Photo by Donna Bemis Photography

This is our dog, Puddles.  After several years of begging for a dog, my husband and kids finally had their wish fulfilled last July.  They were so excited to take home their 2-month old puppy and welcome him into our family.  Honestly, I wasn’t so excited.  With my time already in short supply, the last thing I wanted was to take on all the responsibilities associated with a new life in the house.  I had already endured many sleepless nights when the kids were infants, and I wasn’t ready to relive those days.

So, we agreed Puddles would be “their dog” and they would be taking full responsibility for him.  For the most part, they have done that.  In the early days, my husband would wake up several times each night to take him outside.  The girls happily took turns taking him for walks during the day.  As time went on, they became less enthusiastic about taking him outside or picking up his messes.  Now, they often need a reminder that he is their dog, they asked for the responsibility, and I’m not going to do it for them.  With that said, I take him out for walks if my husband isn’t around during the day or if I just feel like going for a walk and taking him with me.

On one of my recent walks with Puddles, I realized he has taught me a lot in the past 11 months.  Here are a few things he has reminded me about love and life in general (advice most of us could probably use):

1.  Take the time to stop and smell the roses.  And the grass.  And the pine trees.  And anything else you find interesting on your path.  Don’t rush through life.  Slow down, and fully enjoy each moment.

2.  Get outside as often as you can.  There are so many fascinating things to enjoy in nature.  If you don’t feel like exploring, just lie down and soak up the sun.

3.  Greet your family members  as if you haven’t seen them in years.  Every time.  There’s nothing better than a loving welcome.

4.  Never pass up an opportunity to play.  Play chase, play keep-away, or just chase a ball, the leaves, a bird, the wind, anything that moves, etc.  Run around and enjoy life!  It’s good exercise, too!  Don’t take life so seriously.

5.  When life gets too hectic, go into another room by yourself, lie down, and rest.  We all need a break sometimes.

6.  Never pass up an opportunity to pee.

7.  Let your emotions show.  Especially the good ones.  Let your loved ones know you are happy to be with them.

8.  Ask politely for the things you want.

9.  One of our fundamental desires in life is to be included and accepted as part of the family.  Love and accept your family members, embrace your differences, appreciate the uniqueness of each member, and make everyone feel included as part of the family.

10.  Trust your instincts.

11.  Forgive easily.  We all want to please our loved ones, but we all make mistakes sometimes.  We are all doing the best we can.

12.  Stay loyal to your family members no matter what.  Just be there, listen, and love unconditionally.  Do not judge.  Just being there can lift someone up when they are having a bad day.

I resisted getting a dog for a long time, but now that Puddles is part of our family, I can’t imagine life without him.  I think he has been beneficial to our health — both our physical and mental well-being — and he has brought us closer together as a family.  Since he joined our family, we have tried to identify and plan family activities that include Puddles.  We spend more time hiking and being out in nature.  We enjoy exploring our area and finding new trails and destinations where we can bring him.  We plan our vacations with him in mind.  Overall, having a dog forces us to get outside more, get more exercise, and discover nature all around us.

Puddles also has the capability to lift our spirits in an instant.  This past spring, my oldest daughter didn’t feel well for several weeks.  When she would return home from school each day, just seeing and petting Puddles immediately cheered her up and took her mind off her pain and all her worries.  She has fully recovered, and I know Puddles played a part in that.

Who wouldn’t enjoy being greeted by this adorable face?  He is a blessing!  I’m grateful for the reminders he has taught me about life and love, I’m happy he has taught my girls about responsibility, and I’m happy to call him a member of our family. 🙂