Life Lessons -What Our Dogs Can Teach Us

Dogs live simply and honestly and understand the nature of teamwork. When they are happy, we can see it in their body language. They are the first to greet returning family members with affection and a genuine welcome. They thrive on attention and personal touch and show it spontaneously with no hidden agenda. They display inordinate amounts of courage when needed. They are loyal and trusting to their core.

They make time to run, romp and play on a regular basis, enjoy long walks and understand the need to drink lots of water. They nap and refresh themselves during the day. They know how to play and work hard, but also to rest and rejuvenate.

They love generously, care deeply and are sensitive to the needs of their family members, and they are always themselves, no pretending to be what they are not. They are able to give silent comfort to those in need, sitting quietly with them and giving them a meaningful nuzzle. They eat with gusto and enthusiasm and stop when they are full (most of the time). Each day is greeted as a new opportunity, a new challenge, and a new adventure in gratitude.

When they are introduced into a new environment, meeting other dogs, there is a kind of meet and greet period of slow introductions, so that the relationships that are forming can build naturally. In this new environment they are good at observing and learning from the experience, so that there is shared knowledge. They are, likewise, persistent in their efforts to complete a task, or to pursue something for which they are searching (or digging), as the case may be.

As we love and care for our dogs, we can learn to respect and care for our bodies and ourselves. Training and disciplining our own behaviors is a reflection of how we treat our beloved pets. We learn about and provide for their needs. In the process, understand our true needs, not the momentary ones. Our expectations become more realistic, as we recognize our own uniqueness, learning to be supportive and gentle with ourselves. As we do for our dogs, we give the gift of fresh air, good nourishment, motion and touch and are repaid with strong relationship building.

It is our goal always to give our pets positive reinforcement when they learn their lessons well, listening to us and following our lead, and so we enjoy each day together in harmony.

When my dog is utilizing his veterinarian recommended dog ramps, bed ramp and pet stairs, I rest assured that he is protected from injury and harm as he makes his way to his special napping spots, and I am also reminded to take better care of myself.