I LOVE dogs. They are naturally friendly, loving, and caring of their human counterparts, and I think we all have a lot to learn from this behavior. With their instinctual attachment, loyalty, and bottomless forgiveness, dogs show us a kind of primal friendship that I think us humans should pick up and share with each other. Animals maintain a certain level of intelligence and while their lives and relationships are not as complex as those of humans, they show us how love and friendship works when it is stripped of all human complexities and obstacles. Besides, I know you’re friends will never be as happy to see you as your dog is when you’re holding a treat, let’s be real.
3. Loyalty makes for the best relationships
Dogs love their humans, and will never turn their backs (or tails) on them. At the end of the day, your dog is excited to see you and only you. If he runs away at the park to chase a squirrel, he’ll come back to you when it runs up a tree. If you’re sitting in bed watching Netflix, he’ll cuddle up right at your feet. Loyalty like this is hard to come by among us humans, and if we could follow the lead of these pups who live to serve and love their one and only human, loyalty could solidify a lot of relationships. It goes further than just loyalty, and reveals a sense of pride that you are so connected to that person and that your relationship with them means so much to you; they mean more than just someone to throw a tennis ball for you to play fetch.
2. Friendship is unconditional
Maybe it’s just me, but my dog is one of my best friends because she loves me, she’s always happy to see me, and she always wants to hangout. Dogs love both giving and receiving attention whenever they can, and they can sense when something is wrong. If you’re yelling and fighting with someone, odds are your dog put his tail down and slunk away somewhere quiet to avoid further getting on your nerves. If you’re sad and crying, your dog will come right up and put his head on your lap and wag his tail. They can sense major human emotions from the sensory details they pick up on and offer their unconditional friendship to console. They will stand by your side no matter what your mood or condition is, and do whatever they can to offer up a little love, even if it is in the form of a drool-y toy or half-chewed bone. This kind of unconditional empathy and support is exactly what should construct human friendships, because sometimes the furry friends just don’t cut it.
1. Love and excitement go a long way
Every night I come home to my dog asleep in my room, and she sees me come in, often too sleepy to get up and greet me but always thump-thumps her tail in groggy excitement. The next morning when I wake up she wags her tails and squirms around me and runs to go get a toy and paws at me until I acknowledge her. I have never had any human this excited just to see me get out of bed and stumble around in search of coffee. This excitement to see another person is not common among humans, especially when it is someone we love and see every day. Sometimes, the people we love the most and see most often are neglected of this kind of excitement because their presence in our lives has become routine, and most do not even notice the absence of this acknowledgement and excitement. We should not take for granted those we love and see so often, and learn a lesson from a hyper-active puppy and realize how great it really is that you get to wake up every day and see that special person.
So learn a thing or two from your four-legged friend and treat others the way your dog treats you. Be genuine, show you care, be a good friend, and be unconditionally loving to those who really matter to you. Don’t pee on a fire hydrant, don’t bark at squirrels, but think about what your life would be like if it were stripped of all evils, grudges, arguments, sadness, and anger. Support those who support you, and be a genuine, caring friend whenever you can.
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