How do socially intelligent animals use emotion? And, what are the steps you need to take to achieve emotional balance? Dogs are socially intelligent animals. We know this to be true because we share our lives with our dogs. They’ve seen us at our best, and they’ve been there for us during our worst. It’s clear that, like us, dogs are socially intelligent beings, which is just one of the reasons why we love them so much! But, is there a way that we can help develop the emotional intelligence of ourselves and our dogs? Kathy explores this and more on this episode of Enlightened By Dogs. She talks about how you can improve your own emotional intelligence, become the strong, loving, and enlightened leader that you dog needs, and so much more! In this episode: How socially intelligent animals use emotion What emotional intelligence is The five skills of emotional intelligence and how to improve them Four steps to emotional balance Understanding that emotions are messengers Quotes: “If we want to earn respect and trust from our dogs, becoming and practising empathy and becoming more empathetic is an important part of the process” “The message of frustration is that the asking you’re taking is not effective” “Emotions are messengers and they have value to us” “Horses employ a simple four point method that uses the body's intelligent and efficient use of emotion as a non-verbal communication system” Important links from this episode The Tao of Equus by Linda Kohanov The Power of the Herd by Linda Kohanov The Five Roles of a Master Herder by Linda Kohanov Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel by Carl Safina Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman 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. Subscribe to the Enlightened By Dogs podcast in your favorite app! Don’t forget to leave us a rating and review – it would make Kathy and all of her four-legged friends very happy. Connect on Facebook: facebook.com/dancinghearts/