The Simple Technique That Helps Your Pet Heal Faster
Whether your dog hides during thunderstorms, your cat is recovering from surgery, or your horse refuses to load into a trailer, this basic technique can bring calm, balance, and healing — both for them and for you.
Reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Hardoon
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STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) tapping is a simple, hands-on method that helps relieve your pet's stress, balance their energy, and promote faster physical and emotional healing
- By gently tapping specific acupressure points while focusing on your pet's well-being, you help support the natural flow of energy or Chi and clear emotional blockages that can slow recovery or trigger fear-based behaviors
- Surrogate or proxy tapping allows you to support your pet's healing without touching them — perfect for anxious, injured, or highly sensitive animals needing calm, gentle care
- EFT works for many animals like dogs, cats, and horses, and helps address anxiety, pain, trauma, and behavioral challenges while strengthening your emotional bond
- Regular tapping sessions promote peace, trust, and harmony, creating a calmer home environment and helping both you and your pet feel more connected and emotionally balanced
When your pet is anxious, in pain, or struggling to recover from trauma, you probably wish you could do something to help them feel better. What if there were a simple, gentle, hands-on method that could help calm their nerves, ease their discomfort, and even speed up healing?
That's where EFT Tapping, short for Emotional Freedom Techniques, comes in. This surprisingly simple method has been used for years to help people release emotional stress, pain, and trauma. Now, pet parents and animal practitioners are discovering it can help animals, too.
What Is EFT Tapping and How Does It Work?
EFT tapping blends principles from acupressure and energy medicine. The idea is that emotional distress and physical pain can block the natural flow of energy or "Chi" through the body's meridians, which are the same energy pathways used in acupuncture. By gently tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on a feeling or intention, you can help clear those blockages and restore balance.
In people, EFT has been shown to calm the nervous system, reduce cortisol levels (stress hormone levels), and ease anxiety. The same "Chi" or energy systems exist in people and our pets, whether they are — dogs, cats, horses, birds, or even rabbits. So when your pet experiences stress, fear, or pain, their energy flow can also become "stagnated" or disrupted.
By using tapping techniques, you can help release that tension, allowing normal energy flow and their bodies and minds to return to a state of harmony.
As animal communicator and energy healer Joan Ranquet explains, EFT "taps into the body's innate ability to heal itself." It's not about replacing veterinary care — it's about supporting it by helping animals process emotional and energetic stress that often goes hand in hand with physical illness.1
The Science Behind Energy and Connection
It may sound mystical, but there's actually science behind the connection between humans and animals. Studies from organizations like the HeartMath Institute show that both humans and animals emit measurable electromagnetic energy waves from the heart.2 These waves reflect emotional states — coherent and steady when we're calm, erratic and irregular when we're anxious.
When you're centered and calm, your heart rhythm influences your pet's, helping them relax, too. Surrogate EFT tapping works with this concept: by focusing on your animal's well-being while you tap on yourself, you can project calm, healing energy that helps them feel secure.3
That's why EFT doesn't even have to involve physically touching your pet. In fact, many practitioners use "surrogate" or "proxy" tapping, where the human taps on their own body while focusing mentally on their animal companion. The energy connection does the rest.
EFT Isn't Just for Humans — It's for All Species
One of the most common reactions practitioners hear is, "I didn't know EFT could work for animals!" However, this technique works beautifully for them, too. Animals have energy systems just like humans, with meridians, chakras, and life-force energy flowing throughout their bodies. When these systems become blocked by fear, trauma, or emotional distress, tapping helps release those blockages and restore harmony.4
Animals experience emotions deeply. They can grieve, fear abandonment, or carry memories of trauma — sometimes mirroring the emotions of their caregivers. By clearing emotional energy, EFT helps both ends of the leash heal together. Below is a step-by-step process on how to do EFT for animals.
- Start by centering yourself — Before you begin, take a few deep breaths. EFT relies on your calm energy. Set a clear, loving intention, something like, "I want to help [your pet's name] feel safe and relaxed."
- Focus on the issue — Think about what your pet is struggling with. It might be fear of thunderstorms, stress after surgery, nervousness around strangers, or difficulty being alone. You don't need to diagnose anything — just focus on what you observe.
