Jani Martinius

An Ode to our doggies

The dog world just celebrated International Doggy Day!

An Ode to my Noahbear:

What a gift it is to have a dog in your life. The love, attention, desire to connect and be loved, to make you feel better when you're upset or sad... It's simply amazing.

I have always loved animals, and especially dogs. I had no idea how deeply I would love my Noahbear. He is my furry boy, my doggy soulmate and doggy love.

I am so grateful and lucky that we get to be in each other's lives.

To me, they are angels on 4 legs, so spend time together, real quality time. Snuggle, and love each other up. Play and be jolly together.

You are a gift, Noah. I love you my furry boy!

I enjoy looking to animals and seeing how they “do life”. I feel we have much to learn from all of them all, the dogs, cats, dolphins, ants and everyone else too.

So what can we learn from our beloved dogs? Turns out, quite a bit!

1. Love with everything you are & have

2. Get excited when your family comes home

3. Bring them gifts

4. Take time for family snuggles

5. Say hi to others on walks

6. Slow down to smell the flowers

7. Play!

8. Sitting together in silence can be the best conversations

9. Take naps

10. You don't have to love everyone, but be kind and courteous

11. Enjoy the small things in life (like rolling in the grass)

12. Don't hold a grudge

13. Wiggle your bum and dance

Noah and his best friend Briggs are sharing a chewing stick

Our lives get so busy with this, that and the other thing, and I think we often just forget to slow down (or we feel guilty for taking some time).

Why don't we "use" our doggies to help us slow down? They are masters at it after all!

If you need to label it "self development" so you actually do it, go right ahead. (And then call me so we can talk about the need to label down time as something that "feels more productive").

I invite you to watch you dog, and do what they do! You're out for a walk, and they stop to smell things?

Great! Smell some flowers, the trees, look around you. There's got to be something beautiful to smell and look at.

You're walking, and they decide to sit or lay down for a rest? Instead of hurrying them along, sit down, have some snuggles and take a rest together.

You're coming home from work and they are excited to see you and want to play? Fantastic! Indulge in the snuggles and play time! You deserve it! You worked so hard today, life is no fun without play in it.

Your pup is snuggling in to have a snooze? Wonderful. Snuggle up somewhere cozy yourself and close your eyes for a few minutes.

When you think about it, very few things in life are actually "urgent". Most things can wait a little longer. Take the time to have a rest, a play, a snooze, a snuggle.