Small in size, but wise beyond belief, our four-legged friends can teach us a lot about how to live a happy life. Here’s my top 10…
(Did I mention I was a dog fan-girl?)
1. SAVOUR THE LITTLE THINGS. If you’ve ever seen a pup blissed out chewing their favourite toy, or sitting in a beam of sunlight on the kitchen floor, you’ll know what I mean. Life’s joys come in all shapes and sizes. Try to enjoy the little things.
2. LOVE, UNCONDITIONALLY. Making them walk in the pouring rain. Dragging them to a Halloween party late at night. And, occasionally, forgetting to put their fresh water out (sorry Doug!) No matter what you do, your dog WILL. ALWAYS. LOVE. YOU. If you love your person, let go of their imperfections.
3. SNIFF THE FLOWERS. Life’s hectic. But you won’t catch a dog on a sunny walk rushing to the next thing without a good old stop, sniff and enjoy. Don’t be so busy you miss out on the good stuff.
4. NEVER (EVER) GIVE UP. Whether it’s chewing the labels off ALL their toys, snaffling something tasty from a buffet table, or digging a really big hole, dogs are no quitters. (They don’t call it ‘dogged determination’ for nothing!) And, though it can be really annoying as an owner, it’s a pretty spectacular character trait to possess.
5. PLAY, AT ANY AGE. Growing older doesn’t mean growing up. Just like Mr Douglas, aged 11 and 3/4, running up and down the deck chasing a ball with as much enthusiasm as ever. Make time to play -even if you feel too old and grumpy – you won’t regret it!
6. STAY PRESENT. As human beings, we spend half of our time thinking, or worrying, about what’s just happened or what’s going to happen next. Our canine companions live in a blissful state of present-ness that we can only dream of. Even a little bit of this superpower will do us good.
7. SAY HELLO! Though I wouldn’t necessarily recommend sniffing their bums, giving new people a little ‘hello!’ (and getting one back again) like doggos do, can only be a good thing. A quick, free way to raise the spirits – and maybe make someone’s day.
8. WALK EVERY DAY. It’s the archetypal dog behaviour. And one we can all benefit from. A ‘stupid walk for your stupid mental health’ as the TikTok-ers put it, is dog and human happiness 101.
9. TAKE COMFORT FROM ROUTINE. New is exciting and all, but isn’t it bloody lovely where you know what’s going on? It’s why you can always know precisely where your dog will be at any given time of day. Think your life’s ‘boring’? Maybe it’s just blissfully routine like a pup’s.
10. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER. Dogs haven’t quite mastered English yet. But, their actions speak absolute volumes. Sitting on your feet to say you’re theirs. Snuggling in when you’re sad. Dropping a toy at your feet when you need a break. Wouldn’t it be great if, sometimes, we could let our actions speak first?
In conclusion, and in the wise words of O2 all those years ago, I believe that life would be better if we could all ‘be more dog’.
Now, isn’t it time for a walk?
Claire Sutherland 