Are the activities you do with your dog really meeting both your needs? Both you and your dog are social beings. You have socialization and intellectual stimulation needs that you have the power to fulfill. But we often make mistakes about how to socialize our dogs and the engagement that we have with them. In this episode of Enlightened By Dogs, Kathy shares a segment from one of her Brilliant Partners Academy classes. She talks about two topics, including how to meet your dog’s social needs in real-life situations and how to balance the activities you do with your dog to avoid over-arousal. She also shares a framework to help you be more mindful about creating a brilliant life for you and your dog. In this episode: Meeting your needs and your dog’s needs as a social being How to balance engagement and activities with your dog Why it’s important to accurately assess your dog’s response to daily activities Kathy’s recommended framework to plan activities with intention Read the blog post on this topic. Quotes: “We're looking to love our dogs’ choices authentically from our heart, at every opportunity.” “You want to do your best to consider both yours and your dog's needs when you look for your social activities.” “We need to be in a state of learning and growing mentally, and it's just as important for your dog as it is for you.” “Your dog can learn to associate you, and engagement with you, with high arousal and activities only.” 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.