When it comes to skills that will get us through the trials of daily life, there’s no better teachers than our canine companions. Being a pawrent to our furry fellas has not only meant we have taught them about the world, but we hoomans have found ourselves learning some serious life lessons, too – and not just that it’s never a good idea to leave bacon unattended…
Here’s how owning a dog instantly means you’re winning at life!
1. They’ve taught you how to appreciate the small stuff.
Forget fast cars, fancy jewellery and flash clothes, the sight of a wagging tail when your pooch finds the pawfect stick is priceless.
2. They’ve taught you how to time manage.
Gone are the days when we’d roll out of bed at 12pm on a lazy Sunday. With our mischievous mutts to walk, feed and entertain, we’re up and ready for the day without getting the chance to hit the snooze button a million times.
3. They’ve taught you how to forgive and forget.
Whatever the crime, one look into those puppy-dog eyes and all is forgiven. Well, most of the time…
4. They’ve taught you how to be a better communicator.
If we can non-verbally connect with our pups, training them and understanding their needs throughout their lives, surely we have the skills to effectively chat with our boss about that promotion?
5. They’ve taught you how to share.
Nothing’s sacred with a pooch around. Whether they’ve chosen your socks as their new chew toy, raided the snack cupboard or taken over your side of the bed, we’ve learnt the hard way that sharing is caring!
6. They’ve taught you how to brave any weather.
Pre-dog days, a few drops of rain were enough to forgive ourselves for hanging out indoors all day. Now, with a pooch to walk, we’ve learnt to embrace wind, rain or shine to get outside and exercise our dogs – and ourselves!
7. They’ve taught you how to be flexible.
Life with a furry friend means we’ve got to be down with plan changes. Yes, we were looking forward to that extravagant meal at that woofly new restaurant, but the hefty bill for Rover’s recent vet trip needs to take priority this week.
8. They’ve taught you how to be organized.
As any dog owner will know, a coat, pants, or handbag pocket that’s not stuffed with poop bags is asking for trouble. We figured that one out pretty early on…
9. They’ve taught you how to be more open and friendly.
The daily dog walk probably means you will end up bumping into other dog walkers on a regular basis. It doesn’t take long before we’re engaged in conversation with fellow dog lovers about the most random dog-related stories. It’s surprising how much joy we get from comparing hard-wearing chew toys!
10. They’ve taught you sports skills.
Throwing a ball for our pooch in the park over and over is bound to have improved our pitching skills and arm strength. Plus, chasing him around when it’s time to go back on the lead will have you set for sprinting try-outs in no-time!
