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Our dogs are so much more than pets. They are precious members of our family, and we love them dearly. They offer us support, friendship, and companionship.
I'm sure it won't come as a surprise to you that there are many things you can learn from a dog.
Dogs are loyal and trusting, and they ask for very little in return. All they want is lots of love, food, and shelter.
Our lives would be incomplete without our best friends with whom we share our homes with.
Dogs help us mentally and physically, and we owe them so much.
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Dogs bring so much into our lives. They teach us how to love and how to be responsible for another being.
They keep us active and healthy. Our dogs protect us, our homes, and our families.
Although we train them when they are pups, there are many things you can learn from a dog, too.
10 Things You Can Learn From a Dog
1. Live each moment
Dogs teach us not to worry about the past. What’s done is done and cannot be undone.
All that matters is the here and now and how you can make a difference at this very moment in time.
The future is yet to come, and nobody knows what it holds.
The only time you can enjoy yourself is now, at this present moment, and that's one of the most important things you can learn from a dog.
2. Turn fear into love
Dogs teach us that we can turn our fears into love.
We have all seen stories about neglected dogs that were abused by their previous owners, which resulted in them being scared of other humans.
That was until the fear was gradually turned into love.
Life becomes so much easier when you turn self-criticism into self-love. Dogs can overcome their fears, and so can we.
3. Never hold a grudge
Dogs teach us that holding grudges just doesn’t work. It’s all in our minds and has no place in the present moment.
Can you imagine your dog ever being angry with you because you forgot to give him a treat?
No, it just wouldn’t happen—dogs don’t hold grudges—and neither should we.
When we hold grudges, it weighs us down emotionally and makes us angry. This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.
Holding grudges stops us from moving forward with our lives, and we aren’t able to enjoy the here and now.
One of the many things you can learn from a dog is to create your own freedom and let go of all your grudges.
SEE: 10 Ways Dogs Communicate Their Sense of Humor According to Science
4. Spend time playing every day
Our dogs absolutely love playing, and you can tell by their expressions and tail wagging that they are just so happy with life. We should play more by moving our bodies every day. When you play, you open up your mind to new things. It really does increase your creativity.
You cannot be happy working 24/7; you need time to play, too.
When we own a dog, we have the opportunity to take part in many activities like walking, running, hiking, and all kinds of different sports.
When you have a dog, there really is no excuse – you just have to play along.
5. When you’re happy—show it
You know when your dog is overjoyed, as he is jumping up and down and his tail is wagging uncontrollably.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could do the same when we are happy about something? Well, why can’t we?
There is absolutely no reason why we can’t show happiness just like our dogs do (just without the tail wagging).
Our lives are so fast and hectic that sometimes, we just forget to actually sit down and realize how happy we are.
This is one of the most important things we can learn from a dog.
We forget to sit and admire the sunrise, the sunset, and the changing seasons.
We all need to stop for a moment and realize just how lucky we are.
6. Learn to accept yourself for who you are
We, as humans, are always comparing our lives to others, wishing we had what another has, and making ourselves look like someone else.
What’s wrong with just being you? You are who you are, and that’s enough! You are perfect just the way you are!
Life would be very boring if we all looked the same, acted the same, and thought the same.
We are all individuals with unique personalities, and that’s what makes us all so special.
Can you imagine a pug wanting to be a greyhound? No, they are happy just the way they are, and they never compare themselves to others, so why should we?
7. Enjoy the ride that is Life
Life is a journey with many paths and plenty of ups and downs. We have to learn to make the most of the ups and do all we can to get through the downs.
Life is an adventure to be enjoyed, and our dogs enjoy every moment.
Have you noticed your dog sticking his head out of the window when having a ride in the car?
They are thoroughly enjoying themselves and are taking in the sights and sounds, and we should learn to do the same.
Stop and admire everything that’s around you; it truly is beautiful.
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8. Like dogs, we need to drink lots of water
We, like dogs, need water to stay healthy and strong.
Dogs automatically know when they are in need of water, and they usually aren’t greedy when it comes to their food, either.
They know what things could be poisonous to them and so they avoid them.
Water is essential to life, and we need lots of it.
One of the things you can learn from a dog is that water is important, so do what your dog does and make sure you drink lots of it to stay healthy.
9. Be trusting and be loyal
Our dogs are so loyal to us, and we owe them so much. They’re there when we’re happy, and they comfort us when we’re sad.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all be more like our dogs? Dogs are pack animals; they protect each and every one in their pack, and they will defend their pack no matter what.
We should all try to be more like our dogs.
Perhaps the most important thing that you can learn from a dog is to try and be as loyal and dependable as you can be to your own family and friends.
10. Love with all your heart
Our dogs love us unconditionally, and it’s such a great feeling to know that you have someone who’s there for you and who will comfort you when times get hard.
Our dogs are our best friends. They are there when we come home—tails up and wagging happily at the sheer joy of seeing us.
They don’t care what we look like, and that's one of the best things you can learn from a dog.
They love us for who we are, and we love them for this.
The world would be a far better place if we all learned to love unconditionally, just like our best friends do.
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