Animals see me as part of their world. What I do is not see myself as other than an animal.
They want to meet me. It has been that way forever.
I sit and a dog comes and puts it head in my lap. The people say that never happen before, it ignores most people, but does not like strangers, is known for biting, I have the same feelings.
When I walk in the wild I see lots of animals, we exchange hellos. Bears like me.
It is nothing I do or say, it works from a distance, walking down a dirt road a horse in the pasture looks up, somewhat puzzeled look, and comes over to the fence. I stop and chat for a bit, I do blow air from my nostrails into theirs. We stand together, often with mutual neck stroking.
Some horses I have known better, they had problems with humans. That rope and saddle thing, mastering by force. I wash faces and clean hooves. I am a good animal, we become friends. We take walks, a nose at my cheek. They remind me of three year old's, if they had coloring books they would let me color.
Little children pick me out of a crowd, run over, put up their arms to be picked up. Their parents look shocked. I know, I sit on the ground, same size now, they stare and touch me. They talk, expressing something. They want to take me home and keep me for a pet.
One little girl of five did, she is eighteen now, I am like a pet magic dragon. It rubs off, dogs and little children want to meet her.
It makes up for a lot of that other world. The Dragonaphobic.