German Shepherd Guidance

“Life Lessons From a Labrador” is my sons’ most favorite blog post I’ve written. Today I thought I’d pay homage to the other canine in our house, Jack-Jack the girl German Shepherd. (She was named after the baby in “The Incredibles” and the cartoon short Pixar produced entitled “Jack-Jack Attack”)

When Jack-Jack was about 2 months old a friend of mine brought her into the office where we worked.  I told her if she needed to find the pup a new home I wanted dibs and, fortunately for me, 7 months later Jack-Jack came to my home.

My family and I have belonged to Jack-Jack for about 6 years, and she’s been an amazing addition. She teaches without trying, and sets a good example for me and my children. Today’s post is about that: the guidance we get from our German Shepherd.

1.  Be loyal. The first thing I think about when I think about a German Shepherd is loyalty. They will love you and stick with you until their last breath. They’ll even die for you. What a great lesson for my children: be loyal to those you love.

2.  When you have a German Shepherd you can forget personal space. We’ve trained Jack-Jack to stay off the couch, but when you sit on the floor you can expect a large furry lap dog to immediately occupy your space. She knows the importance of touch and snuggling. Oh, and don’t expect to use the bathroom without an escort.

3.  Listen. Jack-Jack will listen to you intently and try to understand what you’re saying. She doesn’t judge, and loves me even more when I talk to her. I want my children to grow up knowing the importance of listening to others, even when you don’t understand them, without judgment.

4.  Think. The Labrador can out sniff the Shepherd, but Jack-Jack’s smarts are head-and-shoulders above Belle (bless her heart).  Shepherds are super intelligent and need to be mentally stimulated, so do we. Mental stimulation has been shown to improve memory and lower a person’s risk for memory disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.
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5.  Protect each other. While the Labrador will bark and bounce backwards, the German Shepherd will run straight at anything she deems is a danger to us or any of “her charge.” When we let the cat out at night she insists on going out too to make sure it’s safe for him, and is instantly at your side if someone’s at the door. A good reminder to stand up and protect those we love.

This week, my reader, I encourage you to take the guidance of the German Shepherd.  Be soft and cuddly, strong and fierce, use your brain, love unconditionally, and protect those you love.  Just imagine what kind of world we’d live in if we all loved like the German Shepherd.

Thanks to my boys for this week’s inspiration. The next pet-blog will, undoubtedly, have to be about Maxwell – The Cat Who Thinks He’s a Dog.

My thoughts are my own, but my pictures are generally found on Pinterest (you can find anything there!). If you like what I write, please share with your friends or someone you think would like it! I’d love it if you follow me on Facebook (Melissa Gale), Instagram (write2unpack), or Twitter (@write2unpack). If you have any topics you’d like to talk about, reach out to me at write2unpack@gmail.com. Oh, hey, and if you sign up to follow me you’ll never miss a post!