Living Life To Its Fullest From A Dog’s Perspective

Picture it! My three canine friends were taught they would receive the gift of a treat on the correct response to the two-word command, “Sit pretty!”

On this day, the command was used to capture them all together in a “sitting pretty for the camera” position. They complied, each in their own unique way.

The puppy on the left, NewBe, is rather confused by being commanded to sit pretty and shoots me, the photographer, a rather quizzical look, as if to say, “So where’s my treat?”

The gal in the center, Scratch, loves to please and is content to pose for the camera for however long she is asked to do so.

On the right we have Tidbit, mother of the other two dogs. Tidbit fancies herself the true leader of the pack. She sits, albeit unwillingly, which can be noted in her grimace.

Note: After our photo session, the girls received doggie treats for their good behavior!

While I managed to capture my family of dogs on camera, more importantly I learned a lesson on this day. Their reactions to my desire of the moment taught me to never again misuse a command in a way that would be confusing or demeaning to them.

My teaching trio of dogs also made me think of how often I might do this same thing with my human friends–resorting to barking demands or using bribery to get what I want from them. (Not a very pretty picture!)

Of course, you can live vicariously as a dog lover through family and friends who have dogs, too. The point is to spend as much time as possible with the canines, watching, learning, and applying what you learn from them into your day to day relationships with others.

Tidbit taught me things about motherhood that I wish I had known oh so many years before when mothering a young child of my own. She proudly stood in her stance as protector, nurturer, and teacher of her young--never letting her guard down, never shirking her duties--preparing her young for their own life journey.

Many lessons were learned from watching my Tidbit interact with my son's pit bulls. Pictured here is Lucy, the so-called bad one of the bunch, ha!

Lucy taught my Tidbit how to fight, how to guard, how to learn her boundaries and loved ones and how to protect them. The other pit, Jitterbug, was Tidbit's nurturer, who taught her how to be the lover dog, the mother of her pups, and to be nice to children and the elderly.

I learned so much about pit bulls from Lucy and Jitterbug, and about dogs in general. Probably the best lesson learned was to not judge a book by its cover!

I have learned to make new friends and to judge them according to how they treat me, not by any other measure.

And I learned to follow a dog's lead about people and other animals--if a dog doesn't like them--Beware!

Beauty is a thing to behold and can be found no matter the circumstances.

From our dog Scratch, Helen and I both learned to see the beauty of life, even when a bit of pain for healthy gain for our girl was where it lay.

Aunt Helen and I spent a lot of time at the vet with Scratch.

We learned the depth of compassionate care--thanks to Doc, the owner of the veterinary hospital--who charged us not a dime for his services to help us to heal her badly broken bones. (My ex, an abuser, to blame.)

Funny thing, our pain was greater than hers, I think. Never did Scratch allow her spirit to be broken during the healing process, nor with her lasting partial lameness. Scratch's innate personality, that of pure sweet sunshine and silliness, remained within and without for our years together wherein beauty and compassion were our bounty.

Love is the greatest teacher of all and from my dog Tidbit I was fortunate to experience the ever elusive form of true love. Through our friendship I have learned that life is nothing more, nothing less than–living and loving to the fullest–forevermore.