A Lesson From Ruby, The Dog --- Part II - ATTITUDE

Animals can teach us a lot about attitude!

I remember years ago a sort of (probably unscientific) personality test was popular. Of course I took it. You would answer a field of questions about such things as lifestyle, feelings, and reactions to situations. When tallying your score at the end you would find out which animal symbolized your personality. There were fun-loving dolphins, wise old owls, and more I can’t remember. What I do remember was my result categorized me as a loyal, eager-to-please Golden Retriever. I owned two wonderful Golden Retrievers at the time.

Ruby knows how to share. Here she so lovingly shares her bed 
with a new puppy that joined our family.

We can learn a lot from our animals. There are adorable pictures all over the internet of animals hugging and caring for each other, even befriending and nurturing different species. They don't judge. They live simply. They don't try to impress or compete. They live for the basic needs of food and shelter. Yet they give without question. When they connect with humans they depend on us to provide their basic needs but they don't put expectations or conditions on our relationship. 

If you have ever owned a dog you know there is no greater welcome at the end of a tough day than the wagging tail that greets you at the door. Whether it has been 15 minutes or 8 hours since you left, your dog lets you know that it felt like you were gone forever. Ruby, being a retriever, also brings something to greet us. She greets us with an offering of a toy or object that is special to her. If we have actually been away for a few days she is so happy to see us she can’t stand herself and runs laps like crazy.

It has been said that dogs don't have a memory past 15 seconds. Oh—that can’t be true. Ruby remembers where the treat jar is. She remembers it’s her job to get the paper every morning, and that she gets a treat when she does. She watches us closely, remembering what the routine is, what order things are done that lead up to heading out for her walk. She definitely remembers who feeds her.

I think it would be nice to have the kind of focus she has where the focus is on the present—the possibilities of something positive about to happen, and not at all on the past. [More about this in a future post]

Ruby is content as long as she can be where we are. She will follow from room to room to keep us in sight if there is any chance we may be go somewhere. She actually endeared herself to me as a puppy. I had to choose her to bring home because she kept choosing to come sit at my feet. Her loyalty never falters.

I think I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve. My emotions seem to show on my face, in my eyes, in my smile, and surely in my tears. I guess you could say Ruby wears her heart on her tail. There’s no hiding when she is happy. She wags her tail and does her own “happy dance”.

I think more people can take lessons from dogs. If you are happy, share your happiness, spread it. Smiles, just like wagging tails,  

are always contagious.

Ruby’s wagging tail always makes me smile. Of course then I want to pet her to make her happier. And so the circle goes. Hmmm… what if people had the same reaction to each other? (I think they do). Who would you rather spend your time with, someone who is always happy, or someone who never has anything positive to say?

A dog like Ruby makes you feel like you are the most important thing in the world. A loyal dog looks at you like you can do no wrong, you are cherished and loved unconditionally. She never says, “I will love you (but only) if you do this for me”.

ATTITUDE MATTERS!

Your HEALTH and your HAPPINESS depend on your ATTITUDE.

RUBY HAS A WINNING ATTITUDE!

#healthyattitude#inspiration#attitudematters