3 Ways a Pet Will Change Your Life
Most pet owners would probably agree that having a pet is a joy. There’s a special bond that develops between an animal and his or her human, after all.
It’s certainly no surprise that there are therapy animals helping so many, from guide dogs for the visually impaired to emotional support dogs for children with autism, and horses for equine therapy. Of course, these incredible pets are specially trained and certified to do all their good work, but I’d like to share a secret with you…
Now keep in mind my entire livelihood rests on my performance as a professional dog trainer, so don’t take what I’m about to tell you lightly.
Are you listening?
*sharp inhale* The trainer got trained.*grimace exhale*
I have more than a decade of experience and I’ve recently realized that I’ve been the trainee all along. It turns out my two pretty perfect Doodles and all the paws before them have been training me, and I bet yours have been training you, too!
There are three things I’ve learned from doing life with my dogs…
M-I-N-D-F-U-L-N-E-S-S
Spending the day-to-day with my dogs has been an ongoing lesson in meditative mindsets. Picture this…
You’re nestled into your favorite spot on the couch with your best furry friend… the latest episode of your favorite show is queued up…
Five minutes in you realize you’re paying more attention to the touch of your dog’s fur and those little sounds they make when they’ve been consumed in security and trust and their human’s gentle touch than to the show you’ve been anticipating ALL week.
THAT is a beautiful practice of mindfulness! And our dogs - they can be the masters of such mindsets.
R-E-L-A-X
Have you ever read the book Rest? It allows you to see the role of napping, playing and exercise in boosting creative genius moments. I thought it would just give me an excuse to nap more frequently, but low and behold if my two Doodles don’t remind me of why I should take this book more seriously.
We’re constantly over-extending ourselves. Too much work, too many seminars, too many clients, too much to do all.the.time. Sometimes I feel silly with how much I need the reminder to slow down and say “no” more. The two nap goddesses have continued to teach me to relax, to go on walks, to soak in the sunshine, and to embrace the calm we need to all do our best work.
P-O-S-I-T-I-V-I-T-Y
Considering my profession revolves around positive reinforcement and positive training techniques, this one seems like a no-brainer, right?
But it goes deeper than that. There’s a lot of negativity in the world. And, while I see the value of critical voices in education and social media, I’m reminded that there’s value in optimism. My dogs remind me that it’s okay to be optimistic. It doesn’t mean you ignore the negative but that you choose to embrace the positive around you.
Now… From learning to be open to new experiences, to not-so-eagerly-learning that morning is the most beautiful time of day, to understanding just how much helping others makes your own life so much more wonderful, my pets have taught me some incredible lessons over the years.
How has your pet changed your life? I’d love to hear your story!
Interested in Adoption?
For more information about animal rescue and adoption in Easton we highly recommend these fabulous organizations.
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