9 Lessons I Learned From My Dog

I recently lost my childhood dog and have been thinking a lot about some of the biggest lessons I learned from her. As someone who never had a pet before, I think she taught me a lot of lessons about life, and helped me go from a kid who was terrified of all dogs, to a young woman who stops and pets every single dog she sees. So without further ado, here are the biggest lessons I learned from my dog, and everyone remember to give your furry friends an extra treat tonight before you go to bed. 

1. Appreciate the journey 

My dog absolutely loved to take walks. She didn’t care that she always ended up in the exact same place she started, she was just excited to go on a little adventure. My dog taught me to not be so focused on where I’m going, and instead appreciate the journey. Especially as a senior, it’s easy to get completely overwhelmed by the future, but it’s important to remember to not be so caught up in your destination that you miss the joy of your walk. Rather than rushing from class to class and answering texts on the way, walk a little slower, appreciate the beautiful scenery, and enjoy the journey. My dog would say a walk is best when you stop and smell the roses (or the grass or a leaf or a stick or trash in the street). 

2. Friends are all around you

Before having a dog, I barely ever walked around my neighborhood or talked with my neighbors. Now, I know who lives in almost every single house, say hello to the same people everyday, and have had so many nice conversations with the people who I’ve been neighbors with my whole life. This is all because my dog stopped and greeted every single person she ever saw, even if they didn’t particularly want to stop and say hello to her. While people definitely don’t want to talk to me as much as they want to pet an adorable dog, there are so many little moments in life where we miss out on conversations because we simply don’t smile at the person passing by us, we look at our phones instead of talking with the person next to us, or we just keep to ourselves. My dog taught me that there are so many people around you just waiting to be your friend. All you have to do is say hello. 

3. Enjoy the quiet moments 

Looking back, I think my dog’s favorite days were the days she got to sit around the house with her whole family. Maybe she went for a walk or got a pup cup from Starbucks, but she loved just being home, taking naps, and hanging out with the people she loved. Especially as college students, we’re used to every second of free time being filled, constantly needing to work on something, or always having some kind of plan. But sometimes the best days are the ones where we don’t do anything and just appreciate the people we love. Not every day has to be big and exciting, and sometimes the quiet days are the best ones. Before we had a dog, I don’t think my family ever just sat around and had a day where we did nothing but go for a walk. Looking back on my dog’s life, those were some of her and my favorite days.

4. Keep chasing after what you want

Every single time my dog saw a bunny, a squirrel, or a bird throughout her entire life, she chased it. She caught ONE in her entire life, and dropped it as soon as my mother yelled. But even though she failed, and failed again, and tore both her ACLs, and failed again again, she kept on chasing them. She kept on sprinting, and I think she really believed she’d catch one every single time. She taught me that no matter how many times you might fail, there’s always the next time. Who knows? Maybe that’s the time you’ll finally catch the squirrel. 

5. Don’t hold a grudge 

My dog did hold a grudge for a few neighborhood dogs, but other than that, she loved everybody unconditionally. Even when I forgot to feed her breakfast because I thought someone else did it, or my mother dropped a cookie sheet on the floor and gave her a heart attack, or when we brought her to the vet or the groomer (GASP), she never held a grudge. She forgave us every single time and loved us no matter what. And when you really think about it, what’s the point in holding a grudge? If we could all forgive and forget a little more like our dogs do, I think the world would be a much happier place. 

6. Stop judging yourself and others 

My dog had no idea what grades anyone got, what extracurriculars they did, what sport they played, who they were friends with, or what their job was. She greeted everyone with the same amount of excitement when they walked through the door. It’s easy to get caught up in awards, accolades, grades, accomplishments, and judge other people based on theirs. My dog taught me that these things don’t matter as much as we give them credit for. Who cares if I do badly on a test or if I didn’t get as much playing time in a game? The world will keep on turning and the people who matter won’t care and won’t judge me for it, and I shouldn’t judge others either. 

7. Face your fears

When my dog first came home at 8 weeks old, she was afraid of anything and everything. She was afraid of the trash can, the vacuum, the cookie sheet drawer (remember when my mother threw it on the ground?), the hose, and to be honest, anything in or around my house that moved at all. But she faced her fears. She sat slightly closer to the cookie sheet drawer! She didn’t bark at the trash can! She sniffed the vacuum! She taught me that even the biggest and scariest things in life aren’t so scary. Once you get closer, maybe you’ll find that they were just scary on the outside. 

8. It’s OK to Feel your Big Emotions

Every single time a new person walked into my house, my dog would get so excited that she would cry and have to get something to put in her mouth. She did this every time someone new came in, every time she went somewhere new, every time someone woke up and came downstairs, and every time someone stopped to say hello to her when she walked. She taught me that it’s ok to be excited. It’s ok to be emotional and show people you love them or you’re excited to see them, or even that you’re freaking the heck out. Emotions are just a part of life, and it’s ok to feel them even if they’re big and overwhelming and you need to hold something for emotional support. 

9. Show up for the people you love 

Without my dog, I genuinely don’t think I would be the same person I am today. She taught me that you can make people feel loved, happy, and cared for without ever saying a word. She always showed up for me. When I was sick or upset, she knew, and she would sit right by my side. When I came home from school, she was the first to greet me. When I woke up every morning, she was the first to say hello. My dog taught me that even without having words, you can show someone how much you care just by showing up and being there for them no matter what. 

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