If you haven't already gathered that I'm freakishly obsessed with my dog, please allow me to take it one step further.
Throughout my life I've had four dogs - Cookie, Biscuit, Frito and Baja. It was a struggle moving out of my parent's house in college and having to deal with true alone time because I knew I didn't have the time / money / ability to have a dog those few years. Ever since I've taken home my sweet girl it has truly made me appreciate all the things my pooches have taught me over the years that I can help me become a better person. Here are my fav five takeaways from puppy parenthood:
1. "No hard feelings" ALWAYS.
Puppies aren't perfect // people aren't perfect. Your dog is going to leave a mess on your carpet, she's going to get her puppy teeth into your most expensive pair of Franco Sarto wedges, she's also probably going to steal a piece of salmon right off your plate, there's a chance she's going to snag your brand new Victoria's Secret panties right out of the bag ... and she will absolutely be so excited to see you that she will snag (at least) five of your favorite winter tights. You're going to yell, you'll ban her to the backyard, you'll send her running off tail-between-her-legs under the bed. Five minutes later she's going to come running into your arms, tail-wagging, planting slobbery kisses all over your face. Think about all the people in your life you've done wrong to or have been done wrong by... wouldn't life be easier if everyone held no hard feelings? Learn from your pooch - let it go.
2. Love everyone for exactly who they are.
Baja loves me if I have jupiter growing on my forehead. She loves me if I haven't given myself a pedicure in two months. Baja loves me without makeup. Baja loves me if my socks don't match. Baja loves me with my morning dreadlocks, and my morning breath. Baja loves me even when I dry my clothes four times because I'm too lazy to fold them. Baja loves me when I don't wear a bra and go to Kroger. Baja loves me when I walk around the house in pigtails, no pants and a blue face mask. What I'm getting at is that dogs love people purely for who they are, nothing more | nothing less. Dogs don't need to be impressed, you don't need to put on makeup for a dog, they could give two shits if your bag is Balenciaga and they definitely do not love you more if your car has leather seats. I wish more people loved more people like my dog loves me.
3. Happiness is simple.
Think of five things that you think would make you happy, then count how many of those things are related to money - like a nice car and a big house. Think of five things that make a dog happy, then count how many of those things are as material. Food, water, walks, belly rubs and something to chew on - that's all my girl needs to be the happiest dog in the world. Treats, new toys and car rides are Baja's equivalent of winning the lottery. Life would be so much sweeter if happiness was a simple as a stick you found at the park and 'enough' was two minutes worth of a good ear scratch.
4. You're always needed.
Don't get me wrong, I know I'm needed - my family needs me, my friends need me, my boyfriend needs me, my co-workers need me. But, there is nothing else so rewarding as the need a dog has for their owner. I am the keeper of the kibble, the steward of all liquids, the warden of the treats, the one who calls the walks and the driver of the car rides that make her go crazy with excitement. I no longer go home everyday with no agenda - I have a concrete purpose. I'm all my sweet girl has in this world, and being something's sole reason for getting up in the morning, tail-wagging is the single most fulfilling feeling imaginable.
5. Don't beat yourself up if you shit on the carpet.
Dogs know when they mess up. Baja feels ashamed and embarrassed when she shits on the carpet or runs into the glass door, it's all over her face. What does she do? Has her moment, wags her tail and proceeds with her day like nothing even happened. What do people do in moment's of mortification? Hide in shame and beat themselves up. The next time you trip and fall down the stairs at the bar and your high heel goes flying and knocks over someone's full beer ... or the next time you fail a math test, take the pooch approach - laugh and forgive yourself, then move on.
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