May 30 2008
What I Have Learned from Dogs
First, there are the obvious noble traits: loyalty, trust, forgiveness. But dogs also have a certain Zen-like simplicity. They are not complicated the way cats are. When they meet, they sniff one another’s tails. If they like the smell they play or hump each other. If they don’t they bite the other’s necks. I can’t help wondering what our own dealings in life would be like with this straightforward approach.
Some things I don’t admire so much. They care what others think. They want love and will do just about anything, even grovel with their tails between their legs to get it. Not so good.
And, then, they are the ways they are like us or at least like our children. They act out when they’re not getting the attention they need. They get into the things that they should most leave alone.
One of the things I most admire about dogs is their immense capacity to appreciate life. It takes so little. A walk on dog beach. A pat on the head. Throwing the Frisbee around the yard for a few minutes. It’s a good reminder to me to stop and appreciate what I have. I get caught up in daily stress, making a living, finding enough time to finish my work assignments, getting the house cleaned. Instead of worrying so much I should probably just go chase a ball around the yard for a while.
One Response to “What I Have Learned from Dogs”
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Great post! I agree. Dogs have a lot to teach us. I don’t usually say this to people who don’t know me well, but I’m about to let the cat out of the bag. When I’m in doubt about how to deal with my children’s misbehavior, I first think about how to handle it when my dog misbehaves. So a great deal of what I know about parenting comes from what I learned while training dogs! You’ve given me some inspiration for a post of my own over at canineconnection.today.com! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Amy