10 Important Life Lessons I Have Learnt From My Dog

by Sejal Parikh · January 23, 2016

Of late, the number of people about me getting their sh*t together seems to be shooting off the charts! Or let’s say, the number of people who seem to have their sh*t together. But that’s not the bad part. I can call out these douche bags whenever I want. The worse part is when I bump into these ‘higher’ beings and they ask me to ‘keep my own sh*t together!’ Not that I have any f*cks to give to these buggers but on a winter night, as you lay in bed, your mind wanders.

I think of the wankers I have been dating and the a*sholes that make my life miserable at work and the promotion that I deserve but haven’t been getting! It has made me wonder if the serious sh*t that keeps hitting the fan in my life can be collected into some sort of poo pourri that maybe the furry ball of LOVE who lies at my feet will sniff and approve of! Yeah, he loves doing that- my dog, Romeo!

romeo_New_Love_Times

Image courtesy: Sejal Parikh

As my mind cooks up impossible ways of getting some aspect of my life back on track, Romeo wakes up and snuggles close! And that’s when it hits me- I have had the solutions right beside me! My canine has his sh*t together and he doesn’t even feel the need to show off his success story on Instagram! As I lay there, stroking his fuzzy fur and putting him to sleep, I dwelt on it further and realized that if only I put the life lessons Romeo has taught me to good use, I could succeed or at the very least, fail better..and that’s one step closer to success, ya know 😉

romeo_New_Love_Times

Image courtesy: Sejal Parikh

So, here they are- the most valuable life lessons my dog’s taught me..

1. Wake up happy

There’s nothing worse than waking up grumpy. Romeo doesn’t have a wrong side of the bed- he wakes up to each morning, shaking off whatever seems to weigh him down in the light. I am hoping to let the first ray of the sun do the same for me, as my buddy Romeo presses his lick-alarm right up my face! And I can bet a gazillion dollars it works just as well as any yoga, meditation, work out or even morning sex! YES- you read that right!

2. Lick your own wounds until they heal

As silly as it may sound- it’s true. More often than not, the band aids I use are all too flimsy or worse, harmful. But my dog doesn’t let up until he has licked his wound clean and then, goes about his work without a care. Of course, sometimes he forgets to draw the line in his excitement and needs a cone on his head, but I tend to do the same with pegs and bottles. While a peg definitely helps, a bottle just rankles as much as the boat load of hurt I had wished to drown in the hangover!

3. Skulking in a corner is alright

I guess a million of you will side with me when I say I have a tough time saying I am sorry I acted like a b*tthead. But take it from my dog, just hanging one’s head in shame and lying in a corner, all sheepish until someone comes over to pet us and make things ‘good’ again might work! Can we call that our code for being sorry when we act up from now on?

4. As is slobbering when you are happy

Boy, do dogs have this right! Expressing joy even at the most mundane things is something that rubs off on us humans! As these dogs teach us to express unfiltered joy, despite wading through some serious sh*t life flings at you in an all-time-on mode, we realize that no matter how serious a business life is, wearing a smile works wonders!

5. Play well with all, but if someone’s being a d*ck, don’t be afraid to bare your teeth

I was raised well, so being snarky and snarling doesn’t come easy to me. But my dog has, sure, taught me to put my foot down and find my own retaliation to those hot-blooded but unbearable types- even if my voice is more a strong, assertive hum than a howl!

6. Don’t try to hump someone within minutes of knowing them

Do I even need to explain? You’ve been to the dog park, right?

7. Life gives you treats when you are good

Sometimes, I lose it with Romeo. Those are the times when the promise of a treat will make him sit patiently while I can finish off a presentation he seemed intent on being a part of five minutes ago! The point is- this one thing has taught me that being panicky and pushy doesn’t get me too far with things. In fact, the results seem to be just the opposite of what I’d wanted in the first place. So, even as patience comes a tad bit hard to me, I guess I am to take Romeo’s cue and wait.

8. You have to be an alpha dog or you may get nowhere

I remember my freshman year. I was indecisive and as a result, got nowhere. Years later, with a few careers under my belt, I have learnt that while I may not be able to decide everything in life, I can and should take a decision wherever I need. Coz that’s how one gets one’s milkbone, right Romeo?

9. Not all dogs are worth knowing

My dog knows this and your dog knows this and we should learn this too! If we just trusted our spidey senses when it came to people, God’d vouch we could have saved ourselves a whole ton of grief. I mean yes, I have been taught to smile and be nice- but screw all that- Romeo’s right about snarling at those that need to be kept away. We just need to trust our gut and if we still aren’t sure, that’s what bffs are for!

10. A walk always helps, always

Romeo is an ever-ready machine for walking! And I guess it is plain good sense- it keeps you healthy, clears your head and well, helps you explore the world!

Okay, Romeo- let’s go walking!