What dogs can teach us : Nuggets of Wisdom
While we were recording our podcast episode “On neurodiversity with humans”, we explored the idea that dogs share “nuggets of wisdom” which are opportunities that can lead to self improvement and learning, if we allow them.
It’s no secret that dogs can be supremely beneficial to our mental health. As seen in “5 ways your dog can improve your mental health” we discuss that they increase our happy hormones, social connectivity, help us move our bodies, and much more!
What if we told you that dogs can also offer a more subtle, but extremely powerful benefit to our mental health if we take a beat and pay close attention?
What are nuggets of wisdom?
These nuggets of wisdom from dogs can come in various shapes and sizes. At the core, they represent teachable moments that dogs provide us with throughout our daily interactions with them.
Here are some examples of what we can learn:
Patience
Humility
Compassion
Slowing Down
Playfulness
Self-regulation
Prioritizing rest
How to set boundaries
How to ask for what we need
How to spot them?
The best time to spot these nuggets is when your dog is doing something you don’t want them to do.
Here’s a personal experience from Sharon:
One day I was walking with Muggins and they were sniffing around. All of a sudden, I realized they were eating poop - so gross! All of this heat and anger rose up inside me as I yelled at Muggins and yanked them away from their disgusting snack, promising to keep the leash short for the rest of the walk home. But, my anger and yelling did not keep this from happening again. Like most lessons in life, we repeat our mistakes until we learn what we need to learn - and this was no different. But, I finally found the pattern! Every time Muggins ate poop on a walk, I had been lost in my thoughts, usually ruminating on a missed opportunity or planning ahead for a potentially stressful “something”. Every. Single. Time.
The nugget of wisdom - care for my anxiety in proactive ways so that I can stay present.
How to integrate nuggets of wisdom into your daily life
We can integrate these learning opportunities into our daily lives by opening up to them with our whole selves. We can do this by attuning our senses to our surroundings, practicing being in the moment, and learning to pause with curiosity when feelings arise.
Here’s a personal experience from Angela:
Sometimes Duchess barks excessively and at a high pitch. This can cause a fight-or-flight reaction where, at first, I may jump in fear and frustration may arise in response. Instead of reacting in anger, I have practiced tuning into the environment, assessing for a potential danger that Duchess may be telling me about. If I feel we are safe, I practice a grounding technique - usually with breath work - and then I will go over to Duchess and redirect her, perhaps thanking her for letting me know she saw something and also helping ground her.
The nugget of wisdom: pause and take time to assess emotions and utilize grounding techniques before reacting.
The Takeaway & More
Dogs enrich our lives in so many ways and teach us invaluable lessons about ourselves and the world around us. We have coined these learnings as “nuggets of wisdom” and provided general and personal experiences that can be acquired through interacting with and observing our dogs.
Want to explore more topics on dog and human mental health? Listen to our podcast Happy Dog Happy Human available on your favorite podcast platform and Youtube.
For more information on the podcast click here and to support the show click here.
If you are interested in working one on one with Sharon, a trauma recovery coach and certified dog behavior consultant check out her website and schedule a free affinity call here.
Thank you all for your continued love and support,
Angela & Sharon
