As many of you know, Gina and I are proud dog parents to our furrbaby, Jamie. We recently celebrated Jamie’s 3rd birthday which puts him at 21 years of age in dog years. Over the course of those 3 years we’ve shared so many amazing experiences, and to our surprise Jamie has taught us a lot about life. We began compiling a list of the life lessons our dog has taught us and are going to share 11 of our favorites with you.
If you have a dog then some of these lessons will be easier to relate with. However, if you don’t have a dog then you should rescue one so you can relateđŸ˜„đŸ˜„đŸ˜„ just kidding (but not really). If you are thinking about rescuing a pup then please read this article first: The True Cost of a Furry Friend.
Without further ado here are the 11 life lessons our dog has taught us:
#1. Family Is Everything
It’s easy to get caught up with all the hustle and bustle in everyday life. Taking a step back and reminding yourself what matters is important in life. For us family is everything and Jamie is a constant reminder of that.
From protecting us from the evil mail man to giving us licks when we’re sad, Jamie always has our back. Jamie is a family man there is no doubt about it. The sheer excitement he expresses when we say his cousins name says it all. Whenever we visit members of our family you can tell how grateful Jamie is to be a part of it all.
#2. Everyone Has A Squirrel In Their Life
To provide a little background, Jamie absolutely despises squirrels. Like seriously, they are his arch enemy. We like to joke around and say that everytime Jamie sees a squirrel he thinks it’s the same one and it’s constantly following him đŸ˜‚
Jamie has taught us that there is going to be people (or squirrels) in your life that are going to drive you nuts (no pun intended). Based on Jamies actions, the best way to deal with these “squirrels” is to bark your face off and go about your day.
Life lesson: Don’t let anyone ruin your day, scare off the squirrels and live your best life.
#3. Always Save Some For Later
Unlike most dogs, Jamie doesn’t gobble all of his food right when it’s poured. He prefers to eat some and save some for later in the day.
From this action Jamie has taught us that 1) control your portion sizes, 2) be grateful for every meal, and 3) make good things last.
Gina and I have actually started practicing this method, especially when we go out for food. We’ve realized that most restaurant portions are more than we need in one sitting. Thus, we try to eat half and take home half. This ends up benefiting our health and finances by turning one meal into two. #thanksjamie
#4. Sleep Is Crucial For Peak Performance
Work hard, sleep hard.
Jam is a definite sleeper. He will sleep in til 11 AM every single day, only getting up to go to the bathroom. He is not your typical dog. However, he also plays reallllllyy hard. He runs at the speed of light and is always chewing on a bone or toy.
With that kind of hard work, he needs to sleep good in order to be able to always perform at his peak.
We quickly learned this lesson from Jam. Sure, we can stay up super late and get more done but the next day we are sluggish and regret not hitting the hay earlier. We learned from Jam that getting adequate sleep boosts your performance more than staying up late could.
#5. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
Jamie has a great temperament and is rarely angry. Yes the mailman is his mortal enemy and the squirrel that won’t stop following him gets on his nerves, but other than that he’s very mellow.
Sometimes Jam will get upset when we don’t give him scraps or can’t go for a walk, but he gets over it quickly. Jamie has taught us that sweating the small stuff is a waste of your energy, which should be used for more important things like chasing squirrels and barking at the mailman.
#6. You’re Never Too Old To Play
Age is truthfully just a number. This is a lesson that I believe Jamie will always be teaching us. There is no doubt in my mind that Jamie will always be down for playtime despite his age.
Letting loose and having fun is great for your health and in my opinion it will allow you to age much more gradually, so have fun and enjoy life. đŸ˜„
#7. The Power Of The Great Outdoors
The great outdoors has been known for reducing stress & anxiety. After 3 years of daily nature walks with Jam I concur.
Jamie has taught us that the best cure from a long stressful day of work is going for a walk outside. The key here is to have no distractions, which means no electronics, just you and nature.
Jam’s love for the outdoors has pushed us to get outside more often, which has been a great benefit to our physical and emotional health.
#8. A Level of Skepticism Is Okay
If you’ve ever met Jaime then you know how cautious he is with new people. He’ll dodge all of your attempts at petting him until he realizes you’re not a threat. Don’t take it the wrong way, how would you like strangers trying to rub your face right when they meet you. đŸ˜‚
Jamie has taught us that being skeptical/cautious is okay and you shouldn’t trust everyone you meet. Unfortunately there are some bad people in this world and you need to be careful.
#9. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Have you ever pushed your favorite bone under the couch or wrapped your cable around a tree? In a situation like this it’s okay to ask for help, Jamie has made that very clear to us.
On a serious note though it really is okay to ask for help when you need it.
#10. Find Your Bone
Jamie has a number of hobbies from chasing squirrels, to trying to set the world record for longest nap taken. His favorite hobby by far is definitely chewing on his bone.
Jam has taught us that it’s important to have hobbies and to make time for those hobbies. Carving out this time will increase your level of happiness and decrease your level of stress, it’s a win win.
#11. You Can Run Faster With Your Tongue Out
Based on countless experiments performed by Jamie, it’s scientifically proven that you are able to run faster with your tongue out.
Okay maybe it’s not actually scientifically proven, but Jam has definitely collected enough evidence. The life lesson that Jamie has taught us here is to be yourself. If you run faster with your tongue out then do you.đŸ˜„
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion dogs are amazing.
Jamie is a blessing and we are so grateful to have him in our life. I hope that the life lessons that Jamie has shared with us have the same impact on your life that they have had on ours. If you’d like to hear more of the life lessons our dog has taught us then let us know in the comment section. Also please share the life lessons that your dog/pet has taught you.
If your interested in some more wicked reads then check these out:
- The True Cost of a Furry Friend
- How I Budget to Save 65% of My Income
- 11 Simple Ways to Decrease Your Monthly Mortgage Payments