- Begin tapping — Using your fingertips, gently tap on the standard EFT points on your own body:
- On the top of the head
- On the inside edge of the eyebrows
- On the outside edge of the eyes
- On the bone underneath the eyes
- In the center between the nose and upper lip
- In the center between the upper lip and chin
- On the inside edge of the collarbone
- About four inches under the armpits
As you tap each point, speak or think calming affirmations directed at your pet. Here are examples from the Tapping Association:5
- For a dog afraid of thunderstorms: "Even though thunder scares you, I deeply and completely accept you."
- For a cat recovering from surgery: "Even though you're healing, your body is strong and wise."
- For a horse afraid of loading into a trailer: "Even though the trailer feels scary, I'm here with you."
"You are safe and loved, surrounded by calm energy."
"The storm will pass, and peace will return."
"You're safe, loved, and surrounded by healing light."
"Comfort and peace fill your body."
"You're brave, safe, and calm."
"Together, we can do this with trust and ease."
Repeat the statements as you move through the points, keeping your tone soft and reassuring. The goal is not to "make" your pet behave differently but to shift the emotional energy that fuels their stress.
You Don't Have To Be Physically Close
EFT tapping works even from a distance, similar to other energy healing such as reiki. Because it relies on energy and intention, you can do it remotely, which is especially helpful if your animal gets stressed by handling or touch.
Practitioners report that distant sessions are just as effective as in-person ones. Once the intention is set and energy begins to flow, the effects ripple outward. One practitioner described how a dog who used to panic during thunderstorms began responding with curiosity instead of fear after remote EFT sessions.6
Energy is not limited by distance. Love, empathy, and focused attention travel farther than you might imagine.
How to Tell What Your Pet Is Feeling
One of the biggest questions people ask is, "How can I know what my animal needs?"
The answer lies in observation and intuition. Animals communicate constantly through body language, eye contact, and subtle energetic shifts. As you practice tapping, you'll begin to tune into their signals — relaxed breathing, soft eyes, gentle tail movements, or simply a sense of calm in the room.
Some EFT practitioners combine tapping with animal communication, tuning into the emotions or memories their animals might be holding. For instance, one story described a rescued cat who showed signs of deep sadness. Through tapping and gentle connection, the practitioner sensed that the cat had been abandoned by her previous owner. After several sessions, the cat's energy lightened — she played again and began to trust her new home.7
Trust that you'll know what your animal is feeling when you approach them with patience and an open heart.
Why Choose EFT for Your Pet?
EFT tapping is noninvasive, gentle, and holistic. It doesn't require equipment or physical manipulation — just your focus and compassion. It can help with a range of issues, including:
- Anxiety and fear (from loud noises, vet visits, or travel)
- Physical pain or recovery after surgery or injury
- Behavioral challenges, like aggression or separation anxiety
- Emotional trauma, especially for rescued or rehomed animals
- Grief or depression after the loss of a companion
- Improving focus and performance in working or sporting animals
EFT works beautifully alongside traditional or holistic veterinary care, training, and nutrition. It doesn't replace them — it enhances them by addressing the emotional side of healing.
EFT and the Human-Animal Bond
Your emotional state directly affects your pet. If you're anxious or grieving, your dog or cat senses it, too. EFT helps you clear your own emotional clutter, which then helps your pet feel more at ease. You become calmer, more patient, and more attuned to your animal's emotions. And your pet feels safer and more trusting in return.
You don't have to wait for a crisis to use tapping. Incorporate it into your daily routine:
- Tap in the morning to set a peaceful tone before leaving for work.
- Do a short session before vet visits, travel, or training sessions.
- Use it before bedtime to help both you and your pet relax.
- Combine tapping with gentle petting, slow breathing, or quiet moments of connection.
EFT tapping only takes a few minutes, but its effects can last for hours. Over time, it creates an atmosphere of calm and trust in your home.
Healing Together Through EFT
EFT tapping invites you to approach your pet's healing with compassion, presence, and curiosity. You don't need to be an energy healer or expert — just open-hearted and willing.
Whether your pet is anxious, recovering from trauma, or simply needing reassurance, EFT provides a safe, nurturing way to help them feel better faster. It's a bridge between traditional care and emotional healing, reminding us that our animals are not just bodies, but sentient beings who feel, remember, and love deeply.
So next time your pet is struggling, take a deep breath, center yourself, and tap. You might be surprised by how much this simple act of connection can transform both your lives.
