The Space Between Moments

Much of life with dogs is described in moments. Walks, meals, greetings, training, rest. These events often receive the most attention.

But dogs do not live primarily in moments.

They live in what comes before and what follows.

Transitions Hold More Than Events

The space between moments is where dogs orient, process, and regulate. It is where arousal rises or falls, where anticipation settles, and where emotional tone is absorbed.

These spaces are rarely named. They are not scheduled or measured.

Yet they shape behavior more consistently than the moments themselves.

How Dogs Experience Time

Dogs do not experience time as a series of tasks. They experience it as a flow of sensory and emotional information.

A walk does not begin at the door. It begins in the quiet beforehand. Rest does not start when movement stops. It settles gradually, often after the environment allows it.

When transitions are rushed, dogs are carried from one state to another without space to recalibrate.

When Nothing Is Asked

The space between moments is often the only time nothing is required. No cues. No expectations. No interpretation.

In these spaces, dogs are free to return to baseline without being directed there.

This freedom is not accidental. It is foundational.

Letting Transitions Be Enough

When the space between moments is allowed to exist, many behaviors soften on their own.

Not because something was fixed, but because the nervous system was given room to settle.

Dogs do not always need better moments. Sometimes, they need gentler transitions.

This reflection is part of Living the Understanding.