4 Life Lessons From Our Old Dogs | Teaching on how to work with the complexities of Human Aging

Elizabeth Johnson’s TEDx talk speaks to the parallels of Old Dog and Human aging and how we can learn to navigate the emotionally charged and complicated processes with our aging elderly family with help from our Old Dogs. She shares client stories and lively personal examples and discusses navigation tips that help strengthen and heal our hearts.

Elizabeth has been working with the health and wellness of small, large, and exotic animals as well as wildlife for 35 years. Initially working as a veterinary technician, she has spent the past 27 years doing Equine and Canine bodywork and rehabilitation on competitive, service, military, police, and companion animals. She works from a point of deep clinical understanding, empathy, and compassion to find the “health” of each animal while promoting well-being in both the physical, spiritual, and emotional realm of all involved. She is the author of a book in progress called The Tao Of Old Dogs.

TED.com - Here is the TEDx talk

Integrated Wellness Approaches to Equine and Canine Health and Soundness

Welcome to

4Legged Wisdom and Wellness

Kindness, compassion, empathy and the willingness to understand another,
will always hold and carry the ultimate strength.

Elizabeth Johnson from Grandfathers Wisdom

This site is about creating Wellness and finding the “health” in your animal. We hope to open hearts and minds and create an even stronger connection with the animals around us. You will find a Wellness Library where you can access unique ways to understand and help your animal.

You will also find perspectives and musings in the Wisdom Blog born from my experiences and the experiences of other guest authors. There are links to educational opportunities, great companies and professional organizations. Please peruse, enjoy and share!

With health and gratitude, Elizabeth

ABOUT ELIZABETH JOHNSON, EBW, CMFT

Domestic animals to exotics, wildlife, and nearly everything in between, have been in my hands and left imprints on my heart. Each horse I visit is special and has its own unique story, whether a backyard pony, an Olympic hopeful, a Budweiser Clydesdale, or an intelligently opinionated mule, they all have their teachings. Countless small animals, exotics and wildlife have taught me volumes as well as all the beloved dogs I have had the privilege to treat, live with, work with, and love. I have gathered over 40 years of experience in diverse animal related fields such as veterinary technician, assistant trainer, wildlife biologist, wildlife rehab, and equine and canine therapy and rehabilitation. I have received incredible gifts of science and wisdom from doctors, veterinarians, and healers. But by far, my most potent teachers have been the animals themselves, teaching me self-awareness, compassion, empathy, advocacy, and how to truly listen. How to truly heal.

I believe we are all partners in the animal’s well-being. I openly work with all professionals and my goal has been to be diverse in my methods of approach depending on the needs of the animal at any given segment of their healing. I have been fortunate enough to work on cases with UC Davis, Alamo Pintado, WSU Pullman, and many smaller veterinary hospitals. The cases presented to me are often ones where conventional medicine has resulted in no consistent headway being made for the animal. Working alongside veterinarians, my skills and integrative approach have brought wellness to the table, creating many healthy animals and happy owners.

The owners and caretakers that love and care for their animals have gifted me understanding for the human heart, a heart that often knows no boundaries when it comes to loving their animals. Lastly, but by no means least, my own animals have gifted me their lives, wisdom, and devotion in return for their care, big chunks of my heart, and some great smells when I get home each day.

I happily live with my wildlife veterinarian husband/hero, Dr. Mark Johnson, on Whidbey Island Washington. We enjoy hiking, kayaking, gardening, supporting a sustainable community and howling at night with our dog Luna.

Read Elizabeth’s full bio and resume’

"Whenever eminent physicians treat an illness, they must quiet the spirit and settle the will, they must be free of wants and desires, and they must first develop a heart full of great compassion and empathy. they must pledge to devote themselves completely to relieving the suffering of all sentient beings."

-Sun Simiano, Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang 1.2

(as translated by Sabine Wilms)