From being a dog hater to becoming a dog lover, I have learned a lot. I must admit there are times, even now, that I argue and fight with my dog. But never will I let go of him. I will explain from my own experience why it is a good idea to get a dog. These are lessons I’ve observed and learned over all these years of living with dogs.
1. They make brilliant partners
When I got my first dog, I used to behave a lot like a trainer and less like a companion. I thought it was my duty to teach him. I did not realise for a long time that I had a lot to learn from him as well.
I tried to teach him tricks. Making him sit, stay, walk, bark and so on. While these were good things to teach, most dog owners fail to go beyond these basic commands. Irrespective of the breed, it is important that we acknowledge the fact that our dogs are extremely clever beings.
They learn from us and react on a regular basis. The best way to teach our dog is to just be with them. Let them be a part of the activity that you are doing. When my golden retriever, Mario, was about a year old, I would let him be with me when I washed my scooter or when I cleaned the house or when I did my office work.
It would take him a while to understand what he was supposed to do. He would play with the bucket when I washed the scooter or roll on the leaves when I cleaned or poke his nose when I worked. There were times when I would get angry and frustrated.
But eventually, he understood. He learned when to involve and when to stay away.
The more time you spend with your dog, the quicker he learns. Soon it would become a healthy partnership. Both of you will enjoy the company and it only gets better with time.
2. They bring order in our lives
Before I got Mario, I hardly had a daily routine. The day Mario came into my life, things changed. I was responsible for taking him for walks, feeding him, taking him to the vet, bathing him, brushing his coat, training, playing and every other imaginable task.
For someone who prefers to sleep and watch sitcoms all day, this was quite a change. But I was ready for it.
Soon every other part of my life fell into a schedule to fit my dog’s routine. I would finish my work on time, get to bed on time and I was becoming more productive than ever before.
3. They make us better communicators
When I got my first dog, the training sessions used to be extremely confusing and tiring. Both for my dog and for me. Firstly, I would try using three different languages hoping that he would understand at least one (You can probably guess my level of ignorance).
When he didn’t react, I would say the command louder. My dog would sit there with his tongue hanging out looking at me, trying to figure out why I was barking.
Then I would get upset and repeat the command several times as if he is going to understand it if I repeat it.
I would then show him what the word means. So, I would sit as I say sit.
By this time, my dog would have lost all interest in me and would run behind a butterfly or go pee on a nearby plant.
As first-time dog owners, you are expected to make mistakes. There will be days when things just don’t go the way you plan. But believe me, you will find a way. The important thing is to make your training extremely simple.
Be clear as to what you want your dog to do. Soon you will start to make progress. More than the words you say, the dog is looking at your whole body. Be conscious of every move you make. Your dog notices it all. Similarly, you will need to notice his whole body as well.
Soon you will learn to speak with better clarity. Not just with your dog but with everyone.
4. We all need someone who does not judge
There will be times in our lives when we will not be proud of ourselves. It could be the way you behaved with a family member. Maybe you did not perform well at work. Maybe someone broke your heart or maybe you broke someone’s heart.
We all need someone to speak our hearts out. Someone who will never ever judge you.
Your dog is not going to gossip about your failure with his friends. Your dog is not going to think any less of you. Rather he or she would understand the pain in your voice and sit next to you till you complete.
5. Mutual respect and cohabitation
Learning to live with another species is vital today. We need to respect one another. Try to understand the way a species thinks. You need to make yourself available to the dog. Let him understand you and your way of life. And you must understand his way of life.
This for sure will make you a better human. Better humans are what the world needs. The world has enough smart people. We need people who care for one another. That’s what you can become when you have a dog
6. They teach us to be responsible
Having a dog is a huge responsibility. I tell most first-time dog owners to think it through a hundred times and be prepared to face tough times. It will all be worth it. When I was facing some bad days with my first dog, there were times when I really questioned my decision of getting a dog.
But then I would look at this small ball of fur and tell myself that what he is exhibiting is a result of my lack of understanding. It was my responsibility to give him the best, teach him to be calm and happy. The day you realise this, you will see a side of yourself that is more compassionate. Over time this quality will reflect in everything you do.
7. Bring loads of happiness
I can’t tell you the number of times my dog has made me happy. Whether it is the excitement to see me come home or the way he sits next to me waiting for me to finish my work or the way he brings me his toys to ask me to play.
For all first-time dog owners out there, you can all have this. It just takes a bit of work. I believe the biggest gift you can give your dog is trust. He should feel safe. Every other good behaviour follows.
8. Make more friends
For an introvert like me, having a dog has been a blessing. It does not matter what breed you have; Dog lovers find it very easy to talk to another dog lover. There is no ice to break. We can just start talking about our dogs. I’ve made several friends over the years during my dog walks, at pet events, and at the vet.
9. Protect us
Over the year my dogs have protected me and the family several times. Their senses are so well developed that even the slightest change in their surrounding can alert them.
Once several years back, I came home from the office and my dog looked eager to show me something. He started pulling me towards the car and started tapping the front hood. I knew something had entered the car. We live in a place where there a lot of snakes and rats. I got the car checked the next day and sure enough, it was a rat.
He did the same thing to the car tyre and we found that there was an air leak. These are just some of the many instances when my dogs managed to save me and my family from harm.
10. Teach us to live
Before you say – ‘I don’t need a dog to teach me how to live’. Just think, how many people here can actually say that they are content with everything in their lives.
How many of us stop to smell the flower?
How many people do you know that respects and admires you 100%?
How many people do you respect and admire 100%?
Have you felt pure love? Unconditional love?
These are things that we admire and hope to experience in our lives. Dogs come pre-installed with these qualities and that is why we need dogs in our lives.
