The Dog Witch: Bridging Science and Nature for Better Health

By The Dog Witch: Rebecca Hanlon.

In 2021, I was diagnosed with a condition called PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). This condition can cause extreme pain, bloating, diarrhea, emotional disturbance, feelings of suicide, low concentration, inability to process information, extreme irritability, headaches, and joint pain, among other symptoms. I regularly heard comments, even from doctors, such as “It’s just a bit of PMT,” “It’s just normal for you,” “All women go through it, you’re not special,” “Just get on with it,” and “Not sure you should take this job if you’re going to be sick all the time.” After years of wondering why I struggled for two weeks of the month but felt like a superwoman during the other two weeks, finally became clear. Hence, I took a deep dive into nutrition and herbalism for both myself and my dog, Dustin, after mainstream medicine had failed us both.

Many women struggle with chronic issues that are understudied, underdiagnosed, and unsupported. The endocrine system still holds many mysteries in how we feel, process, and behave, along with the gut, which is also affected most months for women, affecting mental health as well as physical wellbeing. This diagnosis started me on a journey of understanding and knowing myself better, learning ways to help myself, and leading a life that makes me feel mentally and physically well.

This journey, like all of my journeys, highlighted the same gaps in how we support our dogs. There is no reason to believe that they do not suffer in many of these ways, but their issues are often attributed to “bad behavior.” Part of this journey has emphasized how much we still focus on how beings behave and not on how they feel. My care-seeking behaviour has often been dismissed over the years, as has many dogs. It has shown me how heavily we rely on science and forget that science is conducted by humans and often biased. We have stopped passing down stories and knowledge from elders and listening to how our connection with nature can be the best teacher.

However, it has also highlighted the lack of a middle ground. People extremely against any pharmaceuticals or those who don’t believe in anything unless it’s in a scientific paper— But there are people who are grateful for science but also want to use art and nature and learn how to listen to their intuition too. That’s where I find myself now. This is where “The Dog Witch” has evolved from. The Dog Witch isn’t just me; it’s all of us—both humans and dogs. It’s for the people who embrace both science and art, who want to learn how to live together healthily, in balance, sharing knowledge, not dictating to one another. We want our relationships with our dogs to be organic, on an equal footing and just like any other part of our family, their mental and physical health should be at the forefront of our knowledge, not just the need to train them.

So, I hope that this year I get to be part of a wider community that wants to discover themselves and their dogs on a deeper level. Those who want to learn about being mindful, open, learning from nature, and connecting on a deeper level whilst still loving science. Dogs are not a separate conversation when we talk about our own mental and physical health. We are so similar in many ways, and it needs to be about the whole health of the whole family. My journey is just beginning; it will feel vulnerable at times, it will sometimes be scary, but it will also be enlightening and hopefully bring awareness and happiness.

I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery and connection. Together, we can create a community that supports each other and our beloved dogs, nurturing well-being, and finding joy in the shared path ahead.

Rebecca: The Dog Witch, is a behaviour practitioner dedicated to nurturing the well-being of both dogs and their humans. She blends the wisdom of nature with scientific insights, offering nutrition consultations, herbal remedies, and support for mental and physical health. https://www.thedogwitchwholehealthandbehaviour.com/