Can your dog tell when you're sad? Does your cat know when you're angry? Animals are very sensitive to our mood changes and respond accordingly. Even birds.
Owls utilize very different body language than mammals, so Otto might not read me as well as a dog could. But he will notice if I move more quickly or stiffly. He'll know something's up if my voice has an edge to it. If he senses stress in my body language, he will be more tense, too.
In a training session this week, I tried something new. After Otto stepped on my glove, I stood up and turned. That may not sound like a big deal, but it was a big deal to Otto. He got scared and tried to fly off. It was a stressful situation for both of us, but eventually Otto got back to the glove.
Even though the worst was over, I noticed lingering panic in my chest. Otto was also out of breath and tense. How could I help Otto relax? It seemed impossible. I could feel my panic wanting to take over, but I reminded myself that Otto was feeding off of my behavior. I needed to calm down before he could calm down.
I took a few deep breaths and dropped my shoulders. Soon Otto relaxed his talons on the glove and he swallowed a tasty bit of food. Phew!
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