Dogs teach us about the secret of happiness every single day, whether we understand it or not. Just look at the life your dog is living? How many times have you said my dog is living a happy life?
It turns out, that the life of a dog is not complicated at all. It is joyful and orderly. Dogs eat, play, go pee and poop, sleep, and enjoy the moment.
Sometimes, we as humans forget to live a happy life. We stress about things that we should not. We complicate things. Just think about this for a second. We are always trying to better our dogs and teach them new things. But what if our puppies can teach us valuable life lessons?
Before we get to the 10 life lessons dogs can share with us, let’s remember two quotes from the great Napoleon Bonaparte. He once famously said, “Here, Gentlemen, a dog teaches us a lesson in humanity”. And also, “If you do not like dogs, you do not like fidelity; you do not like those who are attached to you; and, therefore, you are not faithful”.
Let’s see what we can learn from our furry friends.
Always Greet Your Loved Ones
Think about what happens when you come home. Does your dog come to greet you and say hello in a happy manner? Dogs love people and greet everybody with enthusiasm.
You can take a page of that book. Everyone has something to offer you, so greet people with enthusiasm. And when it comes to your loved ones, always come to say hello when they come back home. If possible, do it with a happy tone and happy voice. Just like Fido wags its tail when you open the door.
Never Pass Upon an Opportunity to go for a walk
Have you ever met a dog who doesn’t want to go outside? I do not think so. The single biggest reward for a dog is to let them go outside to sniff, play, and enjoy the sunshine.
Well, don’t be a grumpy person. Whenever someone invites you to go outside, accept it as long as you do not have some important responsibilities.
There are so many benefits in walking to pass up on an opportunity. Just 15 minutes of walking per day will completely change your life.
Let people touch you
Speaking about being a grumpy person, let people touch you. There is nothing wrong with that. Don’t be a Sheldon Cooper and avoid physical contact. Yes, you should not touch and hug everyone you meet, but allow touching from your loved ones and close friends.
Most dogs love to cuddle and be petted. Just pet your dog and see how much he enjoys it. In the same manner, you should let other people touch you, preferably hug you.
Do you know the benefits of hugging? Go ahead and hug someone.
Be Loyal
Loyalty feels like a forgotten quality nowadays. Cheating, infidelity, stabbing in the back, and more behaviors have become the standard.
Don’t fall into that group. Be loyal to your friends, your family, your loved ones, your colleagues, and all the other people in your life.
Stories like the one about Hachiko the dog show us how loyal dogs are. We can be the same if we like to. There is a reason why one of the best examples of loyalty is how a dog feels about its human.
The definition of loyalty is “the quality of being faithful to someone or something”.
Play Daily
In the same manner, you should never pass on an opportunity to go for a walk, you should not pass up on an opportunity to play.
Playtime is an important part of the day. It is a good way to exercise, but also provides some mental stimulation. Do not forget about playing.
Avoid biting when growl would suffice
Have you seen two dogs that pass and they do not like each other? They just growl and give the other pup a signal do not come near me?
Why can’t we set such boundaries as well? There is no reason to fight when a single “growl” is a good enough signal for the opponent?
Do not hold grudges
Dogs have a very short memory span. Your canine companion will not hold an accidental injustice against you. Even if you step on his tail, he might whine for a second or two, but then come back to you wagging its tail.
Why do you have a need to hold grudges for a day, week, month, or even a year? Did someone do something that awful to you? Did someone hurt you as much? The more you hate somebody, the more you fill your soul with negative thoughts. Release them. You do not have to go and hug that person or “wag your tail”, just let go of the grudge.
When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body
What do you do when you feel happy? Do you let the whole world know? Do you show the entire world you are happy?
Just look at how happy dogs walk. Their entire body shakes. Their butt and tail wiggle. Our puppies enjoy every single moment of being outside. And when they are happy, you know it.
So, smile and dance when you are happy. Show people, you are happy. Remember, happiness is contagious. Your happiness can influence and spread to other people. Even some people you have never met in your life.
Express gratitude
My dog always licks my face and gives me puppy kisses after a good hiking tour. He loves to go hiking, and once we come back home, he is instantly all over me. It is his way of saying “thank you for taking me for a nice walk”.
We usually take things for granted. We are programmed to take the good for granted and brood over the bad.
Dogs are not like that. Just think about it. Every time you feed your dog, you see a reaction. It is like that is the first time they have seen food. And when you grab the leash to take them for a walk, they zoom back and forth in excitement.
Dogs remind us that while something may be routine, we should appreciate it and be grateful for what we have.
Enjoy the simple things
This might be one of the most important lessons that we can learn from our furry friends. Dogs do not need a lot to feel happy and satisfied.
While we need material things and constant gratification, dogs enjoy simple things. They find joy in carrying a stick around. Or playing with a single ball for months. Dogs enjoy a simple walk around the neighborhood.
Some dogs want nothing more than their favorite chew toy. Remember that the next time things get complicated. Look to Fido for inspiration and you will find pleasure in simple things. When was the last time you enjoyed something as simple as sitting in silence and watching the clouds?
Love unconditionally
If there is one thing we all agree on about dogs is that they love us unconditionally. Dogs do not judge people based on skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination. They do not make a difference between a white boy and an African-American woman. If you think about it, colorblind canines cannot even see the shade of our skin all that well.
They love people unconditionally. And expect nothing in return. That is the way we should start going about in life as well. When was the last time you gave something without expecting anything in return? When was the last time you gave your all in a romantic relationship? Without counting how many times you called, or what was the price of a gift, or anything similar?
Bonus: When someone has a bad day, sit close and gently make them feel you are there
Sometimes, when we feel bad, we only want someone to show us they are there. They will be right next to us to support us and give us unconditional love. You do not have to say anything. Just sit close to your close one and enjoy the silence together. Dogs do the same. They snuggle right next to us when they feel we are in a bad mood. They do not push us to tell us what is wrong. They do not ask questions. They just sit next to us and comfort us.
