With a title like that you might wonder if I’m serious. Since I have an animal communication practice, I have seen traits in dogs that humans would benefit from adopting these canine practices.
Here is a list of canine behaviors for humans to adopt.
- Loyalty
Whether that means staying loyal to a cause dear to our hearts or a partner or friend, being dependable helps others feel safe and secure. Flitting from person to person or dropping a cause because it’s not trending on social media comes off as flakey. And it’s hard to trust a person who lacks loyalty to anything or anyone besides themselves.
This isn’t to say that our loyalty would never waiver or that it might change as we evolve. It’s not to say that we don’t practice self-care or refuse to get involved in co-dependent situations. It is to say that we are a stable companion or a solid rock for someone to lean upon when needed. If we want others to trust us we earn that trust through our loyalty.
We all know that our dog companions value loyalty. Their friendship never waivers even when we wake up on the wrong side of the bed and act cranky. Even when we forget to feed the dog (hope that doesn’t happen) or we don’t take a dog for a walk or meet their daily demands, they still remain loyal. Sadly, on the down side, dogs are often loyal to abusers and it would be better if dogs learned how to set boundaries (some dogs do).
2. Forgiveness
Yes, it’s true dogs sulk and pout when we’ve offended them. However, give it day or two, and our furry canine forgives us. Dogs live in the moment. Even when a dog has experienced a traumatic past, when given love and affection over a period of time, they bounce back and are able to enjoy the present moment. What human does that unless he or she practices Buddha mindfulness?
Dogs don’t rehash the same stories. They don’t even enjoy talking about the past (as with animal communication). They care more about their new toy, or their next walk, or if they are foodies, their next dinner.
3. Patience
It’s a good thing that dogs don’t use computers or they might also become multi-taskers seeking instant gratification. Dogs are patient up to a point. If you were set to take them for a walk at 8 a.m. and it’s now past noon, then the dog will demand that you get off your computer, put on your shoes, and take the dog for a walk.
However, for people who work and leave their dogs alone in the house all day, the canine probably slept for eight hours and only when it gets closer to their dinner or evening walk time, do they let you know. Meaning, they will wait for several hours for gratification especially when they have a set routine.
4. Humor and Playfulness
Human children have a sense of humor and are playful, but then we grow into adults and often focus too much on our work or the problems of the world. This isn’t to stay that all adults have lost their sense of humor or fun. But humans live in a serious world and often wait until they are on vacation to have fun. Having a dog as a companion at least reminds us humans to play and to live in the moment.
Dogs sense our moods and when they want us to lighten up they will do things to amuse us whether or not they are featured in a YouTube channel. Anyone with a dog has amusing stories to share and they will say that their dog has brought joy and laughter into their lives. This is not an accident.
5. Mindfulness
Us humans take classes to become more mindful. We work so hard at it. We learn to meditate, practice yoga, and watch videos with mindfulness experts who give us tips. Mindfulness should be our natural state and is the natural state of non-humans.
While many people would say that a dog lacks spiritual consciousness, I debate that. In my animal communication sessions, I have gleaned spiritual knowledge from animals. Dogs are wise Buddha animals. And they taught us the yoga pose the Downward facing Dog. Dogs help us to stay grounded unless they have mental or emotional issues. Dogs and cats are the embodiment of mindfulness. They have mastered the art of living in the present moment.
We learn a lot from our dog friends. We learn about loyalty, patience, playfulness, mindfulness and so much more. It’s no wonder that dogs are the number one pet. Don’t complain about the amount of time or money you spend on your canine companion. They give more back in the way of affection and friendship.
The bond with dogs runs deeply and people often say that when their dog companion dies it’s more painful than when a member of their human family dies. Perhaps, this is because dogs live such a precious short time with us. And they come in a different form so they are a mystery to us as we are a mystery to them.
I practice animal Reiki and animal communication. Check out my Animal Reiki tab for more information. Do you have a pet you would like to benefit from a communication or Reiki session? Contact me.
Metaphysics 4 Everyday Living 