By: Candace Chellew
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Famous dog trainer Cesar Millan is used to dealing with what he calls “red zone” dogs such as Emily, a pit bull who took her owner out for a daily drag while barking, growling and lunging at every person and animal that dared to cross their path. So-called “red zone” dogs are easy to spot – they are very territorial, aggressive, overprotective, and will guard their resources such as toys or food.
I encountered one of those vicious red zone dogs recently – and it did attack me and did its level best to do me a lot of harm. The thing is, I know this dog very well, and I’m not surprised it attacked me. In fact, it’s a dog that tears at my tender parts quite regularly. This dog’s name is, “Ego.”
A Course in Miracles, in Chapter 19, says that our egos are a lot like these “red zone” dogs because egos are only “capable of suspiciousness at best and viciousness at worst.” Red zone dogs are always suspicious – certain that someone is lurking about trying to steal the resources it believes are scarce in its world like food, attention, or affection. That suspicion can turn to viciousness when its worst fears are confirmed, and it senses someone is out to deprive it of what it believes it needs.
I think we can learn a lot about how to handle our suspicious and vicious egos from how Cesar handles dogs. First, and most importantly, Cesar never sees a dog as hopeless or in need of destruction or elimination. Red zone dogs are that way for a reason and if you can figure out what it is – spoiler alert: the answer is fear – you can work to eliminate, or at least ease, the underlying cause.
Continue reading “3 steps to tame a “red zone” ego”
