Sometimes Dogs Teach Us More Than People

Puppy learning new tricks

Our learning comes from the most unusual situations.

My trainer got a new puppy which was experiencing winter and spring for the first time. That new puppy did not like the cold winter mornings!

One spring morning my trainer took the puppy out for a walk. All of a sudden it started to become unsettled reacting to all the things happening around it. That day there were squirrels, birds, cats and different people walking by.

My trainer had learned that when the puppy gets overwhelmed like that…instead of forcing it to keep walking…she takes a step back, get the puppy to sit down and let it take in all of the moving parts around it.

Within a few minutes…the puppy had calmed down and was more relaxed to continue on their walk.

What a profound lesson for us as human beings.

Think about the last time you were unsettled about something and started to react. Maybe an argument with a spouse or family member. Maybe something at work. What caused you to react? What else do you recall in the experience?

When we react…we also have many moving parts involved.

Outwardly, we have things like people, objects and the situation we find ourselves in.

Inwardly, we have things like our thoughts, emotions and body sensations.

There're many moving parts happening both outwardly and inwardly, and each one can influence how we react.

For example…let’s say we had a productive day and late afternoon we get a call from the care home. They let us know that our elderly mother had another fall today and that we may have to consider looking for more advanced care for her.

Now we’re feeling really unsettled, maybe even sick to our stomach. The more we think about it, the more upset we get wondering if she’s going to be okay. Where would we even move her?

Overwhelm sets in.

In moments of overwhelm…just like the new puppy…it can be incredibly helpful for us to pause and become aware of everything influencing our reaction…all the moving parts.

Outwardly are the people…our mother and the staff from the care home. The situation we find ourselves in…having to find another care facility.

Inwardly are our thoughts which are running wild, our emotions which include feeling unsettled, upset and overwhelmed. Our body sensations include feeling sick to our stomach.

Every situation we find ourselves in offers us an opportunity to learn and grow. And we can’t do that without our own grace and awareness.

Awareness helps us gain clarity of what’s going on inside in relation to what’s happening outside of us.

Grace helps us soften into what we see…giving us the space to learn, grow, heal and to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves in the process.  

Perhaps the lesson is simple.

Just like that little puppy… learning how to navigate a world filled with new experiences…we too are learning how to move through life one experience at a time.

Before reacting to what life places in front of us…we may need to first sit with ourselves long enough to understand what within us is asking to be seen, understood, and healed.

Wherever you are on your journey, may you find what works for you…find your own truth…and you will always be guided to feel at peace inside.