The biggest teacher I have had ever had the pleasure of learning from had four feet, a wet nose, teeny ears, were covered in fur and had really sharp bloody claws. She’s left now, but she taught well.
Ready?
Oh, and if you have a brilliant lesson from your four legged one, please be my guest, share it in the comments at the end.
Lesson 1# Don’t hold grudges
A dog can eat your best bra, wee the floor, scratch the sofa, eat and spread about Cat Litter Tray Biscuits but all that is forgotten about in 30 minutes as you cuddle up watching telly. With humans, we like to have a teeny cross word and go to bed not speaking, then avoiding each other for weeks.
Lesson 2# Live in the moment
Ball. Ball. Ball. Car. Car. Car. Food. Food. Food. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Repeat.
Dogs are present, living each moment to the fullest.
The only games they play are games that they love.
With humans, we appear to always live in the future, and can be spend too long playing games we’ve learned from the past.
Lesson 3# Learn to trust
Sadly, we humans can do the cruelest, unspeakable acts to a dog, and yet with time, care, love and in the right hands their trust can be won again.
We say, ‘I’ll never trust’ again, and push away real love to protect ourselves. That makes no sense.
Lesson 4# Love the shite you’re in
Dogs love the celebratory roll in fox poo during a walk, and don’t let it affect the rest of the journey.
We on the other hand, can have a few rolls in it and think it affects the rest of our life.
Lesson 5# Embrace your wild moments
Let go. You don’t have to chase your back end, or run around in circles in the garden, but every now and then, let the wild you out to play. Dogs don’t worry about other dogs are thinking of them.
Lesson 6# Live today as if you’re experiencing it for the first time
For my doggy teacher every walk was a new adventure, even though she had been there hundreds of time before.
Every smell, every human, every greet with a new person, the seasons, the river she dived in, every day all of it new.
We repeat the same behaviour and habits over and over, live each day as if it’s your last, is great saying we click ‘Like’ to on Facebook, and hardly ever carry out the intent behind the words.
Lesson 7# Love deeply
The horrible fact is that our pets leave too soon.
The lesson needs no explanation, even if they eat your socks.
Carry on.
Lesson 8# Love unconditionally
Maya and I never argued, not once. She did her thing, I did mine.
Why can’t it be that simple with human beings?
It’s not love if you want to change someone. That’s fear.
Lesson 9# Play
For dogs this is natural. The learn by playing. They don’t ever get to a point when they think ‘oh, I’m 8 now, no more playing!’
You have it too. It’s not left you, you’re still curious, you haven’t lost it.
Lesson 10# It’s okay to growl every now and then
Feel what you feel. Growling is a dogs way (generally) to say back off, back down, I’m scared, I’m not the happiest of canines.
Own your feelings, but try not to draw blood, k?
Your Turn
Lesson from your dog?
Lovely post, love my dog. My dog is such a good friend and she never takes offence to what I say or how I say it. She is just always there cuddling up, and best of all she never argues over the movie I want to watch. She is so agreeable, with the rest of the family could be like that.
Hey Fran, is she agreeable to you, or vice versa :-) Thanks for stopping, from one doggy lover to another. :-)
Aw Dawn, lovely post. Love the shite you’re in.. I am still chuckling.
Hey Ms K, I’ll teach how to say it in Scoooot-ish accent when we meet, it’s got a certain ring to it! :-)