Life Lessons Learned From My Pooch

In honor of National Dog Day last week, I have decided to show my appreciation for all of the things being a dog owner has taught me over the years.

Peyton joined my family during the fall of my junior year of college.  I stopped by the local pet store “just to look” and fell in love with this little fur ball.  My parents had absolutely forbid me from getting a dog, they knew that given my schedule with school, work and social activities, I wouldn't have the time or energy to devote to caring for another living creature.  However, here we are 7 years later and she was the best worst decision I ever made!

Puppy Peyton's very first vet checkup.  I fell in love with those green eyes and speckled nose.

Here are 5 lessons my pooch has taught me:

1.       Everything has a place {if you leave it on the floor, it will be destroyed}.  I grew up in a family of OCD Perfectionists.  From a ripe young age my mother taught me that everything has its place and insisted that order and cleanliness were essential to a happy and peaceful life.  Never did I appreciate those words more than when I welcomed an 8 week old puppy into my home.  And let me tell you, Miss Peyton had a taste for the finer things in life!  North Face, Victoria’s Secret, Rainbow flip flops, silk and down pillows, if it was within her grasp, she gnawed on it!  So lesson learned, listen to your mother and clean up!

2.       Routine is an essential part of life {otherwise you will spend your morning scrubbing up the mess}.  Again, growing up with a touch {more like truckload} of OCD tendencies, routines were a must in my family.  Mom woke us up, we made our beds, dressed, ate breakfast, brushed our teeth, and left for school like clockwork.  Routines help keep things moving when you are on a schedule.  For little Peyton, breaking routines meant puddles on the floor.  So if I wanted to be on time for work or class, I had to be mindful of her routine.  Waking up early enough to take her out, get myself ready and get out the door was not the easiest thing for a college student to manage. So 3 years later, Peyton was finally house broken!

3.       Appreciate the small things in life {like her love for a tennis ball}.  Having a dog is the greatest refreshment for your heart.  They are thrilled by the simplest pleasures and never take for granted time you spend with them.  Peyton LOVES tennis balls.  She has one at each grandparent’s house, our house and my family’s lake house and knows exactly where they are kept.  My dad loves that she will go to the spot where he keeps the ball and will sit until someone comes to throw it for her.   We have even decided that she hides them around the yard to play with when she goes outside.  As soon as she sees the ball she is beside herself with excitement.  Don’t we all need this passion in our life?  No matter how hard our day was our how down we get, every human needs to find their tennis ball!

4.       Put the past behind you {forgive and forget like your furry friend}.  No matter how long we leave them home alone, or how many times we discipline them for bad behavior, our dogs still love us.  They greet us at the door tails wagging and tongue slobbering and show no sign of a grudge for being away.  If only we could forgive so easily!  

5.   Be proud in your own skin {they have no shame in who watches while they potty!}.  I can remember in college walking my adorable little puppy around campus and getting the most complements on how precious she was.  She loved all of the attention and quickly became a “people puppy,” making new friends everywhere she went.  She sure was a cutie; that is until she would stop in the middle of campus to “do her business.” I would be mortified that she would pick the most crowded places to go, but she had not a care in the world.  She would do what she needed to do, then resume playing as if nothing happened.  The lesson I took away from these experiences was not to care what others thought of me, or worry about matching my actions with what everyone else was doing.  If my pup could potty in the middle of a crowd with no shame at all, I could learn to be myself too! 

I am sure that there is no argument that dogs {and pets of all nature} enrich our lives.  There is no greater joy than being greeted after a long day by those loving eyes, wagging tail, and slobbery tongue with their favorite toy in tow.  Despite all of the challenges and frustrations that come with being a dog owner, I am forever grateful to my little one for all of the things she has taught me along the way!