There are five key pillars that all social animals need to connect and thrive. These five elements build trust between you and your dog, and bring you back into balance when things start to go awry – so they’re crucial for maintaining a partnership lifestyle! But what are they? The five pillars are to be safe, to be connected, to belong, to be heard, and to be helpful. When you keep these pillars in mind, it can help your dog calm down, think clearly, learn from you, and cooperate with you. They’re a vital part of living the safe, calm, and happy life that you dream about. In this episode of Enlighted By Dogs, Kathy shares what it means to be heard and how you can better listen to your dog to build a happy, understanding partnership. She also reveals the key role your leadership has to play in creating a safe space for your dog. In this episode: The five pillars for a partnership lifestyle What it means to be heard How to listen as a loving leader How to help your dog feel safe Kathy’s 5 key takeaways for how to truly hear your dog Read the blog post on this topic. Mentions: Simon Sinek, “Why good leaders make you feel safe” Susan Friedman’s website Quotes: “Trust and cooperation are feelings. They are not instructions.” “A trusting relationship is the key to successful animal companionship.” “We are culturally conditioned to believe that dogs are not capable of choosing to be loving, playful, well-behaved partners without being paid to do so. And that is simply not true.” Want More of Kathy? Brilliant Partners Academy Dancing Hearts Dog Academy Website Facebook Community To read the blog post on this topic and to explore other episodes, click here.