I grew up with a family dog and always loved spending time with my four-legged friend. My dog’s name was Tasha and she was a golden retriever. She would sit with my brother and I on the dock behind our house as we fished in the canal, swim with us in our pool, pull us down the street on our roller skates, and accompany us on almost every family vacation I can remember. She was truly more like a sister to us than a dog. She lived to be 14 years old and died when I was away at college. It was a tremendous loss to my family and I missed her dearly, but it did not make sense to get another dog while I was away at college. After graduation, I thought about getting a dog, but again rationalized that it was not practical due to my busy schedule.
Then, I met my husband. My husband NEVER had any pets growing up. He told me that he did not like dogs. When I asked him why, he told me that he was “attacked” by a large dog when he was a little boy. He denied that the dog really hurt him, but rather just jumped up on him and knocked him over. Now, I am sure that the dog was just trying to play with him, but that experience made a big impression on him and since then he has disliked and feared dogs. So, obviously when we got married and moved in together he said no when I asked him about getting another dog.
My son, Aiden, was born in 2005. He too learned to love dogs because he stayed with my mother for his first 3 years of his life and she had 2 dogs. The little Yorkie, Smokie, would jump in his crib and sleep with him, while the larger golden retriever, Darby, would sleep on the ground beside his crib like a body guard. They would chase each other in my mom’s backyard, and often Aiden would get knocked over, as his father did when he was a boy, but he gained a totally different interpretation from it. It is amazing how the same situation in two little boys created drastically different experiences based on the way it was dealt with!
Aiden had been asking my husband if he could have a dog since he could talk. My husband always refused to even entertain the idea. Nevertheless, he would continue to ask my husband for a dog every year for his birthday and for Christmas, and would be consistently told “No way"! I am not sure what changed my husband’s mind, but this past Christmas 2016, when my son asked him for a dog, he actually said YES! Now, there were stipulations though – it had to be a small dog, that did not shed, did not require grooming, learned fast, and did not smell, lol!
So, after much searching, we found our first family dog – Winnie. Winnie is a mini black and tan short-haired dachshund. Although she was a Christmas gift for our son, Aiden, she has truly been a great gift to both my husband and I as well. In the short 3 months that we have had her, she has taught us more about what matters most in life that any other self-help book I have read. Listed below are the top 5 lessons we learned from our dog:
- Be present. Winnie lives for the moment. Whether she is eating her food, chasing a lizard, or chewing on a bone, she is fully present while doing so. She doesn’t hold grudges about past events, or act anxious about the future, but rather full engages and enjoys the present moment. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” She has taught us to enjoy the "present" of the presence, of truly living in the moment!
- Take time to be silly and play. Winnie has surely brought out our silly sides. We play hide and seek with her, chase lizards in the back yard, crawl on the floor with her looking for the balls she hides under the couch, baby talk to her, howl with her, and roll her over on her back and blow raspberries on her belly. As George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Winnie has certainly helped me to feel like a kid again!
- Be loyal and protect the ones you love. Dogs are pack animals. They stick with their pack and work together for the greater good of the group. They are loyal to one another and defend their pack. This is a great reminder for us to be more conscientious members of the human race. Being a loyal and dependable parent, husband, wife, sibling, or friend can improve your life and the lives of others in many ways.
- Enjoy the journey. Winnie enjoys going for rides in the car. Watching her stick her head out of the window and feel the wind on her fur and smell the fresh air as we travel, makes me realize how often we just get attached to the outcome or the destination and forget to enjoy the process. Be open to the possibilities and enjoy the journey!
- Love conquers all. Perhaps the greatest gift of all that Winnie has given us is unconditional love. She wags her tail with excitement when she sees us, no matter what moods we are all in. She always greets us with big kisses and squeals regardless of how much time we have been gone. She instantly forgives us no matter how we behave. Loving unconditionally is a perhaps one of the most difficult tasks a human can learn, but it would certainly make the world a better place if we all tried.
So, as you can see from the list above, our family has learned a lot from our dog. I hope this blog touches your heart and inspires you to do the same. And if you don’t have a dog, now maybe the time to finally say “Yes” and get one. They just may be your greatest teacher!
- Namaste, Katrina