Now That You Asked.. We Just Prefer 'Child'.

When were you as happy as this dog?

Look at him, wind in his face, wide-open spaces, the open road, utterly free- happy.

For a dog it’s simple.  All you need is food in your dish and a walk around the block and you’re good. If being happy is so easy why are humans so bad at it?

I think we have a lot to learn from dogs. For them it’s simple. Walk, food, wind. For us it’s complicated or rather should I say we complicate happiness putting stuff between ourselves and it.

Layer upon layer we pile our junk collected as adults- ironically to protect us from hurt, and build a wall of worry, insecurity, envy, jealousy, worthlessness, and self-doubt.

We weren’t born worried. Children like dogs have a direct line to happiness. Put a one year old baby in a room with a ball and it’s basically a happiness training video.  So where do we meander off the path to happiness?

Let’s ask a dog.

Your human’s left you all day in the house on your own. When faced with loneliness, how does it make you feel?

Loneliness

A dog doesn’t conjure up reasons why people act badly towards them. A dog lives in the present and as the time passes during his long day alone he doesn’t get resentful as a human would. He doesn’t judge you and he can’t think up reasons why this is happening to him. A dog doesn’t feel sorry for himself.

By the time his human does return the dog is still living in the present as he’s always done. Nothing bad has happened and to a dog living in the now all he sees is what’s in front of him- his human coming in the door and the dog greets him with excitement. All that is past has been forgotten.

Problems

Everyday problems arise and we are faced with solving them. People will procrastinate, avoid and find excuses for not facing their problems. What happens then? The problem gets worse and we start blaming others for foisting the thing on us in the first place and by the end of the day we are so exhausted from dodging, avoiding and procrastination the problem has grown so large that we lose sleep and the whole cycle begins again in the morning.

In studies, dogs simply solve the problem at hand. There is no delay and their approach to problem solving is well, dogged.  Whether the problem is looking for food, getting at a treat inside a toy or finding their way home from being lost, dogs just do. They’re not easily deterred by distractions and feel unsettled until the job is done.

Instincts

People like dogs have a tremendous capacity to be instinctual. Dogs unlike people act on their instincts.

Again, people complicate that basic feeling of impending doom designed to protect us. Dogs bark to alarm, in disasters dogs have been known to flee minutes ahead of an earthquake or fire. How many times have we cursed ourselves after not listening to our inner voice? That voice is our hard-wired instinct just like the ones we admire so much in dogs. Why don’t we listen to them?

Humans question, doubt and second-guess our inner voice to the point where the valuable tool we were born with becomes useless. To apply analysis to instinct is like throwing sand on a fire.

Communication

Anyone who lives with a dog understands everything their dog tells them – I’m hungry, I’m thirsty, I want a walk, I want to play. Are dogs speaking to us, well in a way they are. Dogs are master communicators and read humans so well that they show us want they want. We think it is us who controls our pets but in reality it is the dog getting us to do what they need.

Think about it. We spend all day talking- talking talking and often engaged in conflict because of it. Speaking is our main form of communication but does it always get us what we want or does it once again over-complicate a very simple task? Next time an argument takes you in circles ask yourself could my objective be reached another way?  By removing aggression from every scenario you instantly remove your oppositions need to defend themselves.

In other words, stand down. If you’ve ever come home and your dog has eaten your shoes does he begin arguing with you or does he show instant remorse? Standing down from conflict is a pack trait dogs adopt in their domestic homes as well. Humans could well benefit from admitting they are wrong a little more often.

Love

Here dogs have us hands down. They love unconditionally and forever. Dogs forgive instantly and never bring up the past to make a point in the present. Love comes easy to dogs; people on the other hand will search their entire lives for it.

To quote John Grogan, author of Marley and Me, “A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.”

So is happiness still eluding you? Take another look at that dog’s face, he’s trying to teach you something.