Life Lessons From a Labrador

 

“I wish people were more like dogs.” I blurted out.

The Best Husband Ever and I were sitting on our deck after work, and those words just popped out of my mouth. I have a German Shepherd and a Labrador, black lab specifically, and both dogs were circling around us like a couple of sharks. The Labrador would drop the ball on my feet, look up at me expectantly, and then seize the ball before the Shepherd could get it so she could toss it at my feet again.  Dogs are great communicators without ever saying a word. That got me to thinking: what else could we learn from a Labrador? And presto! Inspiration for today’s blog post found me.

Labrador Lesson #1: Belong to a pack. Dogs are pack animals. Humans are not wired to be alone either.  There are tons of articles written about the importance of finding your “tribe” and how good it is for you emotionally, mentally, and physically.  We all need to be understood, supported, and inspired. So get out there and seek out those who are like you, the ones that inspire and lift you up. Surround yourself with those who love and don’t judge and see what a difference it makes in your life.

 

Labrador Lesson #2: Be playful.  Anyone who’s ever had, seen, or been next to a Labrador knows how much they love to play. This is an important lesson for us as well. When we’re children we love to play and do everything possible to delay “work” so we can play for just one more minute.  Studies show that play time is crucial to developing imagination, creativity, physical and mental health. We talked about the importance of laughter and playfulness in this blog, and I encourage you to take a page from the Labrador book and endulge in something playful. It’s good for you.

Labrador Lesson #3: Have a bedtime.  Sleep is important. Not enough sleep negatively impacts our health, our weight, our sex drive, our mental focus, our emotional well-being… literally everything.  Belle sleeps with my boys. Their bedtime is 8:00. Belle knows that 8:00 is bedtime, and she knows when it’s 8:00. She’ll walk toward their bedroom, look back over her shoulder at me, look back at their room, then back at me as if to say, “Um, hey, it’s bedtime. Why aren’t we going to bed?” Belle knows the importance of sleep, and we should too.

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Labrador Lesson #4: Startle easily. Belle is super attentive, a little dim sometimes, but she’s always so focused on what’s directly in front of her (especially if it resembles food) that she’ll startle at the smallest thing.  Although her startle reflex is a little excessive, we could all learn to be a little more present in our lives. We spend so much time on our smart phones and tablets that we’re completely wrapped up in our own world and aren’t paying attention to the one that’s all around us. Look at what’s going on around you, who’s around you, and be aware of what’s happening right now.

Labrador Lesson #5: Love everyone. Labs are known for their friendly nature, and Belle is no exception. If you come over to my house you will have Labrador fur on you – just accept it. She will burrow between your legs expecting you to scratch her on her butt and will bring you every toy she has until you pick one up and play with her.  She accepts everyone regardless of race, religious beliefs, political affiliation, gender or disability. We should learn from her and be more loving towards each other. Judge others less harshly and accept that they’re different – and that’s ok.

There are a ton of other lessons the Labrador could teach us, like how everything with water must have a Labrador in it… be enthusiastic about your food… but I’ll save those for another time. This week I’m going to me more mindful of Belle’s Labrador Lessons, and encourage you to do the same. Accept those who are different and have different beliefs, pay attention to the world around you, quit taking yourself so seriously and make time to be lighthearted and playful.  Oh, and never doubt the accuracy of the Labrador Wristwatch.

 

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