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I’ve had a dog most of my life. One of my earliest photographs is of me with a dog. Our family has recently become ‘dog people’, despite the fact that we have 2 cats. Dogs are the bomb!
Our dog was sold to us as a labrador/staffy cross. However, she’s got a bunch of breeds in her DNA I’m certain. Mastiff, Ridgeback, Dane, Staffy, just to name a few. Nevertheless, whatever she is, she’s as loyal and as they come. She’s almost 2 years old, we got her as a pup from 8 weeks.
Lola is a big dog. She loves people and brings our family a lot of joy. There’s a lot to be learned from our 4 legged friend. Here’s a few off the top of my head.
Always be happy to see people
Let’s face it. No one likes a grump. Grumpy energy is heavy. People who are grumpy are not people you want to hang around with.
Lola is always, and I mean always happy to see people. She is the first to greet me when I get home, no exceptions. She is the first to get up when I walk in the door.
She is the first to run to the door when anyone knocks. Her tail wags furiously when the whole family gets home, and she never has a bad word to say about anyone.
If we are dog people, she is truly a people person.
Get over things fast
No matter what, Lola does not hold a grudge. Ever seen or experienced a dog with a bad attitude. You do not want to be around that thing. It bites!
Sure, there was the time (times) when she wrecked my wife’s favorite plant. She has eaten people’s dinner from the table while they weren’t looking. She has even eaten her own bed. She has landed herself in the proverbial ‘dog house’ on more than one occasion. But no matter what, at the end of the day, we love her, and she never means any harm.
As soon as it’s over and dealt with, she gets on with it.
The energy of hanging onto misdemeanors just brings everyone down. The fact is, at the end of the day, she loves people, she loves being alive, and the faster we can get on with that, the better.
It’s a simple approach to life, but a powerful one.
Love going on adventures
Like most four-legged friends, the word ‘walk’ is one of her favorites. Going out anywhere is ‘the best’. When we do go out, she is inquisitive, curious, eager to meet other people (and dogs), and everyone loves her. She can look quite fierce from the outside, but she has a soft heart.
‘Strong back, soft heart’ they say. That’s our dog for sure.
She is always up for an adventure. She loves to play. Grab her ball, take her outside, and she’ll chase that thing until she drops. She’ll wrestle, chase, play hide n seek, and is always up for whatever you want to do.
Even just sitting in the sun together is a treat.
One of our best holidays as a family was when we took our dog with us. She loves the beach, the bush, sitting around eating ice cream. As long as she’s in on the party, her life is complete.
Curiosity is the spice of life.
Only bark if you need to
Our dog is not a barker thank god. BUT she does have a h*ll of a bark on her. She uses it when she needs to. If she barks it’s because she has something to say, and it’s usually worth listening to.
She’s strong but she’s gentle. She has my back. When we’re out walking, most people don’t really want to mess with her. But on closer inspection, once you have her trust, she’s loyal and safe. Show her the respect she deserves, and you won’t have a worry.
The energy of someone who is always barking, yelling, being critical, giving their opinion, or telling people what to do, is not the energy of someone you want to spend too much time with.
It’s easy to see why dogs are considered man’s best friend. I’ve not a bad word to say about my dog. My cat on the other hand … don’t get me started.
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