Watching my dog and how she thinks and acts, I feel a bit jealous at times, she’s got some stuff nailed down that I have been struggling with for years.
Live For The Moment
In any given moment, my dog is completely immersed in whatever she is doing. When the bone is being chewed, there is nothing else in the world, she is completely present to the moment. The “now” is what matters to her. This enables her to give her best to every moment and the idea of procrastination just doesn’t occur to her.
We All Need To Be Loved Today
It doesn’t matter that she had a cuddle yesterday or will get one tomorrow – she wants affection now. This spins off from living in the moment but I think it is true of humans – we have short memories when it comes to affection and encouragement, we need it in the present moment.
The Smallest Things Can Bring Pleasure
You can keep your ipad – a battered stick or a tennis ball covered with drool is all you need for hours of fun.
Conserve Your Energy For The Big Stuff
Like most carnivorous predators, dogs sleep and sleep and sleep for at least 15 hours a day. Their systems are designed to rest for long periods so that the energy for hunting is there when they need it. I run around and dissipate my physical and emotional energy on hundreds of non-essentials instead of keeping myself primed for the big stuff. Even when my dog is resting, she dreams of chasing rabbits – use the between times to mentally prepare.
Going Barefoot Is Nature’s Best
My dog never wore shoes. Her feet are well toughened and she can manage any sort of terrain with them. She has been naturally provided with the best footwear for an outdoor lifestyle as have I, if I would only make good use of it.
Related Links:
The Labrador Retriever: An Endearing and Enduring Pet
A Labrador for All Seasons – a set on Flickr.
Well said. We have two Newfoundland dogs, a Landseer named Memphis, who is just 19 months old and a black Newf named Ellie Mae who is almost 7. They bring a lot of joy to our household (and they are my mushroom picking companions, following me through any forest).
Good companions indeed! I keep telling our Pepper that she should learn to sniff out truffles so she can earn her keep, but I reckon she does enough by entertaining and comforting us and by devotedly retrieving any sticks that may happen to get thrown 🙂
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