14 Lovely lessons on living and loving from the DOG. WOOF!

Dogs are amazing four legged creatures, full of natural wisdom and insight, with every step they teach us humans more about life, living and loving.

We only need to slow down, drop the technology, become mindful, look down, pay attention to the present moment and what the wagging tails are telling and teaching us.

Dogs have needs and desires just like humans, and they send us signs and clues all the time about how they wish to be treated and what they need to survive. They also in their natural way show us without even knowing it how to live a simpler, richer and fuller life. Just look and listen!

My dogs

I look down every day and make a conscious effort to absorb the signs my dogs give me. They are my fur children and in the absence of any human children are right up there in the pecking order of my priorities.

Suzy tells me when she needs a drink when I can see her sniffing around the water tap, Suzy particularly likes the fresh water out of the tap, rather than the water from the bowls that may be a few hours old.

Chelsea never barks yet at about 7pm if I have not fed her dinner she is like a boot scooting ballerina dancing and barking around the kitchen until I get the food from the fridge.

They wag their tails deliriously every time I come near them showering me with love and affection and I like all humans, still confess with a little guilt, through all my awareness that I to could spend more time, or be more focussed on their needs.

“Repeat” The Damn iPhone is not as important as my fur babies.

They also teach me soooo much. Woof.. and double WOOF..!

The 14 things

1. Put down the iPhone

Seriously the iPhone is not as important as your family, children and fur children. The people standing in front of us, connecting and sharing with us should be our first priority. Schedule in time for the iPhone but after that, Be like the dog and just enjoy the company of the ones you love.

2. Wag your tail

Get excited about life, no matter how old you are or what ailments you have you are still here, living this miracle life. Get excited about it. It you don’t feel it fake it till you make it. Be like the dog and be excited about little things, because that is everything.

3. Slow down

Stop, relax, slow down, put your type A personality into a cupboard and lock the door. Sit on the outdoor furniture and feel the sun on your skin. Walk through the park and feel the wind in your hair. Be like the dog and go slow.

4. Sleep and recharge

Feel tired take a nap. Grumpy take a nap. Eaten to much take a nap. It’s lunch time take a nap. You really don’t need a reason. Be like the dog and allow your body time to recharge

5. Don’t overeat.

Eat what you need and then focus on other things. Have a little snack and then focus on other things. Use food as a source of energy and good health rather than to fill a void. Be like the dog and eat what you need.

6. Drink enough water

Go to the water tap and fill the glass and ensure you remain hydrated, especially on the hot days. Dogs naturally gravitate to their water bowl when it’s hot. They don’t get to busy at the doggy office and forget to hydrate. Be like the dog and get your muzzle wet.

7. Explore

Explore your surroundings and branch out and put yourself in new situations and locations. Discover all you can, absorb it into your being and let it allow you to feel awesome. Dogs could spend hours on a sniff trail, or like Chelsea about 10 minutes sniffing one little leaf, before she moves onto the adjacent one. Our walks are slow. LOL. Be like the dog sniff out new surroundings.

8. Eat well poop well

Eat a healthy diet and poop a number 4 on the Bristol Stool chart. My dogs get a fabulously healthy and balanced diet and religiously poop every morning and every night and they are perfect poops. Their little poop parcel shows they are fit and healthy. Unlike people, who not only are unhealthy but who are reluctant to share their toilet issues out of embarrassment, despite it being the opportunity to get better. Be like the dog drop the crappy food, listen to your body, learn what it likes and poop to perfection. Then afterward, Be like the dog do the little doggy dance, feels good. LOL

9. It’s not all material

As humans we surround ourselves with an array of material items. They are nice they are lovely. But they are not the most important thing. Dogs have the necessities their bed, bowl, lead, collar, a few toys, food and water. They then have the most important thing that is US. Be like the dog and focus on the loved ones over the materialistic items. (Except the PINK ones)

10. Play

Work is overrated, play is rich and fulfilling. Have you ever had a really good play or catch up with friends and found all your worries and stressors have dissipated and faded away even just for a moment. Do you then feel cleared, recharged and ready to start again? Be like the dog, stop the work and go play, throw the ball, catch the Frisbee, swim it out, run in circles with your friends. Whatever just have FUN.

11. Be patient

Patience is one of my nemeses. As I age I am learning more on how to be patient but it’s been a hard road. My doggies on the other hand have it nailed they sit at the door and wait for me I am told by others in my house. They sit at the dinner table while we eat. Most of the time they are patient and quiet, Chelsea sometimes struggles when food is around but otherwise is a perfectly patient pooch. Be like the dog be patient what’s the hurry anyway.

12. Follow your nose

Do what your heart tells you. Follow your inner wisdom or as I call her your Inner Pink Star. She always knows what is best for you. Dogs follow their nose to the prize every time. They know what they want to do. They don’t listen to others dictating what is best for them or allow others to throw them off the smell. Be like the dog and go with the sniffer.

13. Yoga and meditation

Dogs instinctively know downward dog and other asana’ s from the yoga world. They know how to meditate by just being still and letting the sun rays fall on their skin. Move and stretch your body in the yoga poses for physical health and rest and contemplate in mediation for emotional wellbeing. Introduce a little Yogic into your world. Be like the dog practice spiritual rituals to be a more awakened being.

14. Just LOVE

Love and then love some more. Do whatever you can to learn to open your heart and allow yourself to give and receive love unconditionally. Need to forgive then forgive. Need to grieve then grieve. Need to feel your feelings then feel them. Remove and relinquish anything that stands in the way of your heart loving. Be like the dog love everyone or mostly everyone and especially anyone offering food in Chelsea’s case.

I love my dogs and I love your dogs. In fact I love all dogs.

Allow them the honour of showering their love over you, and allow them the honour to teach you how to live a simpler, richer and fuller life.

Appreciate them and their wisdom, take notes of their needs and desires. Give them all the love and attention they deserve and a little bit more for good luck.

Just stop and listen..Live and Love..

WOOF…!

Big Pink love Lara and the two gorgeous fur children xx