Life Lessons

We spend a lot of time teaching things to our dogs. All the dog sports require at least a bit of teaching, even those — such as lure coursing or barn hunt — that seemingly rely heavily on instinct.  

It is certainly true that in the millennia since dogs were first domesticated, they have learned to do a multitude of tasks for their human partners. While initially domesticated, the dog’s job was to aid in the hunt — a task still performed for both subsistence and sport hunters. As more species began to be domesticated by the early humans, the dogs were also needed to herd and tend grazing animals as well as protect those herds and flocks.  

Since then, dogs have helped us by pulling carts and sleds, carrying our gear on their backs, sniffing out contraband and explosives, catching criminals, entertaining us with tricks, guiding people when they’ve lost their eyesight, comforting the aged and infirm, finding missing children, adults and criminals, guarding our possessions, aiding the hearing impaired, acting on stage and in movies, and detecting diseases, as well as a whole host of other activities, including playing dog-sport games with us.

So, dogs have learned to do a whole lot of different things as a result of their relationship with humans. But, if we pay attention, we can also learn a few things from them.

For one thing, most dogs, even those with minimal ability, always try. The lesson in this for us is that when you start a job, finish it and do it to the best of your ability. Some dogs may not be the greatest performers, but they do their best and they’ll stick to their task until they either succeed or you call them off. 

When I send my dogs for a bird, I know that if there is any possible way they can find it and bring it back, they will.

When I send my dogs for a bird, I know that if there is any possible way they can find it and bring it back, they will. On those rare occasions when they can’t find the bird, such as when a duck dives and doesn’t resurface, it is difficult to convince them to quit. I’ve seen similar perseverance from other breeds in other dog sports and most dogs, when a task is well done, take unmistakable pride in their work.  Not a bad philosophy for us to have, if you think about it.

Dogs never seem to lose their love for the little things. They get excited about simple things and share that excitement with others.  An ear scratch, a tummy rub, even just a ruffle of their fur and a little conversation with them is enough to make a dog happy. They have a knack for finding delight in the most ordinary moments. Dogs seem to know that some of the best things in life are the smallest — an unexpected treat, a ride in the truck, a trip to the mailbox, a new toy. Three simple words — “Go chase dummies,” for example — has always sent my retrievers into a frenzy of tail-wagging and barking. Picking up the shotgun has also had the same effect on both the retrievers and the pointing breeds. Imagine how much more we could enjoy life if we stopped to appreciate the small, everyday pleasures we often overlook in our quest for something better and bigger.  

Three simple words —  “Go chase dummies,” for example — can send many retrievers into a frenzy of tail-wagging and barking. 

Dogs always seem to remember to say thanks in some way or another. They seem to instinctively know that being grateful with kisses, a well-placed paw and tail-wagging is beneficial to them and results in more food, more treats, more toys and more love. So even when someone does something as seemingly routine as opening a door or as special as offering to hand you a wild duck, don’t forget to show your appreciation. Not only is it good manners, as archaic as that concept seems to be these days, but letting people know that you appreciate something they’ve done for you is also beneficial for you. Researchers have discovered that people who are grateful have better heart health and more disease-fighting cells in their bodies.

Dogs always seem to find time every day for a little playtime and some time to be just plain silly. 

Dogs always seem to find time every day for a little playtime and some time to be just plain goofy. Mine have never been afraid to act silly running in circles around me, rolling around on the ground, chasing their tails and generally doing almost anything to make me laugh and tell them they’re just big, silly dogs. It’s a fact that we adults need some “recess” time as much as elementary-school children do. Physical play reduces stress hormones and releases endorphins, our “feel-good” hormones. Laughter, which is part of most play, also releases endorphins. We should never be afraid to get wildly excited or spend some time blowing bubbles or running around like an airplane, playing in the rain or now and then splashing through puddles. How long has it been since you jumped into a pile of leaves just for the sheer hell of it? You’ll probably find that allowing yourself to be silly is not only invigorating but it feels really good. Dogs know that’s true, and so should we.

Dogs don’t give up even when things seem impossible, and that’s a valuable lesson for us also. When a dummy landed on the opposite side of a redwood fence, the fence seemed like an insurmountable barrier for one of my dogs. No matter where he turned, the fence was blocking him from getting the dummy. Finally, he spotted a little depression under the gate and after some serious digging, had enlarged it enough so he could squeeze through to grab his prize. A Belgian Malinois owner I know watched her dog spend most of a day defending the yard against invasion by a moose, even though there was probably no way to stop the moose if he really had wanted to get in the yard. But the dog didn’t know the job was impossible. These efforts serve as a good reminder that no matter how difficult the struggle may seem, like these determined dogs it’s important to just keep trying.

Dogs are masters of living in the moment, something the vast majority of humans also needs to learn. When something is done, they forget about it and move on. That’s why, two minutes after you give them a sharp scolding in the sort of language every dog understands, they’re back wagging their tails and inviting you to play with them. They’ve put whatever happened behind them and are moving on to the next moment. Seeing our dogs do this should be a reminder to us to spend a little time every day putting past hurts or slights behind us and enjoying a particular moment or two.

Dogs have learned to do a whole lot of different tasks as a result of their relationship with humans. 

Dogs are always curious, and they never stop learning. We’ve all taught older dogs to do something new and different. We can also learn something new if we’re open-minded enough to try. One of my dogs, for example, forced both his trainer and I to learn a completely new method — for us, anyway — of training a gundog and hunt-test dog. What’s more, we had to do it with almost no references available to guide us, just a lot of trial and error and a dog incredibly tolerant and forgiving of our mistakes. But he taught us that even after doing something a certain way for many, many years, we could learn how to do that same task in an entirely different way and be successful. You can teach old dogs and old humans (or even middle-aged ones) “new tricks” if they’re willing to try and learn them.

Dogs are always up for an adventure. A friend of mine’s Airedale Terrier is always ready to jump into any of their vehicles whenever the opportunity arises. While once in a while these trips might be to the vet, there’s always a chance that he’s going hunting (the best possible outcome) or training, which is almost as good, especially if someone shoots some birds for him. These same adventure possibilities, excluding the trips to the vet, and particularly those that involve hunting, also always make my dogs energized and happy, relieving any stress that may have built up in training or just their ordinary living. They do the same for me: After a few hours in the field or a marsh, I have not only left my normal, ordinary life behind, but I’ve had some outdoor exercise, as well as the pure pleasure of watching my dogs do the job they were intended to do and do it well. 

Dogs never waste time wishing. They don’t want to be richer or thinner or smarter or more successful or more loved. They are at peace with what they are. In a world filled with folks telling us that we need to be better or different or more diplomatic or nicer or even more ruthless sometimes, our dogs remind us that we’re OK just the way we are.  

Dogs never pass up an opportunity for a nap, and neither should we.   

Dogs never pass up an opportunity for a nap, and neither should we. Dogs, particularly show dogs or dogs engaged in many of the dog sports, suffer stress and, Lord knows, life for most humans is filled with stress. But unlike most of us, the dogs know how to alleviate the stress that comes with training or performance, whether in the field, the arena, the performance rings or the show rings. They find an opportunity for nap time.   

So, it’s definitely true that dogs know a thing or two about how to live life to the fullest. If you’d really like to live your life the same way, pay close attention to how your dogs do it, because, in many ways, they are masters of how it’s done.