Author Bruce Littlefield with dog Felix.
We humans spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out how to live better.
We buy books. Download apps. Listen to podcasts. Meditate, manifest, journal, count our steps, track our sleep—and, lately, have been plunging ourselves into tubs of ice.
Meanwhile, your dog is sprawled upside down on the sofa, paws in the air, looking suspiciously like he’s already figured out the meaning of life.
Maybe we’ve been asking the wrong experts. Dogs don’t have advanced degrees. They’ve never attended a wellness retreat. They don’t know their Myers-Briggs type. Yet they seem to understand the things we humans spend our lives trying to master—how to be happy, how to live in the moment, how to forgive, how to play, and how to love without keeping score.
Take happiness: A dog does not postpone happiness until everything is perfect. He doesn’t think, I’ll really enjoy myself once I lose five pounds, reorganize the garage, and get through this difficult assignment at work. Show him a tennis ball. Happiness! Open the treat bag. Happiness! Say, “Want to go out?” ABSOLUTE EUPHORIA, even though he has no idea where you’re going. Imagine living with that kind of optimism. Dogs also understand something we’ve nearly forgotten: Be where you are.
Dogs also understand something we’ve nearly forgotten: Be where you are.
When a dog goes for a walk, he goes for a walk. He isn’t answering emails while walking. He isn’t listening to a podcast called “Healthy Walking.” He isn’t photographing the walk so strangers can see what a wonderful walk he’s having. He is sniffing that bush. And apparently, judging by the amount of time he spends there, that bush is fascinating. Dogs notice things. The breeze. A squirrel. A new smell. The sound of a potato chip bag opening three rooms away. Their lives are built around attention, and attention may be one of the greatest luxuries left in modern life.
They’re also masters of forgiveness.
Accidentally step on your dog’s paw and you will feel terrible for the next three days. Your dog? Thirty seconds later: We’re still best friends, right?
Dogs don’t keep a grievance spreadsheet.
They don’t lie awake at 2 am replaying something another Labrador said at the dog park in 2019.
They move on. There’s a lesson.
Dogs are also completely unembarrassed by enthusiasm. Humans learn to play it cool. We don’t want to look too excited, too eager, too interested. Dogs have no such problem.
When you come home, even if you’ve only been gone 12 minutes, your dog greets you as though you have returned from a seven-year expedition to Mars.
Perhaps the greatest lesson dogs teach us is about love itself.
YOU’RE BACK! I THOUGHT I’D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN! THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
What would happen if we greeted the people we love with even 10 percent of that enthusiasm? Marriages might improve overnight. And perhaps the greatest lesson dogs teach us is about love itself. Dogs don’t care about your résumé. They don’t care what you weigh, what you earn, how many followers you have, or whether your kitchen renovation has been featured on Instagram.
You can have the worst day of your life, walk through the door feeling like a complete failure, and your dog looks at you as if you are Beyoncé arriving at the Met Gala. To a dog, you are enough because you are you. I started paying attention to all this while writing my book Everything You Need to Know About Life You Can Learn From a Dog. (Put your paws on a copy!) What began as a funny premise became something I’ve come to believe even more strongly: Dogs have life figured out. Or perhaps they know things we once knew and forgot. Play whenever possible. Eat with gusto. Stretch often. Go outside. Be curious. Take naps. Forgive. Protect your pack. And wh en somebody you love walks through the door, stop what you’re doing and let them know they matter. We spend a fortune searching for the secret to living well. Turns out, it may have been at our feet the whole time.
To a dog, you are enough because you are you.
Author Bruce Littlefield with Barbara Corcoran.
7 Lessons From Your Four-Legged Life Coach
1. Wake up excited. Every morning is apparently the best morning ever. Try adopting the attitude before checking your phone.
2. Take the walk. Fresh air, movement, and looking around are remarkably effective medicine for a lousy mood.
3. Sniff the roses. Or the fire hydrant. The point is: slow down and notice your life while you’re living it.
4. Ask for what you want. Dogs do not hint. They stand beside the treat jar and stare directly into your soul.
5. Forgive quickly. Life is too short to spend Tuesday still furious about Monday.
6. Nap without guilt. Your dog has never once said, “I really should be doing something productive.”
7. Love extravagantly. Wag your metaphorical tail. Let people know you’re happy to see them. Nobody on their deathbed wishes they’d played it cooler.
Bruce Littlefield is an American bestselling author, television personality, designer, and lifestyle expert known for his humor, storytelling, and enthusiasm for the pleasures of everyday life.
He has authored or co-authored approximately 20 books covering a wide variety of subjects, including American culture, home design, business, relationships, and pets. His better-known works include Garage Sale America, Airstream Living, Merry Christmas, America!, and The Bedtime Book for Dogs.
Across his varied projects, his work consistently reflects a belief that life is enriched by curiosity, humor, creativity, and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.
Everything You Need to Know About Life You Can Learn From a Dog is published by Penguin Young Readers Group. Find out more and purchase a copy at penguinrandomhouse.com or brucelittlefield.com
