family consisted of my ex, his two brothers, and his parents. The uncle from which the dog came from spent much time at my ex's home along with many of the cousins which the dog would have lived with as a puppy. The dog was always on a chain in the yard by the front door. He had fresh food and water and plenty of shade from his tree. He also had a big doghouse for shelter. I met the dog as an adult (not sure how old he was) and he was very aggressive with everyone/thing except my ex, the brothers, and parents. He had already bit 2 friends of the family and by law had to be on a maximum length of 3 foot chain. The dog had also killed a cat that made the mistake of getting a drink from his water. To his family the dog was sweet and loving. I had only seen the dog about 3 times and he was barking and snarling at me and I went to the edge of his chain sat on the ground and let him smell me. After a minute I reached out both hands petted his fluffy fur. He eagerly licked my face and wagged his tail. My ex went inside and got his family to come out and see me. This day on I went within the dogs chain and played with him every chance I had. Until the day (years later) that the state put him down for one more biting, he never let any stranger pet him.

I had a similar experience, but not as extreme with my current husband's cat. My first day at his parents' home I did not know that his cat was very aggressive and bites everyone. I just seen a cute cat and sat on the floor to play with her. She was letting me pet her without hissing or growling and my husband and parents stared speechless.

 
Just an opinion, but sounds to me like the mark of an Empath.  Either you're bypassing all of the heaps of built-up "personality garbage" to directly connect with those creatures; or you've got enough "psychic scent" on you from connecting with the people those critters love for them to sense it and accept it.  Either way, it speaks of a more-than-usual knack for empathic connection.