Life Lessons From My Dog

Without saying a word, Seymour my 7 pound Chihuahua, has taught me how to live life to the fullest.

1. Show your love to the person you live with every day. Seymour is genuinely happy to see me wake up every morning. He shows me that by looking me in the eyes and licking me, then rolling over on his back to allow me to enjoy the feel of his tummy. The longer I rub his tummy, the more he seems to love me.

2. Be persistent in working toward your goals. When Seymour wants to take a walk, he first jumps on me and stares in my eyes. If that doesn't work, he patiently sits on my chest with his tail wagging slowly - waiting. Finally if I show any signs of movement, he jumps up, wags his whole body and does his "happy pant". By then, I can't resist helping him to reach his goal. I grab the leash and we happily (he mostly) head towards the door.

3. Be patient and realize that no matter how much you wish otherwise, some things just take time. Seymour teaches me this almost every day on our walks. He seems to have a "poop ritual" that has to occur before the "outcome" is met. Through the minutes of circling, squatting, changing positions, squatting again, circling again, and finally finding the exact spot, he gets to his "outcome". He never shows impatience or signs of stress no matter how long it takes. Sometimes perfection just takes time.

4. Don't settle for less than you desire. Seymour has shown me that if I really want something, I need to accept nothing less. For example, he will only eat chicken tenders as a treat. He is often offered doggie biscuits, meat flavored bones or fake bacon bits. He will politely sniff them and then walk away. He's not obnoxious about it, he just shows that he has standards.

5. Be friendly to everyone. Seymour has taught me that it takes little effort to smile, wag you tail and get close enough to people to allow them to pet you. It only takes a few minutes and often makes that person's day. And it feels good. A win-win situation.

6. Take time to relax every day. Seymour plays hard, walks hard and eats - OK, but in between he finds time to take a nap - or multiple naps. I swear he doesn't look a day over three - and he looks well rested.

7. Stand your ground. If Seymour doesn't want to do something he hides in his crate or under the bed. No amount of bribing or sweet talking will make him change his mind. If I have a "gut feeling" about something, Seymour has taught me to follow it and it's usually the right decision. Of course he has missed out on some scrumptious bacon pieces while hiding, but he knows they will be offered again - on his time frame.

If he had opposing thumbs, he could write a best selling self-help book.