Ah, the dog. Master of chewed bones. Tongue out, slobber drooling. They truly are man’s best friend.
They come in all different shapes and sizes, but what sets them apart from other animals is their character. Some are silly. Some are powerful. Some adorable, some scary, some tiny, some massive.
That’s what makes them so lovable.
As a productivity expert and dog lover, I find a lot can be learned studying some of our canine brothers and sisters.
Let’s take a look at 7 different breeds of dogs and what lessons can be learned from each.
Corgi
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Two words – dog sleds. The Siberian Husky has the most beautiful, stunning eyes of any dog. They are a mix of strength and friendliness. Any dog that can pull people through the snow has got my vote as one bad-ass dog.
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I’ve never met a Corgi that didn’t love people. I remember being told, when I was young, that Corgis like people, but other dogs not so much. That’s proven to be true from my experience. It may sound silly, but love is a powerful productivity tool.
Think about it, why do so many people drag themselves to a job they don’t like day in and day out. One answer is they love their family. The other is they love what money can buy them. Sometimes it’s a combination of both. What I do know is that love motivates us. It pushes to do what normally we wouldn’t.
French Bulldog
The French Bulldog is similar in size to the Corgi, but vastly different in strength. French Bulldogs prove that size doesn’t matter. They are deceptively strong.
How does this translate into productivity? We must remember that it’s not how much we do, but the results that matter.
So many people “work hard.” Which in their mind equals they are doing a good job. But working hard doesn’t equal getting good results. The two are mutually exclusive.
Working hard is often a prerequisite of success, but working hard alone does not guarantee success.
We must learn to focus on the results we are getting, not what we are doing. If we are getting better results than we are asked to achieve, then who cares how hard we worked.
Labrador
Boy oh boy, do I love Labs. Big lovable dogs that are some of the nicest you’ll ever meet. When I hear a Lab bark it’s usually because they want attention.
There is strength in kindness. Too often people mistake kindness as weakness, but true kindness is knowing when to push and when not to. Parents push their children out of love, not anger.
Managers and executives that want to get the most out of their employees will find they most of the time, they will succeed using the carrot over the stick.
Beagle
The Beagle, in my mind, has to be the most playful of all dogs. With their floppy ears and cute little faces, it’s hard not to fall in love with them as they happily run around the garden playing with anything they can find.
We should all learn from the Beagle that life is good. We should enjoy it more. Work can be stressful. Children can be demanding. Relationships can be tough. That’s why we need time for ourselves. Whether it’s watching a movie, going dancing, playing video games, listening to music or whatever suits your fancy, find time to unwind. For you.
A stressed mind will always have half of their mind not on the tasks at hand, so you can kiss uber-productivity goodbye.
Siberian Husky
Two words – dog sleds. The Siberian Husky has the most beautiful, stunning eyes of any dog. They are a mix of strength and friendliness. Any dog that can pull people through the snow has got my vote as one bad-ass dog.
As far as I’m aware, they’re the only dog able to pull people through the snow on sleds. They’re not afraid to get down and dirty and do what no other dog can do.
We must understand that the productive business person will have to do the same. Leading by example is one of the key elements of any great leader.
Doberman Pincer
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When I hear a Lab bark it’s usually because they want attention. There is strength in kindness. Too often people mistake kindness as weakness, but true kindness is knowing when to push and when not to.
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Pure muscle. That’s what I think of when I see a Doberman Pincer. A truly beautiful specimen of the canine species. Their coat almost glows.
The Doberman to me is the pinnacle of what a dog can be. I’ve never met a fat one. I’ve never met a slow one. While other dogs come in different shapes and sizes, the Doberman Pincers I’ve come across are like well-dressed athletes.
Being in shape is like second nature for them. Not something many people can say. We need to work at it. If we want to be productive at the office, we need to be sure that our bodies are capable of doing so.
In our teens, we feel invincible without even stretching. In our twenties, the aches and pains begin which is why we need to stretch more. In our 30s, what used to be easy is now a bit tougher. In our 40s, injuries no longer take days to heal, but weeks. I can only imagine what the 50s, 60s and 70s will bring.
Bottom line: Take care of your body with good food (nutrition) and exercise.
Afghan
The Afghans are the Paris Hilton’s of the dog world. Grace, elegance and beauty are three words that describe the Afghan to me. They walk as if they are floating on air. I feel as if I’m in the presence of royalty when they’re around.
So what can we learn from the Afghan. Quite simply, that whether you like it or not, beauty is power. The better we look, the more professional we look. The more professional we look, the better image we give to potential clients.
Ever worn a really nice suit and tie, you feel good. People notice you. It helps you both internally with our own self-image and externally with how people perceive us.
Dogs may be our pets, but we sure can learn a lot from them.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
