What I’ve Learned About Happiness From My Dog

My dog, Ozzie, has life figured out. He’s pretty much always happy, relaxed, and ready for anything. His only real stress in life (now that I am home with him literally ALL the time) is to make sure the evil squirrels in our backyard remain in their tree where he feels they belong. Why are dogs so happy?

I, on the other hand, have felt more stressed out in the last few weeks than I’ve been in a very, very long time. And so I thought I would take this light-hearted look at the world through Ozzie’s eyes, and share some happiness lessons from my dog.

You can learn a lot about life from others, even if they aren’t human.

Now, if you are a dog owner/butler like me, you’ll immediately see the truth in all these lessons. But the fact is, despite coming from a dog, they can easily be applied to human lives too.

Check them out and I think you will see what I mean.

And so I turn the remainder of this post over to the Very Good Boy, Ozzie:

Happiness Lessons from my Dog, Ozzie

1. Today is the Best Day Ever

You can’t deny this is true, because yesterday is already over, and tomorrow hasn’t come yet. So it’s all about today. There is only now.

Now is a good time to have an adventure. Or eat snacks. Or play with squeaky toys.

Best of all, it’s a good time to lie outside in the sunshine and take a nap. On the couch, with a pillow cushioning your head. That’s a great thing to do now!

Our time on this great big spinning ball is not guaranteed. So do what you need to do, but remember, today is the best day ever because it’s what we have right now.

“The dog lives for the day, the hour, even the moment.”

Robert Falcon Scott

2. Love Deeply and Unconditionally

Dogs are pack animals, and in modern times, our people are our packs. We really, really love our people and we aren’t afraid to let them know it.

All the time.

If we don’t show how much we love our people, they may feel like we’ve stopped loving them or are taking them for granted.

This is bad.

So always let your people know just how much you care.

Bark like crazy and jump around when they come in the door.

Bring them special gifts like slobbery toys and rocks.

Snuggle against them at night.

Don’t be shy about it or pretend that you are “too cool to care”. Express yourself.

These are your people. And even though most people are pretty awesome, your people are the best people. Because they are yours. Never forget that.

“You can usually tell that a man is good if he has a dog who loves him.”

W. Bruce Cameron

17. Don’t Judge Others Based on Their Appearance

This sort of judgment is a weird thing people do, and it makes other people unhappy. Dogs don’t understand it at all.

Dogs can be really big or really small, thin or fat, and we come in all different colors. We might have floppy ears and a long, swooshy tail, or sticky-uppy ears and a short, stubby tail. It doesn’t matter, because we are all dogs.

And we are all awesome.

Dogs have no problem accepting each other exactly as they are.

And guess what? We think we are perfect exactly as we are, too.

I am a big, brown smiley guy, and my best friend Astro has stubby legs and a squished nose. Different as we can be, but absolutely perfect in our own, unique ways.

Also, neither of us has ever thought that my blue collar makes my butt look big.

Let go of the judgment, humans.

33. Don’t Sweat The Small Details

I eat the same damn food twice a day, every day. And I am a-okay with that. My food fills my belly and gives me energy to run and play. I am thankful that I have enough to eat.

Sometimes I want to take a long walk to the park, and mom just takes me on a short walk around the block. Sometimes we have to walk fast and I don’t get to stop and sniff all of the good smells. Other times I have to stay HOME ALONE when mom goes for a car ride without me.

And you know what I do? Forgive and forget. Yup, that’s all.

It’s not worth it to stress over any of that little stuff.

Don’t be upset or hold pointless grudges for little everyday events.

Just learn to take them in stride because everything just seems to work out fine that way.

6. You Are Never Too Old to Learn New Tricks

Every good dog learns to sit, stay, lie down, and come here when they are just pups. That’s easy stuff.

But even as we get older, we are still curious about the world. There is so much out there in the world, just waiting to be discovered! We like to learn new things and have new experiences and go to new places.

Learning is good for the brain.

It keeps us feeling young and energetic.

When you stop learning new things, your brain starts to shut down and life gets dull.

Learning can be complicated, like Roll Over or Take A Bow. Or it can be as simple as taking a different route on your morning walk or visiting a new dog park.

Never stop exploring and learning and challenging yourself to try new things. That’s what life is all about.

Just don’t forget the snacks!

Read More About Happiness:

• 10 Action Steps to Keep You on the Sunny Side of Life
• 101 Ways to Choose Happiness Today
• 21 Eye-Opening Facts About Happiness
• The 8 Best Positivity Blogs to Boost Your Mood Instantly
• 9 Everyday Activities That Increase Happiness and Reduce Stress

Final Thoughts on Why Are Dogs So Happy, and What Can We Learn From Them

To summarize, here are the five happiness lessons from my dog that you can apply to your own (human) life:

• Today is the best day ever
• Love deeply and unconditionally
• Don’t judge others based on their appearance
• Don’t sweat the small details
• You are never too old to learn new tricks

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post!