William Shatner once said, “I’ve been in that angst of loneliness, where you’re really alone in the universe, except for the dog.”
It’s true that we never question the loyalty of dogs. So much so in fact, that dogs have become the iconic symbol of loyalty. That’s because dogs understand love and relationships in a way that humans haven’t even begun to understand.
I think as a society and, let’s face it, as individuals too, we tend to overcomplicate most things, but especially love. Sometimes simple is better. That’s where we could learn more for our furry loved ones.
What exactly can dogs teach us humans about love? Here are five answers to get you started:
- Love is unconditional – When is the last time your dog got upset with you for having a messy house or for not changing out of your PJ pants? Dogs love you no matter what. They are always happy to see you and spend time with you for no other reason than that you’re you. Can you imagine how much healthier our relationships would be if we had this attitude?
- Love sometimes means we must live in the moment -this is perhaps one of the greatest concepts we can learn from dogs about love. When it comes to dogs, there is no later. There is only right now. They are happy to see you. They want to go for a walk. They have to go out to pee pee. Dogs have no concept of time like humans do. To do them, there is only now. So often, but especially in love, humans have a tendency to look behind or ahead. Sometimes we forget to look at what’s right in front of us and remember to take joy in the moments.
- Love is not a measurement – Dogs love you as much as they can no matter how much you love them back. They do not gage, they give you their whole heart and they ask for nothing in return. That is the most genuine kind of love. Dogs love is unconditional.
- Love and Affection go hand in hand- Dogs teach us that sometimes a little bit of affection is all we need. Showing someone you love them is so much better than saying it. Dogs can’t walk, they can only show. Most dog owners will agree that they never wonder if they are loved by their dogs. They know it as fact.
- Dogs are loyal – Dogs are not loyal in the sense that they will refuse to receive affection from other humans. Dogs are loyal in the sense that they want to please us, take us into their herd, protect us, and, show us tons of affection. It’s hard to remember when times get rough that life is lonely, but we’re all in it together.
You might not realize this, but studies conclude that dogs do make their owners better people. https://www.google.com/amp/people.com/pets/study-finds-what-we-all-know-your-dog-makes-you-a-better-person/amp/ That’s a pretty phenomenal connection.
If you find that you have a relationship in shambles, ask yourself this one question. Does that person make you a better person? If the answer is no, you may need to take the time to reevaluate your relationship. Interestingly enough, this brings us to our next article on opening heart space “how to know when it’s time to call it quits.”
Thanks for reading. Comment below and let us know what’s on your mind, emotionally… spiritually, or whatever. ❤
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