Summary

The author shares three life lessons learned from their Labradors: living in the present moment, loving unconditionally, and following intuition.

Abstract

The article titled "3 Lessons I Learned From My Dogs" delves into the author's experiences with their Labradors, Bournville, Bentley, Bojangles, and Branston, and the valuable life lessons these pets have imparted. The first lesson is the importance of living in the present moment, much like dogs do, without worrying about the past or future. The second lesson emphasizes unconditional love, as dogs love without judgment or conditions, a trait humans could learn from. The third lesson is about following one's intuition, as dogs often act on instinct to save lives or show concern, demonstrating a wisdom that goes beyond their intellect. The author contrasts the simplicity and richness of a dog's life with the complex and often less present human existence, suggesting that adopting these canine qualities could significantly enrich human life.

Opinions

Dogs are more straightforward and understandable than humans, making them preferable company at times.
Dogs live entirely in the present moment, unlike humans who spend only about 10% of their time being present.
Dogs can fall in love and experience the release of oxytocin, the love hormone, when interacting with humans and other dogs.
Dogs offer unconditional love, maintaining their affection regardless of external circumstances.
Dogs' amazing actions, such as performing the Heimlich maneuver or alerting owners to danger, stem from intuition rather than intellect.
The author suggests that humans could lead happier lives by emulating the present-focused, unconditionally loving, and intuitive nature of dogs.

3 Lessons I Learned From My Dogs

The masters at communicating without words

At times, I prefer the company of dogs to humans. Dogs are simpler and, even without words, easier to understand. Over the years, I’ve raised “my boys” — Bournville, Bentley, Bojangles, and Branston — all Labradors. I believe that all humans would benefit from the 3 life lessons these dogs have taught me.

1. Live in the present moment

Dogs think. When I look at my dogs, I can see those mental cogs turning as they wonder what will get them more rewards. Anyone who has ever watched a sleeping dog will know that dogs dream as well. You can see the rapid eye moments, twitching, and moving paws. Dreaming is nothing more than thinking while asleep.

From what I can tell, a dog’s thinking is all in the present moment. I don’t believe dogs worry about the future or are plagued by the past, though they do remember. A dog who has been abused might fear men (if the abuser was a man). Or a dog might fear water if they were ever thrown into a lake or the sea. But those fears are only present when they see a man or come near a body of water. A dog doesn’t spend time “worrying” that it might happen. A dog lives in the present moment.

During the last 10 years as a coach, I’ve asked my clients how much time they spend in the present. The answer for most people is about 10% of their time. Compare this to dogs, who spend 100% of their time in the now.

Dogs are watching your every move and listening to every sound. They are present and focused on what’s happening around them. If you could stay present 100% of the time, this would enrich your life tenfold.

2. Love unconditionally

Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of “The Social Lives of Dogs,” has suggested that dogs can fall in love. Paul Zak (professor at Claremont Graduate University) found that a dog’s brain releases the love hormone oxytocin when interacting with humans and other dogs. This happens in the human brain when you hug or kiss someone.

Dogs give us unconditional love. My dogs have never loved me any less if I’m in a bad mood or too tired to take them for a walk. If I have to subject them to something they don’t like (such as having their ears cleaned or toenails trimmed), they might pull away. But 2 seconds later, they lick my face and still love me.

Dogs don’t judge. They love you the way you are. Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a leaf from their book?

3. Follow your intuition

Dogs often do amazing things. I read a story about a woman who got a piece of apple lodged in her throat. She tried unsuccessfully to perform the Heimlich maneuver on herself. Then her dog pushed her to the ground. It jumped up and down on her chest until the apple dislodged. The dog then licked her face to keep her from passing out.

I came across another story about a dog who started to shake uncontrollably. It jumped on the bed in a fit of hysteria. The woman wondered what could have alarmed her dog so much and decided to check on her baby. It was then that she discovered her 9-week old daughter wasn’t breathing. But thanks to the dog’s quick reaction, paramedics were able to revive the baby.

Another heroic dog got into a swimming pool and kept an unconscious toddler’s head out of the water by balancing him on his back until help arrived.

They say that dogs have the intellect of a 2-year-old human. So this amazing wisdom that the dogs exhibited isn’t coming from intelligence. It’s coming from intuition. The dogs sensed when people were in trouble, and they also knew how to help.

As a human, you might ignore your intuition much of the time. You assume that intellect trumps a gut feeling. Or you prioritize what others think rather than listening to your innate wisdom.

Takeaways and conclusion

Dogs are innately happy and content because their brains are not as evolved as the human brain. Sometimes too much intellect isn’t a good thing. Dogs live in the present moment. They epitomize love and understanding. And they follow their intuition.